(Software-As-A-Service) Software that is rented rather than purchased. Instead of buying software and paying for periodic upgrades, SaaS is subscription based, and all upgrades are provided during the term of the subscription. When the subscription period expires, the software is no longer valid.
Online, On Demand
SaaS implies Web-based applications, in which all software is downloaded from the Web as needed or run from within the Web browser. Web applications are the perfect software-as-a-service model because they can be easily controlled at the server level by the SaaS vendor. Such "on-demand software" has been touted as the wave of the future, many believing that local applications will be history down the road. However, considering that legacy operations tend to last longer than expected, the road could be very long. See Web application and ASP.
Online, On Demand
SaaS implies Web-based applications, in which all software is downloaded from the Web as needed or run from within the Web browser. Web applications are the perfect software-as-a-service model because they can be easily controlled at the server level by the SaaS vendor. Such "on-demand software" has been touted as the wave of the future, many believing that local applications will be history down the road. However, considering that legacy operations tend to last longer than expected, the road could be very long. See Web application and ASP.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2008 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Dell: Turnaround interuptus as share grab hurts net, margins
- Dell's second quarter earnings fell short of projections, but revenue was well ahead of targets. Translation: Dell is gaining share at the expense of its bottom line as price competition heats up. Dell reported fiscal second quarter earnings of 31 cents a share on revenue of $16.4...
- Blog posts 2008-08-28
- The End of SaaS? Or Just the End of Hype?
- Lawson CEO Harry Debes started -- or rather continued -- a brouhaha that's getting some pixels in the blogosphere, and his position is worth commenting on for both its courage foolhardy and its excess hyperbolically so. According to Harry, the SaaS market will collapse in two years time, due to...
- Blog posts 2008-08-28
- SaaS market will 'collapse' in two years
- Lawson's CEO, Harry Debes says SaaS is the third attempt at "on demand" in his lifetime and predicts it will take the same path as the first two--to oblivion. Lawson's CEO, Harry Debes, doesn't believe in software-as-a-service SaaS. ...
- News items 2008-08-28
- Cisco buys PostPath: WebEx to compete with Exchange, Outlook, Office?
- Cisco buys PostPath: WebEx to compete with Exchange, Outlook, Office?And, those costs are just the start. How about the staff to keep it running24x7?? Better to just pay somebody to host it all, and you will save a ton of money and have better uptime. Also, a lot more storage....
- Discussion threads 2008-08-27
- Is LogMeIn the route to laptop Linux?
- Is LogMeIn the route to laptop Linux?Linux is cheaper than WindowsAnd since they do the same thing, why not go with the cheaper option?And really you're right in that the other OS is more important to the end user. But as far as the sale of this "terminal", what it...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-26
- Intuit: software and services. Are you kidding me?
- I must admit to have been befuddled by Larry Dignan's interpretation of Intuit's current go to market strategy as analogous to Microsoft's software plus services mantra. This is the salient quote from Intuit's Q4 earnings call my emphasis added: We've talked about the fact that our growth for the...
- Blog posts 2008-08-25
- From Chapter Two: The appliance computing culture
- From Chapter Two: The appliance computing cultureDefinitionsI don't know if there is any official definition for "application appliance" out there, but you are using it differently than I would.You are using it to mean "a machine that runs applications whose internal operation is a black box," or something along those...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-22
- Microsoft talks software plus services; Intuit actually does it
- Intuit's fourth quarter brought the usual grab bag: A loss in a seasonally slow three months, solid revenue growth and an outlook slightly ahead of expectations. But Intuit also talked about it view of connected services and the big picture. My epiphany: Microsoft has been talking about...
- Blog posts 2008-08-22
- Is the Salesforce.com juggernaut faltering?
- Is the Salesforce.com juggernaut faltering?Salesforece.com and the $1B barrier...The $1B barrier appears to be not only a problem for software companies, it also created a hiccup for many mail order companies as well (Insight, Multiple Zones, PC Mall, etc). The one thing these companies all have in common with...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-21
- News to know: Apple sued; IDF; Adobe hijack; Microsoft-Novell
- Here are today's notable headlines. You can get News To Know via email alert and RSS daily: Sam Diaz: Apple faces suit over iPhone. Is it still worth the switch? Techmeme IDF wrap: Christopher Dawson: New touch screen Classmates unveiled today...
- Blog posts 2008-08-21
- Is the Salesforce.com juggernaut faltering?
- Scanning through Larry Dignan's write up of Salesforce.com's Q2 results I couldn't help but observe the company is signaling a sharp slowdown in sales growth compared with fiscal 2007-8. I wasn't the only one to notice. According to Associated Press, investors were far from impressed by...
- Blog posts 2008-08-21
- Open source and innovation as maintenance models
- Following my piece on a proposed model for enterprise applications maintenance, two fresh posts, one from Matt Aslett at 451.com and another from Leigh Cauldwell offer alternative ideas around how the present conundrum might be solved. Matt offers the open source position arguing that: This would appear to be...
- Blog posts 2008-08-20
- Salesforce acquires InStranet; Will take it SaaS and better target call centers
- Salesforce acquires InStranet; Will take it SaaS and better target call centersVery much in line with what SaaS providers needThe acquisition of a call center platform is very much in line with what is needed to deliver SaaS effectively. A robust SaaS delivery platform must include order provisioning, call center,...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-20
- ModelSheet: good in theory, needs more work
- Modelsheet is pitched as a product that is supposed to make the development of complex models much easier than the default 'Excel way.' In theory it removes a number of the steps necessary to ensure data accuracy and template integrity. However, there are usability issues that need urgent attention. ...
- Blog posts 2008-08-20
- What SaaS can teach us about customer service
- In the SaaS model, the power is with the customer and vendors need to take a very different approach to both sales and service, here's how to do it says Archie Black, President and CEO of SPS Commerce. Commentary--Software-as-a-Service SaaS is one of the fastest growing segments of...
- News items 2008-08-20
- SaaS mashups shape up
- SaaS mashups shape upI see little added valueCombining PayPal and Amazon.com on a Salesforce platform does what for me again?If I am an Amazon.com customer I can click on the shopping cart and use my account information to make my purchases. So having a PayPal link is of limited value...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-20
- SaaS mashups shape up
- As SaaS vendors and integrators begin to roll out enterprise mashups, the mashup's seminal role as the disruptive motor at the heart of the on-demand model is becoming clear. by Phil Wainewright
- Blog posts 2008-08-20
- News to know: IDF; Windows 7 wishes; IE 8; Salesforce.com
- Here are today's notable headlines. You can get News To Know via email alert and RSS daily: Larry Dignan: Salesforce acquires InStranet; Will take it SaaS and better target call centers Ed Bott: My Windows 7 wish list ...
- Blog posts 2008-08-20
- Salesforce acquires InStranet; Will take it SaaS and better target call centers
- Salesforce.com said Wednesday that it will acquire InStranet, which provides knowledge management software for call centers, and integrate its technology with its existing CRM customer service and support offering. Simply put, Salesforce.com is acquiring traditional enterprise software for $31.5 million and turning it into a service in an effort to...
- Blog posts 2008-08-19
- Piecing together Microsoft's cloud-computing vision
- Piecing together Microsoft's cloud-computing visionBest Known ExampleThe Best Known Example of Cloud Computing is connecting to a Windows 2003 Server in a data center via terminal services client under a floating profile and running a c# application.RE: Piecing together Microsoft's cloud-computing visionSOA/PaaS/SaaS is the biggest shift in our sector since...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-19
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
Ultraportables
- Understanding Ultraportable Laptops (BNET)
- Five steps to protect mobile devices anywhere, anytime (TechRepublic)
- View all ZDNet Toshiba laptop reviews
- From our sponsors
- Toshiba Satellite® U400 Series
-
- The ultra-portable, ultra-stylish Satellite® U405 is a smart choice for you and your small business. Only from the laptop expert, Toshiba. Explore the complete laptop lineup »
-
