Blindness of closed source software company

Since yesterday I am using this blog in a slightly different way than usual. For some reasons it seems that something is happening in PLM realm.

This post is again a reaction to the post from Oleg Shilovitsky's. The post was titled :

Who will play role of Google Maps in PLM?

I think this is an excelent question. I am taking this opportunity to add some information on how this could happen. I have been working closely with both concept, recently I have been working hard to developed a Geographic Information System (GIS) platform to manage Geo localized content. I will make a post related to this platform as soon as it is ready for prime time.
Let us get back to the question, just a bit of history before google map GIS was complex, expensive, not web based software, closed source, understood and used by a very small subset of the population. Do you see any resemblance with PLM ? :-)
Google maps brings it to the mass.


I agree with you that none of the application or technology below deliver something close to what google maps bring.

• Enterprise Mashups (application area emerged from ability to mix data coming from different sources and present it to user.
• Microsoft Excel Services (high acceptance of Excel user interface make it usable everywhere)
• Dassault Systemes 3DLive (very promising lifelike user experience comes last year in new DS products).

My explanation to this is that google maps was just the tip of the iceberg the cherry on the cake. The nice UI that you present to your user. But the truth is that in fact there is now a complete open source stacked available to build geo enabled mashup:

• postgis
• geodjango
• ...

This is just to named few but in reality there is plenty of component available with a vibrant community around them.
So if PLM want to get close to that ubiquity PLM vendor will need to open the doors and the windows in order to get some fresh air, idea in. This put them in front of 2 challenges :
- Ability to deliver code able to compete with other open source software. In my eyes that means improve their quality and documentation
- Build a business model to keep up this effort and make benefits from it.

Afresco manage to do it in a different realm I am sure someone will do it the only questions left are who and when.