It will be interesting to see how many vendors are still with IBM as the months turn into years. The concept of building a product over years is nerve wracking for anyone in the software development business. There is a credibility issue here as well. IBM has a long history of putting a lot of money, time, and effort into a technology only to abandon it later. It is nice to learn that IBM s business model includes a long period of investment, but I think many will panic when they don t see the return right away.
Frameworks are like an investment in a good highway infrastructure.
It s going to take years before people realize the benefits. IBM should set expectations accordingly with all of its partner organizations. Perhaps the bigger issue is our ability to leverage frameworks all together. We are working in an industry where you re measured for your ability to accomplish a lot of little tasks, on time, on budget. The concept of the magical enterprise framework is the process of building an infrastructure for the long haul.