Thinking Small to Get Big: Thinking Small to Get Big The long tail of software


Slide2: 10 1000 Sex Mp3 Britney Spears 1,000X 3% 97% Excite Query Distribution 10,000,000


Excite didn’t figure out how to make a business out of 97% of our traffic volume: Excite didn’t figure out how to make a business out of 97% of our traffic volume


Google Did. $50bn anyone?: Google Did. $50bn anyone? An efficient marketplace for advertisers to reach SMALL audiences.


Every single iTunes song has been bought at least once: Every single iTunes song has been bought at least once


The transformative businesses are going to operate in and monetize the long tail: The transformative businesses are going to operate in and monetize the long tail


There’s a long tail for software: There’s a long tail for software


In the past, the software tail has been inaccessible.: In the past, the software tail has been inaccessible. Too hard to write. Too expensive to write. Too brittle once deployed. Too expensive to market and distribute.


The focus has been on dozens of markets of millions: The focus has been on dozens of markets of millions Instead of millions of markets of dozens.


Business software in the long tail. : Business software in the long tail.


Software’s Long Tail: Software’s Long Tail Head Tail


Slide14: Fixed, stable feature set Evolvable, changes with requirements Software’s Long Tail Head Tail


Slide15: Fixed, stable feature set Architected Evolvable, changes with requirements Evolved Software’s Long Tail Head Tail


Slide16: Fixed, stable feature set Architected Permanent Evolvable, changes with requirements Evolved Disposable Software’s Long Tail Head Tail


Slide17: Fixed, stable feature set Architected Permanent 100k-1M users Evolvable, changes with requirements Evolved Disposable 1-1000 users Software’s Long Tail Head Tail


Slide18: Fixed, stable feature set Architected Permanent 100k-1M users Big pieces Evolvable, changes with requirements Evolved Disposable 1-1000 users Small pieces Software’s Long Tail Head Tail


Slide19: Fixed, stable feature set Architected Permanent 100k-1M users Big pieces Monolithic Evolvable, changes with requirements Evolved Disposable 1-1000 users Small pieces Loosely joined Software’s Long Tail Head Tail


Slide20: Fixed, stable feature set Architected Permanent 100k-1M users Big pieces Monolithic Generic Evolvable, changes with requirements Evolved Disposable 1-1000 users Small pieces Loosely joined Situated Software’s Long Tail Head Tail


Slide21: Fixed, stable feature set Architected Permanent 100k-1M users Big pieces Monolithic Generic Lock-in Evolvable, changes with requirements Evolved Disposable 1-1000 users Small pieces Loosely joined Situated Open Software’s Long Tail Head Tail


Slide22: Fixed, stable feature set, Architected, Permanent, 100k+ users, Big pieces Monolithic Generic Lock-in Most users not builders Changes with requirements, Evolved, Disposable, 1-1000 users, Small pieces Loosely joined Situated Open Most users are builders Software’s Long Tail Head Tail


Slide23: Fixed, stable feature set, Architected, Permanent, 100k+ users, Big pieces Monolithic Generic Lock-in Most users not builders Low-level tools Changes with requirements, Evolved, Disposable, 1-1000 users, Small pieces Loosely joined Situated Open Most users are builders High-level tools Software’s Long Tail Head Tail


Slide24: Fixed, stable feature set, Architected, Permanent, 100k+ users, Big pieces Monolithic Generic Lock-in Most users not builders Low-level tools Complex, feature bloat Changes with requirements, Evolved, Disposable, 1-1000 users, Small pieces Loosely joined Situated Open Most users are builders High-level tools Simple, few features (but right ones) Software’s Long Tail Head Tail


These characteristics imply a set of features…: These characteristics imply a set of features…


Flexibility: Flexibility Handles structured and unstructured data Easy to modify and migrate schemas


Evolvability: Evolvability Tolerant development process Amenable to easy changes as project progresses


Users are builders: Users are builders Short distance between using the app and modifying the app Integrated view and edit


Loosely joined, Open: Loosely joined, Open Easy to get data in and out


Simplicity, Small pieces: Simplicity, Small pieces Minimal object model, small number of component types (RESTful)


High-level tools: High-level tools Rich environment (environment is useful without even programming) Ala Excel


Antecedents: Antecedents


HyperCard: HyperCard Rich environment (stacks were useful without scripting). Tolerant (data model was flexible). Integrated view & edit. Not so easy to get data in and out, and app was not networked for group use.


Excel: Excel Rich environment (spreadsheet is useful without even calculating, much less macros). Tolerant (easy to refactor). Integrated view & edit Simple data model (everything is a cell). Easy to get data in and out (CSV, HTTP). Not networked, and cell model makes it primarily useful for numerical modeling.


Microsoft Access: Microsoft Access Not a rich environment (you have to build tables before the app is useful). Not tolerant (hard to migrate schemas). Integrated view & edit for only some users. Complex data model.


Lotus Notes: Lotus Notes Rich environment. Moderately tolerant. Some users can be builders but building is generally complex. Not easy to get data in and out. More complex object model. Not loosely joined.


Traditional Wikis: Traditional Wikis Tolerant. Integrated view & edit. All users can be editors and creators. Not loosely joined. Inflexible data model: no structured data. No programming allowed.


How do we meet the set of required features?: How do we meet the set of required features?


Tolerant Development: Tolerant Development Revision control, flexible data model


Short Distance b/w Using/Editing: Short Distance b/w Using/Editing Just one click!


Easy to get data in and out: Easy to get data in and out Rich standards-based methods to access and publish data


Minimal Object Model: Minimal Object Model Everything is a wiki page


Rich Environment: Rich Environment “Degenerate" application is a wiki, which is highly useful on its own


Backup, Notes, etc.: Backup, Notes, etc.


What enables access to the long tail?: What enables access to the long tail? With iTunes, Netflix, Google, eBay, it’s lowering cost to address very small markets.


In Software: In Software That trend has been happening over time. But, it’s still not feasible to address a market of ten.


Software is:BrittleExpensiveLowest Common Denominator: Software is: Brittle Expensive Lowest Common Denominator


Doesn’t have to be this way: Doesn’t have to be this way Transformations have happened in the past


Microsoft Excel: Microsoft Excel


Excel: Excel Before Highly specified Highly technical 6 months or more Out of step with business pace After Rapidly created Disposable Single use Evolvable Far less technical