Reading: Software Ecosystem: Understanding an Indispensible Technology and Industry
From Software Business Community
Software Ecosystem: Understanding an Indispensible Technology and Industry
Authors
Clements Szyperski, Microsoft Research
Summary
In this book, software technology and the myriad issues that surround its dissemination and use are examined from a number of relevant perspectives. Software is examined in the context of its users, its developers, its buyers and sellers, its operators, society and government, lawyers, and economics. The book attempts to bring these perspectives on software together in ways that illustrate that software is both distinctive from other goods and services and interesting from a variety of perspectives. It attempts to explain the software technology, industry, and context to non-technical professionals in ways that they can appreciate and understand, filtered by issues they will find important. It also attempts to explain to technologists many aspects of the context of software use and sale that should strongly influence how software is developed and how software technology needs to evolve in the future. The book attempts to stimulate research relevant to software and its uses by including a number of interesting discussion and research questions at the end of each chapter.
Why is it recommended?
While some of the examples in the book are looking a bit dated, the basic principles remain the same. This is one of the first books to attempt to look at software business from diverse perspectives. A number of promising research issues are listed at the end of each chapter.
Citation
D.G. Messerschmitt and C. Szyperski, Software Ecosystem: Understanding an Indispensible Technology and Industry, MIT Press, 2003