[Info-vax] OT: Elephants Can't Dance

[Jeffrey H. Coffield]

Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
> Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>> Phillip Helbig---remove CLOTHES to reply wrote:
>>> In article <00003bb0$0$2148$c3e8da3 at news.astraweb.com>, JF Mezei
>>> <jfmezei.spamnot at vaxination.ca> writes:
>>>> Phillip Helbig---remove CLOTHES to reply wrote:
>>>>> The typical Rdb customer on VMS neither wants nor needs
>>>>> bells-and-whistles features which might exist in some other
>>>>> product---he wants something which will do the job.
>>>> It also depends on how many customers are actively developping NEW
>>>> applications on VMS. If the vast majority are just maintaining existing
>>>> apps, then the need for new Rdb features is much less.
>>>
>>> You make it sound like "either developing new apps needing the
>>> latest, greatest bells-and-whistles stuff" or "maintaining existing
>>> apps, more or less life support until the current staff retires". 
>>> There is a huge middle ground, namely continuing to actively develop
>>> applications, requesting and using new database features where
>>> appropriate, but not jumping on the flavour-of-the-month bandwagon.
>>
>> Even with that middleground, then no new apps mean steadily shrinking
>> market share.
>>
>> Arne
> 
> I don't know any developers of software-for-sale but if I did that sort
> of thing, I would develop for the largest market available.  That's
> clearly not VMS whether you measure market size in revenue or number of
> customers.

The largest market is also usually the largest competition. For a small
company, a niche market can be much better suited.

Jeffrey Coffield
www.digitalsynergyinc.com (Recently updated)