Comments on my ifridge: It's over, isn't it?

People often look for innovation in a product wher...

2009-09-30T00:17:01.401+02:00

People often look for innovation in a product where really the innovation comes from the application of that product. The concept of a WCM product acting as a presentation layer is probably the best innovation rather than a specific integration or a trendy 2.0 style interface.

Innovation is the team who can meet a business requirement with an efficient, elegant solution.

Just ask the National Trust Intranet Team!

My comments. "every player is going to get a...

2009-09-25T18:11:30.053+02:00

My comments.

"every player is going to get acquired at some time and keeping a product alive keeps the maintenance revenue consistent."

There is a difference between keeping a product alive and investing in it for the future. SDL continued to invest in Tridion after the acquisition, and the results have been very positive. Does anyone really think either RedDot or Vignette are going to receive any true investment over the next few years beyond bug fixes? There is indeed innovation in the WCM market and if I were either a RedDot or Vignette customer I'd be worried that my vendor isn't going to evolve along with the market.

"But real innovation is not happening."

Real innovation is indeed happening. Look at what Alfresco and Day have done for WCM architectures and standards. Or what SiteCore and Ektron are doing with marketing suites. Or what Tridion is doing for multisite management. Vignette and RedDot are both in their current predicament because they haven't kept up with the recent innovation in the WCM market.

"Believe it or not, there are no more fighters for the greater good in that market; no more idealists that are on a mission. Over are the days when Vignette and Interwoven outsmarted each other to charge a million $ for a website... Do you even remember Stellent?"

Were there ever idealists? Commercial software companies are in the business to make money. The best way to make money is to release products customers want to buy. I'd think you'd be surprised at the number of million dollar WCM deals that are still being done each quarter by a large number of vendors. And to your point about Stellent, you may not hear the name because Oracle has rebranded it but Oracle has done a great job of getting UCM into companies through their existing CIO relationships. I suspect Oracle views the Stellent acquisition as a great success.

"Vendors have two options. Focus on a niche market and sell later or sell the business now."

Vendors have a third option- stick to business as usual by listening to customers and releasing good products. I think most WCM vendors will take this option.

2009-09-25T17:07:09.402+02:00

This comment has been removed by the author.

Do we remember Stellent? Oh yes - unbelievably it ...

2009-09-24T10:46:09.759+02:00

Do we remember Stellent? Oh yes - unbelievably it is the most complete CMS offering according to the latest Gartner MQ. Are people still innovating in WCMS - yes, I think so. But it's coming from the smaller players, not the big boys. Even the mid-market people are trying to become all things to all people and not playing in a niche any more. And finally, I think a company like OTEX is going to struggle to build a brand new product from the ground up. Especially if they even pretend to have an upgrade/migration path for old RedDot/Vignette customers into it. They'll get hamstrung by back compatibility.

Thoughts on all this here:
http://jonontech.com/2009/09/15/when-cms-genes-wont-splice/

and here:

http://jonontech.com/2009/09/23/web-in-a-box-or-mix-and-match/

and here:

http://jonontech.com/2009/08/10/what-has-the-ministry-of-magic-quadrants-got-against-me/

Daniel, I'm glad that at least someone keeps ...

2009-09-24T09:30:27.064+02:00

Daniel,

I'm glad that at least someone keeps a clear head in that discussion. I totally agree with you about the impact of the OpenText / Vignette / RedDot deal.

In my opinion the most important point is your statement about innovation - the WCMS concept seems to me like a stoneage tool in a computer century. And if I have a look at the WCMS market I really can't see that there is at least one vendor with a new or innovative concept. So I think OpenText is right to announce that they want to develop a (hopefully...) total new concept and solution.

First let me say: WCM is not the future. ECM with ...

2009-09-24T08:47:43.825+02:00

First let me say: WCM is not the future. ECM with social network components (like Google Wave) are the future. But:

It's sorry to say, but be sure: It's not over, yet. Other companies will be taken, again, after Vignette was also "finished" next years.

For me as a ECM software company in a small and medium size business, the customers ask us every day: "You're a small company - are you very sure, that you will be survive the next 10 years?" - I'm very sure, it'll be! Because DocuPortal is a innovative, growing and stable company. But often, the companies decide to use a product like a "RedDot" or "OpenText", because it's a BIG and "STABLE" company - and don't see, what's going on, on the ECM market, last years (also see at IBM, Oracle, etc). Customers should not sure to invest into an old and classic product. RedDot, Gauss etc are perfect examples.

But it's also the big chance for young, innovative and growing companies like DocuPortal to give the customers back, what they want: A flexible company with direct support, easy to use software, small invest and a fast ROI.

Some, new companies will come and other companies will be acquired again ... and again ... and again ...

Regards
Jens Buescher,
CEO DocuPortal