Many people give drug addicts a wide berth in public places. Should we be disgusted by our virtual selves?
Drugs are not only a problem in the physical world, but are also omnipresent in the virtual world.
Addicted to graphics software – is that possible?
You can become addicted not only to ethanol (alcohol), nicotine or junk food, but also to office software, apps, games and business software that you use every day.
If you don’t believe this, test yourself to see how addicted you are:
The quiz is based on the opening question: “Which software, games or apps do I use very regularly and frequently?” Choose 3 software products and for every “no” you get a bottle cork:
Can I do without the software for more than 14 days? How long can you manage without this software in your everyday office life?
Do I know how to get my data out? Can the file format be read and processed by other software?
Is the software not tied to the hardware? You often need the right hardware for your software. Can you even buy a replacement?
Do I have no alternative if the manufacturer disappears with the software?
Is the (reputational) damage greater than €100 if your data appears in the tabloids or a forum? The manufacturer provides the basics for IT security
How many corks do you have?
Count the corks and analyse:
0 – 5 corks – Independent eagle: You don’t need to read this article.
6 – 10 corks – Independent Panda: Read the article and add up the points.
11 – 15 corks – Dependent Junki: Memorise the article and complete all the steps.
Software dependencies are part of everyday life
Software dependencies are no coincidence, but a well-known business strategy. Other marketing experts call this strategy a golden cage. You can do anything as long as you always pay all the exorbitant prices and don’t move away from the provider.
Well-known examples are Apple’s ecosystem and Microsoft’s Office Suite. Cloud offerings are the next logical step to bind customers even more to the products, because the customers don’t even own the storage on which they work.
It’s not just the big software companies that work this way, but also small companies that sell specialised software. The software supplier for your smart vacuum cleaner 😉 also makes you dependent.
If the software has a fault, your home remains dirty, and you are 100% dependent on the supplier to (want to) find the fault.
What can you do about software dependency?
Focus – Ignore unimportant software
We don’t have to worry about every piece of software we are dependent on. First think about how important the software really is.
Windows calculator as an example: You use it every day, but you can quickly replace it with an alternative. Your calculator does not store critical data. So skip this software.
Cross the little helper tools off the list
Add online applications (SaaS) and cloud providers
Gnome calculator
Timing is the key
The easiest way is to avoid dependencies instead of fighting them. As soon as you want to buy or use new software or hardware, you should have a close look at the points below. Data migration is very expensive. Therefore, take your time with the decision and don’t let yourself be pressurised by brands or vendors:
Which open source components do they use?
Is the software based on a specific operating system, e.g. Windows?
Will there still be spare parts for this hardware in 3 years’ time? Should I buy spare parts cheaply today?
First approach – buy open source
If you don’t know where to start, looking for an open source alternative is always a good place to start. You should book other service providers and consultants as required because you want to run the software successfully.
Have a look at GitHub
Try out software from SourceForge
Research self-hosted solutions
Second approach – source code escrow
You need exactly this feature, which only this software offers? No problem.
Agree with the manufacturer that they will give the code to a third party who will have to hand it over to you if the manufacturer no longer supports the product or goes bankrupt. This way you can prepare for the future
Source code is the key
The devil is in the detail – sub-dependencies
A dependency rarely comes alone.
Manufacturers bundle software with other software over which they have no control. Special hardware for which there will be no replacement parts available in two years is the basis for the function of the software. A detailed examination is mandatory here.
Who is supposed to pay for ALL this?
The purchaser usually only looks at the purchase costs of the software. The purchase costs are usually only a small fraction of the total costs. The costs for training, migration (to and from the tool) and operation quickly overwhelm a company.
Find out about all cost components
Compare the cost components as total cost of ownership with other products
Select the product with the lowest total cost of ownership
Underestimated! – Get your own custom software
Many companies no longer even think about having software developed. Standard software can create a massive dependency. A truly agile development team can solve an isolated problem cost-effectively. Afterwards, you/your company owns the piece of code – no more dependency.
Good requirements engineering is the foundation of any successful software project
Don’t buy the cheapest developers
Small teams work better than large ones
Break out of the cage – export
You can judge a vendor lock-in more easily if you have looked at the export formats. Our standardised world is often not so standardised because vendors want to retain customers.
How can you get the data out of the cloud or out of your note programme?
The fairy tale of cloud backup
The cloud is important and useful, but a local backup is mandatory. In the past, there have been plenty of cases where the cloud provider has lost your data and all your backups. Apparent redundancies or human error are commonplace.
Keep an eye on alternatives and the market
Once you have decided on a software, it is important to keep an eye on the market. It doesn’t take long for your manufacturer to be bought out by a large tech group and the software is no longer supported.
Find out about similar products so that you still have enough time to react. The interests of software manufacturers can change quickly over long periods of time.
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