Location: Opinion: The Financial Software as a Service Manifesto

Discussion: Relax about the lengthReported This is a featured thread

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jstokdyk
jstokdyk
Relax about the length
Mar 2 2007, 6:40 AM EST | Post edited: Mar 2 2007, 6:40 AM EST
After all, you are writing for an electronic medium, so we are not slaves to the word count.

The real test is whether the article compels you to keep reading - because you are forcing someone to carry out a phyiscal activity (scroll down the screen) to keep them involved. I found this a good summary and welcome the bulleted bits - they drive home the argument more effectively than long, logically perfect paragraphs.

If you are still wondering what to do and where to go with the "is SaaS right for you?" section, remember that I did offer the opporunity to extend your manifesto into a subsequent piece or two - and the "is it right for you?" discussion is an important one to get readers to think about. If you all have the time/enthusiasm, you could expand that element with short summaries from a selection of different vendors' customers about why the selected system was right for them - try to aim for a wide spread of user types and reasons for embracing SaaS. Again, aim for c600 words (give or take a hundred).

If you do decide to go this route, I would include a final summary paragraph with the heading "Is SaaS right for you?" with a slimmed down final paragraph and a trailer that the next installment of the manifesto will answer the question more fully and include explanations from users why they chose this route...

After some fast drafting/editing work and I suspect a big investment of emotion and effort, you've managed to convince me that wiki drafting tools aren't quiet as rubbish as I iniitally suggested. Well done! Do you find this valuable?    
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dahowlett
dahowlett
1. RE: Relax about the length
Mar 2 2007, 12:56 PM EST | Post edited: Mar 2 2007, 12:56 PM EST
John: I appreciate only too well the scrolling issue but then if you run a full feed that problem largely disappears <::> Your plan gives us the leeway to pull in some customer examples for a 2nd piece - that works for me. I'd be happy to blog that out as a request and then we can get stuff from wherever.

The marriage of blog/wiki and good ol' fashioned email just kinda works. I should've looked up RSS feeds as well. Ho hum.

Glad to see you're finding there is maybe a bit more to this Web 2.0 lark than a load of Silicon Valley A types blowing smoke up some VCs ass. -:)

If that's all OK then i'll post Monday. no point over the weekend. Do you find this valuable?    
jstokdyk
jstokdyk
2. RE: Relax about the length
Mar 2 2007, 2:00 PM EST | Post edited: Mar 2 2007, 2:00 PM EST
"Glad to see you're finding there is maybe a bit more to this Web 2.0 lark than a load of Silicon Valley A types blowing smoke up some VCs ass."

Can I put that away and save it for an IT Zone quote of 2007? ;-) Do you find this valuable?    
dahowlett
dahowlett
3. RE: Relax about the length
Mar 2 2007, 3:24 PM EST | Post edited: Mar 2 2007, 3:24 PM EST
We're Creative Commons here so if that floats your boat then fine by me. Do you find this valuable?    
david_terrar
david_terrar
4. RE: Relax about the length
Mar 3 2007, 9:04 AM EST | Post edited: Mar 3 2007, 9:04 AM EST
I'm glad your over the hump on wikis for this kind of collaboration too, but Den puts it so more colourfully.

I'll take a go at rewording the final para, and add in the useful links for further reading.

It's a shame we haven't had any response/comments from Alan, Stefan or jc yet.... so it goes. Do you find this valuable?    
david_terrar
david_terrar
5. RE: Relax about the length
Mar 4 2007, 5:02 AM EST | Post edited: Mar 4 2007, 5:02 AM EST
Just streamlined the final para, added in mention of Twinfield, Liberty and Salesforce, plus useful links (oncluding the AW review of online) Do you find this valuable?