Why Not Packaged Software?

Why Not Packaged Software?

At Practical Computer Applications (PCA) we find that one of the first questions asked by most clients is “Why Not Use Packaged Software?” The truth is that if you have a truly industry standard operation and that you can find a software package that offers everything you need, buy it. The fact that you are researching alternatives means that you are already unsure of that answer.

In making this determination, some of the key issues that you want to explore include:

• Functional Fit — Does the software package offer the core capabilities that you need?  Are you paying for a lot of features that don’t need?
• Customization — What is the additional cost to configure or customize the package to suit your specific data management needs?
• Robustness — Is it a commercial-grade offering built on a real database (e.g., Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle), or is it simply a user interface built atop MS Access or something else?
• Integration — What is the additional cost to integrate the software with your existing business applications (accounting, manufacturing, inventory, etc)?
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) — What is the actual cost to own and use the system over time, taking into account all the factors, including licensing, training, data conversion, configuration, integration, annual maintenance, and support?

When you take into consideration the software licensing costs, the professional service fees necessary to customize and integrate the software, and the annual maintenance and support fees, our clients often discover that it is far more cost-effective to build a custom solution from scratch. The results are far superior (and more relevant) to your business needs.

A typical outcome of licensing: 1) you pay a lot more than you originally anticipate to “fit” the software to your specific business needs; 2) you are saddled with ongoing licensing, subscription, maintenance and support fees (fees which grow in proportion to your use); and 3) you are locked into with a single Vendor solution, with a significant cost-to-switch.

PCA believes there is a better way.  Smart Clients provide an ASP-like approach to centralized, repeatable application deployment and security, with ZERO ongoing licensing fees.   End-users get a highly-functional, high performance, easy-to-use and reliable application powered by industry standard MS SQL Servers.