Over on GIGAOM, Ross Mason wrote a, IMO, self promoting article about SaaS – Software as a Service APIs, I left a short comment.
It is surprising to me how many people these days still try and sell APIs as a viable way to recreate ‘integrated SaaS solutions‘.
In this article several misconceptions about the SaaS software model are propagated:
- Integrated software is expensive, really?
- In this context APIs are anything more than patching unfinished or half baked software products?
- The worlds businesses are all only run by geeks?
- Fragmented software models (APIs) are not damaging for your business?
It really brings me back to the lack of understanding that many SaaS vendors have of the whole business process.
The fact is SaaS is growing rapidly, despite the fact that many of it’s vendors are one trick ponies and believe that in a herd they can hide that fact and make up for their shortcomings.
Integrated software, and I’m not talking about back office only here, is a strategic, productive and cost-reducing SaaS software model, that can never be replicated by fragmented SaaS software using APIs to seemingly complete the offering.
It’s like a band aid on a never healing wound, there is only trouble ahead – it’s patch-work at best!
