Disruptive technology shifts will shape the IT industry in 2006, according to a report released by IDC. The company's annual predictions are designed to identify and highlight key trends and pivotal choices facing the IT industry in the year ahead.Two of these disruptions are as follows:
- The Open Source Effect - 'open innovation' in IT product and service development
- The Google Effect - online delivery of IT as a service
Web developers should position themselves now to capitalize on these disruptive effects. Both of these trends involve Web development technologies.
The Open Source Effect refers to the increased use of open-source (free) Web technologies, standards and techniques such as PHP, XML and Ajax. IBM is one vendor that has embraced the use of open-source standards. The company demonstrates its commitment to PHP, for example, by posting a free online tutorial for developers to access, along with a list of links to additional open-source resources.
The Google Effect refers to the development of Web-based applications that go beyond static, HTML-based Web pages. Microsoft is one vendor that has acknowledged this "sea change" and has upped the ante with the release of its Web application technology, ASP.NET 2.0 and development tool sets, Visual Studio 2005 and Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition.
Which ever direction you choose -- open source (PHP) or vendor-specific (ASP.NET) -- now is the time to position your Web development career for anticipated growth opportunities in the New Year.
A press release detailing additional IT trends is available at the IDC Website. A detailed report is also available (registration required). The report is entitled IDC Predictions 2006: It's Gut-Check Time, As Disruptive Business Models Gain Traction. IDC is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology and telecommunications industries.