Hosted apps: the real cost can be alarming

Ephraim Schwartz reports in Computerworld "Does software as a service offer a graduated scale of functionality, or does it just pick your pocket? A couple of weeks ago there was the launch of AppExchange, which exposes the Salesforce.com APIs to third-party software providers — 160 of them at present. When certified, ISVs can plug their applications into the main application, giving users access to a plethora of unique features not available from Salesforce.

Here’s a taste of the programs you can plug in: Before the Call for AppExchange offers outbound telemarketing management for US$75 a user per month. BigMachines SPP (Selection, Pricing and Proposal) generates proposals for US$49.50 on the same basis. Selectica Fastraq improves speed and accuracy of product configuration, quoting, and pricing, for US$65 a seat per month. Sendia WorkSpace CRM provides wireless access to AppExchange applications from a handheld for US$49.95 per user each month and similarly, Sybase iAnywhere Sales Anywhere provides access to Salesforce from Windows Mobile for US$21 on the same terms."