It ’ s not the how . It ’ s the when .

Life is not about being right . It ’ s about being in the right place at the right time . This truism is trotted out like some fat pearl of wisdom periodically , with scant regard for the fact that no one knows what the right place or time is until well after the fact .

So it is with technology . You probably don ’ t have a blank cheque for digital investment , so you must choose wisely . And more importantly , you must time your purchases well . But it ’ s so hard . Early stage technology is either very expensive ( because the R & D costs are astronomical ) or very cheap ( because deep-pocketed investors want to see a land grab for market share ).

Go early and you ’ ll get stung for big upfront costs , only to watch competitors buy in a year later at half price and less disadvantage than you would hope . Or you ’ ll get the sale of the century , only to find your budgets inadequate when the discounts are lifted later on . You can ’ t win , can you ?

Except that you can . We humans have an inherent preference for ownership over leasing , but it shouldn ’ t extend to such ephemera as new technology ( unless you have rights to the IP ). The Anything-as-a-Service ( XaaS ) model that is creeping in everywhere is a blessing allowing everyone to get in at the start , and get off whenever they see something more appealing .

It ’ s good for companies and good for innovation . Finally , a way to be in the right place at the right time every time . Praise be .

Technology Magazine October 2021 | Page 5

FOREWORD “ We humans have an inherent preference for ownership over leasing , but it shouldn ’ t extend to such ephemera as new technology ”

It ’ s not the how . It ’ s the when .