[Sigia-l] The strategy of technology

[karl fast]

> Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0066620023/petermecom
> A seminal work in how technologies are adopted by the buying public.

I'll second this book. Describes how high-tech companies take niche
products and "chross the chasm" to make them mainstream. It was
required reading when I was at ActiveState.

My favorite part is where he shows why software products are either
priced below $1000 or above $50,000 and argues that products in
between that range are either (a) doomed, (b) destined to change
their price, or (c) lying about the real price of the software.

However, I had a love-hate relationship with this book because it is
so unabashadly capitalist. The first page uses phrases like "getting
rich quick" and "cashing out for seven figures." This is repulsive
stuff to a social democrat like myself (hey, I'm Canadian).

His analysis is perceptive though.


--karl