Thanks Scott A great explanation, exposition and revelation.
Bret Nebel -----Original Message----- From: Scott Cadillac [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, May 20, 2005 11:51 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Witango-Talk: Rumors of my demise have been greatly... (Long read) Every tool has a place, including Witango. But more on that further down. What's all this hubbub about losing face and blank stares? And who do we have to blame for Witango not conquering the world? ...only ourselves. What else do you expect after Pervasive (a multi-million dollar company serving a multi-billion dollar market) shelved their own product line? I, just like all of you reading this, decided to keep forging ahead anyway, after that bomb dropped. We were positive and hopeful (some bitter) that something new would come out of it all. And something new has come out it - great product enhancements and superior technical improvements, thanks to Phil, Sophie, Fergal, Andrew and Andre. For many years I was a self-appointed Tango/Witango evangelist, and I don't regret one minute of it. Because I made some friends, helped some people where I could and gained some great customers. And I got an invaluable insight into the Software development business, about how perception and position is everything. So what about Witango and it's "rightful" due on the world stage as a superior product? I think that nothing short of Microsoft buying Witango can do that. **** But I digress. What about now, what about our reality? We have a great web-development tool, but what is missing from this picture? ~~~~ It's defined place in the market? It's perception and position? Yes? Guess what? We're blind! It already has a position in the market, as a solid middleware product - it always has been. Tango was born when middleware was everything in web-development, and it had a great ride. The problem is, web-development has evolved to now encompasses middleware solutions - and "Enterprise" solutions. Like it or not, the "Enterprise" buzzword is reality. And "Enterprise" is the root of Robert's anxiety (and others I'm sure). So what's the difference between Middleware and Enterprise? ~~~ Middleware, is just glue - that helps to bind different applications together to make one solution. Middleware allows end-users to interact with a database via a browser, or move data from one system to another system. It can be wonderful glue, but still just glue none-the-less. ~~~ Enterprise, is a platform - a total solution environment that provides end-to-end working, integrated components to deliver results. Enterprise components are typically all written using the same language or standards. It's about conformity. Another way to read Enterprise is portability of code (a.k.a. business logic), and portability reads as savings and return on investments. Where as, code from a Middleware product isn't as portable to other components. Examples of Middleware for the web world are ColdFusion, PHP, Perl, Witango and so on. There are only two examples of Enterprise: Java and .NET What do the Fortune 5000 companies (or likewise aspiring companies) want? Enterprise - end of story. Occasionally those Fortune companies may want a quick fix to a simple problem, so sometimes they employ a middleware solution - but don't kid yourself, Enterprise is their primary objective. **** And don't kid yourself either - Phil knows all this too, why else would he build, support and offer a Java compiler for Witango? Witango can be Enterprise too, but only with the Java compiler - end of story. Anything short of the Witango Java route is simply not a contender for your Enterprise minded customers - so get over it!! Don't you see now why Pervasive dropped Tango? Pervasive had to be an Enterprise provider, and all they had was a middleware solution in their pocket. To pull that card out would have been embarrassing for them, so they decided it was better to not do web stuff at all in the Enterprise arena, then to "pretend" they could. ---------- "Rumors of my demise have been greatly..." ---------- So it was a critical decision time for me just over a year ago. I'll spare you the nitty-gritty details. It's a story much like Robert's and others. The fight of continually trying to convince my Enterprise minded customers that a middleware product could solve their Enterprise problems was just plain wearing me out. Is there anything more exhausting and stupid than a one-sided fight? One that I started myself? No. So, how was I going to move forward as an Enterprise developer? Well, it was either Java or .NET. And unfortunately the rumors of a .NET compiler for Witango never went anywhere. And the plain truth is Java is just not my cup-of-tea. Where did that leave me? The choice was obvious - but heart-breaking to make, but I did choose .NET in the end as you can see. Anyway, the missing word on the end of my subject line is "accurate". **** Personally I think Phil and Sophie are the greatest thing that happened to Tango, because they have vision and a realistic perspective about their middleware baby in an evolving web world. It's us that have been blind for too long about the reality of middleware and Enterprise expectations, myself included. If it's decision time for you, then get off your butts and embrace Java or .NET At this new point of reality, Witango is still here for you...on the Java side of the fence. Good luck. **** I may not be as active as I used to be on this List, but I'm still here because you folks are the best - and my friends. Take care, and hope this helped a bit. Scott Cadillac --------- Weblog ~ http://xmlx.ca For Hire ~ http://xmlx.ca/forhire --------- 403-254-5002 ~ [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------- P.O. Box 69006 RPO Bridlewood SW Calgary, Alberta Canada T2Y 4T9 ________________________________________________________________________ TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Go to http://www.witango.com/developer/maillist.taf ________________________________________________________________________ TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Go to http://www.witango.com/developer/maillist.taf
