(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
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