How Well Does Software Work as a Service?
You’re probably tired of hearing the phrase “think outside the box,” but that’s an accurate characterization of Software as a Service. The “box” is the computer that sits on your desk; and SaaS is an innovative way to deliver software applications to that computer over the Internet.
Most of us understand computers as appliances confined to their own world. Software applications are installed and launched on independent machines, each computer handles its own processing and storage tasks locally, and the Internet allows computers to communicate with each other.
Today, this tried-and-true model of computing is being transformed by the widespread availability of high-speed Internet access, additional functionality built into Web browsers and tremendous leaps in computing processing speeds. Today’s average workers are more mobile, and they demand reliable access to their data and applications, regardless of where they are or what computer they’re using.
For example, when you compose a memo to a client, you probably click on your “Start” menu and launch the copy of Microsoft Word that’s installed on your computer. When you’re done, you probably save the completed file in the “My Documents” folder on the same computer.
But consider for a moment how you would compose that document if word-processing software wasn’t installed on your computer. And what if your completed file lived on a Web server somewhere on the Internet, instead of your laptop or desktop? This is exactly what services like Google Docs and Zoho Writer provide. The idea of online storage is not as far-fetched today as it once was, but the assertion that an online application like Google Docs accessed through a Web browser could replace a locally installed word processor sounds absolutely wacky to many people.
‘ASaaSSINATING’ THE OLD SOFTWARE MODEL
The basic idea of SaaS is not all that new. For those who have lived with technology for many years, this might bring to mind old visions of so-called “dumb” terminals that sat on desks linked to a mainframe computer. All the real work was done by the mainframe, and each terminal connected to the mainframe to access files and applications.
In the days of the “dumb” terminal, the Internet was barely in its infancy. Today, every worker has a computer on his or her desk and owns more computers at home. The availability of high-speed Internet access is so rampant that it’s becoming a shock to find someone who still connects via dial-up. Put all that together with the fact that Web browsers are getting more secure and more advanced, and you have the perfect ingredients for some well-rounded services to be presented over the Internet.
Some astute students of computing technology point out that Software as a Service is just another incarnation of the application service provider model that has been popular for many years. The major difference, however, is that SaaS applications are designed from the ground up as Web-native software that is seamlessly delivered through a Web browser. ASPs, on the other hand, usually take software designed for typical installations and rig an HTML front-end or something similar to provide “over the Internet” functionality. There is a blurry line between ASP and SaaS, but SaaS has certainly become the more accepted term in the age of Web 2.0.