On-Demand Computing: A Brutal Slog

The Internet revolutionized the distribution of software–perhaps a bit too much. The Web brought a new, cheaper method for getting software into the hands of users, but in doing so may have killed one of the best models in Silicon Valley history.

At the outset, the Internet ushered in an exciting new era of corporate software. On-demand computing–its poster child Salesforce.com’s grinning, rosy-cheeked Marc Benioff sporting his once trademark “No Software” button–promised low-priced, convenient delivery of applications.

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