Relative to the longer term growth rate, sebl's probably ok. However, I happen to still be worried about integration issues. I'd be less concerned if they toss scopus product and just build off of sebl architecture, probably would create a better support picture longer term. I'm not comfortable with Tom's cavalier comments about integration. he says "They're both written in the same language, it'll be easy to integrate." Any of the techies on the thread will tell you it ain't so. They use different engines, customization languages...sebl has an NT oriented architecture, scop was built with UNIX tools. (Yes, I know scop has been ported to NT, but their data architectures and design approaches are completely different.)
I am also very skeptical of the ERP guys making a successful transition to front office without a purchase. They have no market presence (or domain knowledge) in the services industries, limiting their threat their. Look at SAP's dismal results in trying to move to retailing and threaten JDAS. And that's backoffice. Everyone at ERP vendors think that the SKU is the center of the universe --- WRONG - for a retailer it's the transaction -- that leads to a very different IT philosophy.
Front office is even more different - the center of the world is a customer. Watch look listen, I'll bet that in 5 years (gives a long time so someone won't be able to point back to this post) SEBL, VNTV (maybe clfy and one to two others) and their direct offspring (ie acquiring companies if bought out) of some form will be the market share leaders in this industry and we will be laughing at the failures of the back office guys trying to expand their market while their industry growth flattens out.
Yep, I'm looking for an entry point in sebl, but waiting for resolution of strategy on integration. (I'd rather buy it at $35 six months to nine months from now, than risk buying at $25 and having six months of stagnation or worse.)
Yes, Melissa, I know you think sebl will be at $125 a share, which makes me think you have too much of your portfolio in sebl stock.
TD |
