A couple of interesting links to pass along:
Houston Neal at Software Advice has put together a nice graphical overview of the events of the past 40ish years in the ERP world. See also a more detailed wiki history, maintained by xTuple's own Wally Tonra.
Always interesting to look back, especially to realize (if the tombstones here don't make the case clearly enough) how many giants of the business just simply don't exist any more.
Along those lines, a quick note: People often ask if all the graveyard imagery is supposed to mean that the products or companies are really dead, or just sleepy. Like soap opera villains, ERP systems never really die - but they can only come back so many times before it gets silly.
So it's a fair point to say, "such and such a vendor has thousands of installs and is still selling the product." Maybe so - but if that product/company has been bought and sold a bunch of times, and it's one of many disparate offerings under a single corporate umbrella, the emptor should certainly caveat.
Do not Run Infor Global Solutions Audits. There are many issues with the audits. They make you think that with the SmartAudit program to find out your usage is foolproof. NO it is not the anlaysis of what the client is licensed for is determined by humans. Analysis of the contracts can many times be incorrect do to inexpierienced and ill mannered training. The contract are also being analyzed differently today than 2 to three years ago. If you were found uncompliant 3 years ago you might be compliant today. Contracts are the same but because they were interpreted different now. These are audits that were done under SSA Global now known as Infor Global Solutions. If you are a client pay close attention to your own contracts. Sometimes they send you what is convienent for them to find you uncompliant. So if you ask for your conracts cross refernece with what you have. They are not looking for for the clients well being. They are just looking to make money.
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