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Adrian Bridgwater

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Software application development

This blog is intended to provoke discussion and exchange between like minded software application developers, engineers, architects, project managers - and keen hobbyists too.

Friday 30 October 2009, 8:46 AM

If software companies were movie stars…

Posted by Adrian Bridgwater

In the spirit of balanced tech blogging I had two choices to make before writing my blog today: a) an analysis of the latest Business Process Management tools or b) a fanciful blog that asks the question, “if software companies were movie stars, then which stars would they be?”

Well, it’s Friday and BPM is fun stuff for sure, but let’s stick with the movie star idea shall we? So grab yourself a Westler’s hotdog (available in the foyer), turn off your mobile phone and sneak out your giant sized packet of Maltesers as we find out who the stars of the software application development silver screen are.

Microsoft is Kevin Bacon – crops up in just about everything, fairly popular, but there are still plenty of people who can’t stand the site of him. Don’t forget that for every ‘Flatliners’ (Windows XP) there will be a ‘Footloose’ (Paper-Clip) right?

Sun, (we dearly hope is not) Steve Martin – brilliant in his early career but finally sells out to a commercial end game that is only faintly redolent of his former glory.

Sun, (we hope) is Robert de Niro - Truly adaptable, the method actor of his generation. Just when everyone thought he had gone out to pasture in his later years he still produces a surprisingly solid performance, sometimes he just needs the right people to work with. NB: This is not a suggestion that Larry Ellison is Al Pacino.

Serena is also Robert de Niro - Very adaptable - perhaps too adaptable, since it picked up business mashups and Agile before everyone else in its space. But for all those flashes of brilliance, it doesn't seem to know what to do with them.

Sybase is Tom Cruise - Bit of an upstart to begin with, but has shown flashes of brilliance and surprising depth over the years. Amusingly, I was speaking to Sybase about this idea and they would rather be known as Ron Howard - and I quote, “Both went through a rough point, Ron had trouble transitioning from a childhood star to an adult actor and Sybase had trouble keeping afloat during the database wars.” Both came out stronger in the end though I was told. Of course they did! This is Hollywood after all.

Computer Associates is Sir Ian McKellen - rarely in the limelight, often perceived as somewhat old and doddery. Many people still hold him/it close to their hearts though.

IBM is like Marlon Brando - runs a very tight ship and is liable to make you an offer you feel you can't refuse.

Adobe is like Johnny Depp - Looks good, can turn a hand to any role and in certain areas no one comes close

Linux is Keanu Reeves - Flaky and immature to start with but really has developed nicely and become rather cool.

Thanks to everyone who helped with suggestions for this blog. Coming next, when software application development methodologies are like the England first eleven football squad. Suggestions for Wayne Rooney anybody…?

Comments on this post

manek

Keanu Reeves - cool???

Posted by manek on Oct 30, 2009 9:55 AM

Adrian Bridgwater

This comment has been deleted at the users request

Updated by Adrian Bridgwater on Oct 30, 2009 10:08 AM

Adrian Bridgwater

Yes yes I know. Not cool really. But that comment came from a friend and it embodied something of the "early years" element I was looking for.

Would Leonardo di Caprio have made you any happier Manek? Somehow I am guessing not.

:-)

AdrianB

Posted by Adrian Bridgwater on Oct 30, 2009 10:03 AM

roger andre

Ah......when My boy was 10, Keanu was cool to him! Nice blog there Adrian :_/

Posted by roger andre on Oct 30, 2009 3:15 PM

Adrian Bridgwater

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  • Adrian Bridgwater
  • Applications Development, London, UK
  • Member since: July 2007

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