Recently, it seems there has been quite a surge in blogosphere conversations surrounding the meaning and importance of early adopters of new Web 2.0 software. The main message is that the initial logins for the first xxx-thousand users simply do not mean all that much in terms of the viability of the software.
If you have yet to read Josh Kopelman's 53,651 post, we highly recommend it. His argument is that new companies shouldn't be identifying those who regularly read TechCrunch as their typical user. This makes a great deal of sense from our perspective- even if your product is a utopia of technology, you need to focus on those in corporate america who have never heard of TechCrunch.
Among others, Om Malik follows this up very well in his post The Myth, Reality & Future of Web 2.0. While his entire post is well worth the read, the Web 2.0 Enterprise section is of particular interest to us. Some great quotes:
I think the Web 2.0 Web 2.0 philosophies (and related technologies) are
going to have the maximum impact in the enterprise.
The nimbleness of some of the Web 2.0 applications is a perfect match for
software on demand or SOA or whatever they are calling it this week.
And frankly, most enterprise applications could use a serious makeover.
Think about it: with the new interface techniques and quick responding ajax-based UI components you use on sites like Flickr, del.icio.us, Gmail and Yahoo! Mail BETA, how much faster could you get your job done if the same amount of intuitive "helping" elements were added to the Enterprise software you use on a daily basis?
We believe it can not only make employees much more productive, but also drastically reduce a company's software and overhead costs...more to come on that later.
