David Mitchell of Ovum, a market research company, reported on OUT-LAW radio podcast that the market for large enterprise software is set to grow at up to nine per cent a year until 2010. Based on Ovum research, large industrial-scale software such as that produced by SAP or Oracle was the business to be in.
SAP Professional Journal – free ABAP Guides (pt 2)
Part 2 of the “Writing robust, understandable, maintainable, state-of-the-art ABAP programs” very much continues along the groundwork that was laid in part 1 of the free SAP Professionals Journal guide.
One problem I’ve found in the past when working on client sites is that – for various reasons – create/change access to the ABAP Data Dictionary is not always granted to external developers. This obviously poses a problem when trying to implement some of the guide’s suggestions. Part 2 is very helpful in terms of data declaration syntax, internal tables and global/local declarations.
SAP TechEd 06 series most successful yet
As Market Wire reported yesterday, TechEd 06’s record breaking number of participants certainly underlines its importance as the main SAP Development convention. My only hope is that future TechEd’s will be prepared for such high attendance rates should this trend continue. In my own experience, certain workshops and presentations can be very overrun at times and participants are not always guaranteed a seat at a laptop during hands-on sessions.
With regards to the attendance increase of 40% at TechEd Bangalore, it has to be said that SAP sells those tickets at quite a discount. Whilst a 3-day ticket for TechEd 05 in Vienna cost about GBP 1600, the same convention in Bangalore was offered at GBP 180.
New SAP job skills to learn now
I found this interesting blog post by TechTarget’s Matt Danielson on new SAP job skills and options for existing SAP analysts and developers. There also are some interesting comments.
In addition, check out this discussion thread on the BPX forum which throws the gauntlet down by challenging: “ABAPers – a relict of the past?”
ContractorUK on SAP contractor market
ContractorUK.co.uk ‘s comment on the current SAP contractor market:
This growth in the average rate comes despite a fall in the hourly pay commanded by SAP consultants. This group has had a phenomenal year so far, with average rates typically well above GBP60 per hour. Rates have actually fallen by 8% in the last four weeks. Given that June and July saw increases of more than 10%, it should be clear what a volatile (if largely profitable) market this is.
The full article can be found here.
SAP Test Drives for Developers
Many SAP developers wonder what the best way is to keep their skill set up-to-date and learn about using new technologies. Usually people seem to first think along the lines of SAP Training courses and certification.
However, getting some initial exposure with some any of the free SAP NetWeaver Trial and Preview Versions first can be a lot cheaper.
Most of them require MS XP Pro to be installed, OEM versions of which are available for anything around £100 these days.