And speaking of NetSuite

And speaking of NetSuite, the firm yesterday announced their ushering in of the “‘Service as Software’ Revolution” (ever notice how ho-hum the word “revolution” has become since its utter subsuming by English-language marketers?), with SuiteFlex extensions now made available as open source.

SuiteFlex is a new application development platform that enables the creation of third-party vertical applications within NetSuite, as well as end-to-end business process customization for any end-user company. As a part of SuiteScript, NetSuite introduced Suitelets and SuiteScript UI Objects. Together, Suitelets and SuiteScript UI Objects seek to enable customers and third-party developers to build new workflows and applications that look and operate as though NetSuite’s own developers wrote them.

In addition, SuiteFlex introduces a dramatic (also a much cheaper word these days) new concept for the Software as a Service market, entitled, “Service as Software.” The Chump’s just gonna straight quote on this one:

“Third parties can use the new SuiteFlex SuiteBundler to deliver new integrated vertical solutions by packaging their Suitelets and other extensions with NetSuite’s core Accounting/ERP/CRM/e-commerce application. SuiteBundler’s new capabilities allow solution providers to embed their industry-best practices, knowledge and applications — traditionally delivered as one-off services — into the actual NetSuite application. SuiteFlex enables in-house developers and systems integrators to extend these capabilities by developing entirely new workflows and applications that meet the needs of specific industry segments. For partners building such extensions to NetSuite, the new SuiteBundler enables them to package the custom applications and workflows for a vertical market, and sell them over and over again.”

It is certain we have not heard the last of this particular philosophy.

NetSuite also announced that SuiteFlex application and process customizations can be shared as open source, with over 100 SuiteFlex extensions immediately available at SuiteSource. The Open Source SuiteFlex components were contributed from a number of sources such as NetSuite itself, Explore Consulting, IT-Ration Consulting, Epiphany, Inc., Skyytek Worldwide, Demand Solutions Group and Ncompass Business Solutions.