This is indeed a remarkable once-in-a lifetime window that has been opened.
The chess match between Oracle and SAP and the resulting positioning of the smaller companies and support service firms will present us with an unique opportunity to have our voices heard in terms of what works and what does not in the software packages and related tools and support. SAP and Oracle will both be trying to appeal to the hearts and minds of PeopleSoft/JDE (and even original formula Oracle) users. Such attempts to sway ERP users gives us an unprecendented opportunity to look under the covers of previously closed or Byzantine operating systems and tell the company what works and what does not. This can lead to better, more agile software supported by a network which makes the customer's voice count. Sound utopian? Not really. But it does require some work by the user community itself. Companies that use the software packages should take this overture at "Glasnost" and become active with their local, regional and international user groups. The more users who come together, the larger the voice to the software company, and the greater the opportunity for positive change. There is another, less recognized benefit: as large groups of users get together (like with these forums), they find that many other companies have the same issues that they do. This creates an atmosphere where best practices are born and in turn, can escalate the software improvement process to an even higher level.
When all is said and done, we may look back on this as the "golden age" of ERP software. A period of enlightenment, where the users (as much as the companies themselves) drive the development of the next generation of ERP software. However, to reap these benefits, we users must perform some of the labor. And we must do so together.
