"Enterprise" Software Development Lessons in Fiddler on the Roof

Last night after the Vignette training concluded Shauna and I took the subway up to Times Square to see Fiddler on the Roof at the Minskoff Theater (Shauna had gone in the afternoon and gotten us 50%-off tickets—six rows back, stage right).

We ate dinner at the Brazil, Brazil churrascaria before the show. (Incidentally, the food was good, but overall the menu and atmosphere are—in my opinion—more authentic/superior at the various churrascarias along the Wasatch Front.)

I've seen first hand that many times "off the shelf" or "in a box" software perceived as being more valuable because of the (sometimes staggering!) prices paid.

With that in mind, the concluding lines of one of the stanzas of "If I Were a Rich Man" struck me as being very insightful when it comes to understanding the "enterprise" software market:

The most important men in town would come to fawn on me!

They would ask me to advise them,

Like a Solomon the Wise.

"If you please, Reb Tevye..."

"Pardon me, Reb Tevye..."

Posing problems that would cross a rabbi's eyes!

And it won't make one bit of difference if I answer right or wrong.

When you're rich, they think you really know!

(Emphasis added, obviously :-).

—Michael A. Cleverly
Wednesday, April 13, 2005 at 12:10