“Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain’t. All I know, is, it suits Tom Sawyer.”
From Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, Chapter Two, 1876
What is an operating system? In technical terms an operating system is the piece of software that brings a computer alive. Usually the second piece of software that runs after the BIOS, who then boots the OS, who later starts the Kernel. Once a computer is awaken and connected to peripherals is ready to perform specialized operations via applications, who are formally, Extensions to the OS.
Isn't surprising that OS have a very long life span. With the main difference between versions of OS fall into the following categories:
Bugfixing
Security updates
Support for new hardware
Add a new indigenous extension
Creating new OS-wide service.
From these observations we can derive a simple law for software life span and the value it provides:
The more a software can be extended the longer it will live.
The longer software lives the greater discount on innovation provides to extension prospects.
I found that this little software life law is particularly useful when laying out the strategy of a software-enabled business:
Your Kernel pieces must be a mirror of what is or will become your competitive advantage. The thing nobody can do better than you, and as time goes by will make harder to plan to compete with you. Let alone access capital to attempt it.
Your Extensions pieces are surfaces in your system that can and will be filled by the creative market as it specializes your Kernel with software you have no intention, chances or reason to compete with.
Over time, if success allows and the demand justifies it, the company will choose to enable new business by executing their own indigenous extensions without altering the Kernel.
Successful software companies, much like successful holding companies will likely end up with platforms, that is, a well commercialized Kernel. Why not use this insight to plan your software accordingly from the beginning?