SharePoint as Interstellar Metaphor
May 10, 2009
I was surprised to read the April 27, 2009, article in SharePoint Magazine here called “SharePoint – Black Hole or Star of Your Business Universe?” I don’t think about composite software as a universe. I think about composite software as a potential barrel of rattlesnakes. Julian Warne grabbed the “black hole” metaphor and rocketed into the stratosphere with it.
His argument pivoted on making a case for SharePoint as a “star”, not a life ending singularity. I have met a couple of former CIOs who expressed some regret at their decision to build on SharePoint.
For me, the most useful part of the write up was the rundown of components in SharePoint. For example, Mr. Warne identifies these items:
- Management issues such as cost
- Development paths (see diagram below)
- Metadata “intelligence”
A SharePoint production environment. Mr. Warne said, “SharePoint solutions do not always travel well when deployed.” Not such good news when an acquisition occurs or a joint venture needs SharePoint goodness from two or more partners to the deal in my opinion.
He concludes with a review of the good and bad aspects of SharePoint. He is quite balanced in his assessment. But in my opinion he tap-dances around the core problem of SharePoint; that is, it is not a single application nor can it run or “exist” without a boatload of other Microsoft “server products”. There are more than three dozen of these, and the SharePoint installation might need a baker’s dozen other Microsoft servers to chug forward.
If you are a SharePoint customer, you will find his write up useful. I reminded myself that SharePoint is not a product and it is a work in progress.
Stephen Arnold, May 10, 2009
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One Response to “SharePoint as Interstellar Metaphor”
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The link to the article you discuss is called…just as a recommendation should include hyperlink in your blog post to make it easier for readers. Great comments on it though!
http://sharepointmagazine.net/news/sharepoint-%E2%80%93black-hole-or-star-of-your-business-universe