Ask HN: 'Enterprise' hater

A software system intended to store and manage a large portion of the data created and used by the members of an organization.

Most of the comments I see here so far are funny, pejorative, and spot-on accurate but the original post asked for a definition.

- a software system: an enterprise application is like a library (as in books) except that instead of books it stores smaller pieces of information - employee names, timecards, purchase orders, etc.

- intended to: because they don't always actually do that

- store and manage: not just store but make provisions for users to add to and look up the data stored there.

- a large portion: because a single spreadsheet shouldn't count. Postings on TheDailyWTF notwithstanding.

- by the members: enterprise apps may involve public-facing information services but if that's all they do then they don't count as enterprise

- of a an organization: not just businesses but schools, governments, and any other groups with a defined membership and purpose.

I like this definition. It is short and zesty and feels true. However I don't think it is a sufficient condition for something to be enterprise software. Some tools for software developers or other highly skilled employees are too expensive to be bought by the employees themselves, but I still don't consider it enterprise software.

I think for it to be real enterprise software it must also be dictated from the powers that be that the minions should use it, wether they like it or not.