Custom Software v Off-Custom Software v Off-the Shelfthe ShelfSoftwareSoftware

Learning Objective:Learning Objective:

At the end of this topic you should be At the end of this topic you should be able to:able to:

discuss the discuss the implicationsimplications of of selectingselecting, , implementingimplementing and and supportingsupporting the the installation of installation of custom-writtencustom-written and and off-off-the-shelfthe-shelf solutions; solutions;

Application SoftwareApplication Software Off-the-shelfOff-the-shelf

can be purchased, installed & used immediatelycan be purchased, installed & used immediately written to solve a written to solve a specificspecific problem, problem,

designed to do one particular task,designed to do one particular task, e.g. order entry, payroll, stock control, appointments. e.g. order entry, payroll, stock control, appointments.

Custom-writtenCustom-written tailor-made, bespoke softwaretailor-made, bespoke software designed and written designed and written specifically for a specifically for a

companycompany written especially for them written especially for them

using a programming language or a DBMSusing a programming language or a DBMS tested by the developers before installationtested by the developers before installation

Off-the-Shelf SoftwareOff-the-Shelf SoftwareAdvantages of buying an off-the-shelf package:Advantages of buying an off-the-shelf package:   generally generally less expensiveless expensive than custom-written than custom-written

““economies of scale”, more sold = lower priceeconomies of scale”, more sold = lower price readily availablereadily available

can be bought (shop/Internet) and installed straight can be bought (shop/Internet) and installed straight awayaway

large, large, established user-baseestablished user-base advice, forums, advice, forums, 3rd party books, training courses 3rd party books, training courses staff may already be familiar with softwarestaff may already be familiar with software

software is tried and testedsoftware is tried and tested fewer bugsfewer bugs than newly written software than newly written software

software runs on a wide range of hardwaresoftware runs on a wide range of hardware standard file formatstandard file format

Off-the-Shelf SoftwareOff-the-Shelf SoftwareDisadvantages of buying an off-the-shelf Disadvantages of buying an off-the-shelf

package:package:   total cost of ownership can be hightotal cost of ownership can be high

annual subscriptionannual subscription upgrades may be expensiveupgrades may be expensive

non-specific softwarenon-specific software software may not completely fit the tasksoftware may not completely fit the task may have to be customised to completely meet may have to be customised to completely meet

requirementsrequirements may have too many additional, unwanted extrasmay have too many additional, unwanted extras

cost of buying functions which are not required cost of buying functions which are not required larger memory footprint than custom-writtenlarger memory footprint than custom-written

higher specification computers required?higher specification computers required?

Custom-written SoftwareCustom-written Software

Advantages in buying custom-written Advantages in buying custom-written software:software:  

designed to do designed to do exactly what the user exactly what the user wantswants

end-user owns the softwareend-user owns the software can sell it on to recoup some of the can sell it on to recoup some of the

development costdevelopment cost can be written to run on user-specified can be written to run on user-specified

hardwarehardware memory footprint likely to be smaller than off memory footprint likely to be smaller than off

the shelfthe shelf can be integrated with existing softwarecan be integrated with existing software

Custom-written SoftwareCustom-written SoftwareDisadvantages in buying tailor-made Disadvantages in buying tailor-made

software:software:   time consuming to have developedtime consuming to have developed

can’t have it now,can’t have it now, expensiveexpensive

pay for analysis, design, developmentpay for analysis, design, development only one copy soldonly one copy sold developer may go out of businessdeveloper may go out of business

limited supportlimited support only from developeronly from developer nobody else using the softwarenobody else using the software no 3rd party books availableno 3rd party books available no trainingno training

new staff unlikely to be familiar with softwarenew staff unlikely to be familiar with software