The words software update and software upgrade are often confused to be one and the same.  The difference needs understanding.  Updates are also know as patches.  Updates often means small changes / corrections / bug fixing done to software.   Updates just gets added on to the existing software.  No new installation will be required.  Updates come totally free of cost.

On the other hand upgrades are major changes, new functions etc added to a software. Updates requires new installation and generally comes with a cost.   Upgrades can also be a number of patches bundled together.  Upgrades are also know as releases.

It becomes critical to understand the update / upgrade policy attached to a software at the time of procurement decision.

Software procurement requires some understanding on the type of software to be purchased. Broadly we can classify softwares to be of 4 types. Stand alone applications, Client server applications, Web applications and the latest SaAS. Knowing how each type functions is very critical for procurement decision. More important is to know if the software has the capability to be upgraded from one type to another.

Lets say you have a requirement for a stand alone software now, you go ahead buying it. It works on one system and all is well. Six months down the line you realize you have to have the software working on more than one system. What then? If you are lucky and if the software has the capability to be client-server application, you can enhance it and it works fine on all your systems. But if the software cannot work on multiple systems, does not have a client server version, what then? You have two choices - dump the software get a new one or just live with it.

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US-based Access Market International (AMI) Partners Inc, defines small and medium-sized businesses as commercial enterprises with a maximum of 1,000 employees or up to 999 employees to be precise.

Small Businesses is defined a commercial enterprises with a max of 100 employees or up to 99 employees.

iPOTT is the only website in India which lists softwares… this is old news!! Let’s talk the latest. We now have over 2000 softwares on our website. Guess what? I heard a number of users tell me “Ohh! You have started to confuse us”

I am not surprised. You have to get into a confusion mode, to think better, to get more ideas and ofcourse to make a clear decision. Seriously, it feels nice to be confused. But how do we move from this confusion mode to a clear mode? Let’s talk!