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Understanding the True Meaning of ‘Software Competitiveness’2016-08-31Hit:1940

Title: Understanding the True Meaning of ‘Software Competitiveness’

 

One of the buzz words today is software. This word has created a debate on its fundamental meaning even within the IT field where the word originally comes from. Even in a nation’s agenda or a company’s vision statement, the word appears quite often. However, the word is over-used and there is no clear understanding of its true meaning.

Originally, the word software was coined in the early 1970s, the time in which there was general suspicion over digitization because the first computers broke down too often. After the early trials ended, Microsoft launched a mini-computer, and introduced a new operating system to the market. That started the era in which everyone has a PC at home.

Similarly, the Internet was initially introduced the same time.  However, the term,Internet, has not been misused or overused like the term software. Notably, the misuse of the term software is particularly rampant in Korea. Sometimes, the word is used to refer a phenomenon of having a flexible attitude or mindset in an organization.

The United Kingdom seems highly competent in software if we only look at the amount of software created.  The US, on the other hand has created software to enable Alphago, a UK innovation, which shows how competent US technology is when compared to the UK. Specifically, Google’s OS and its database engine have accelerated the operation system of Alphago. Hence it is Google’s software platform that has enabled Alphago, not the physical outset of Alphago itself. Some say that Alphago’s rival is Watsons in terms of software capability.  The important thing is as long as a platform is well-developed, anyone can be the world’s top No.1 in a software market. One notable case is Microsoft. Nowadays, has not launched many new products. However, it is still a global company. How about Korea? As many have misused the term software without knowing the true meaning, this can lead to a huge detrimental cost at the national level. 


Contact : Yu, Eunjin ( ejyu@kaist.ac.kr )

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