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Microsoft's low-code strategy paints a target on UIPath and other RPA companies

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Re: Microsoft's low-code strategy paints a target on UIPath and other RPA companies

#3
Who has actually seen a success story with this sort of thing?

We arrived at "low-code", but by way of actually solving our problem domain through many hellish iterations and figuring out what all of the various points of configuration should be. As far as I am aware, this is not something that Microsoft or any other vendor can determine for your business ahead of time.

I am sure that there are a lot of types of smaller needs that can be addressed with these sorts of tools, but the big tasks of integrating multiple unique/legacy business systems together into a single logical process with its own internal state is not ever feasible with these tools. You can always get close, but its like a siren song in my experience.

Re: Microsoft's low-code strategy paints a target on UIPath and other RPA companies

#5
post #3

Who has actually seen a success story with this sort of thing? We arrived at "low-code", but by way of actually solving our problem domain through many hellish iterations and figuring out what all of the various points of configuration should be . As far as I am aware, this is not something that Microsoft or any other vendor can determine for your business ahead of time. I am sure that there are a lot of types of sma…

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Re: Microsoft's low-code strategy paints a target on UIPath and other RPA companies

#6
This is addressing a market. I have seen it first hand more than once. Highly driven and competent individuals that are not programmers for whatever reason and that create a monstrosity that works (using some low code solution). It’s ugly and buggy but gets a job done. This works for as long as they don’t hit a technical limitation then call devs like myself in to replace it. It was a great phase 1 and made money.

They earned a project with developers. Yes it will cost more to rewrite it but the old system is still making money while the new one rolls out.

At this point a low code solution makes no sense for me as a dev - believe me I have tried them.

Kudos to MS.

Re: Microsoft's low-code strategy paints a target on UIPath and other RPA companies

#7
If this works, Microsoft is going to hit a long-term retention jackpot. Low-code ecosystems are sticky and excel in ARR as their model is usually consumption based. Moving away costs companies millions. Every employee is automating their work on this platform. I working with a consulting firm and one of our customers (+50,000 employees) has onboarded power-platform for every individual to automate their work.

If ever a change is proposed, the change management team is going to shoot this down or will be forced to create a 5 year migration plan.

Re: Microsoft's low-code strategy paints a target on UIPath and other RPA companies

#8
post #6

This is addressing a market. I have seen it first hand more than once. Highly driven and competent individuals that are not programmers for whatever reason and that create a monstrosity that works (using some low code solution). It’s ugly and buggy but gets a job done. This works for as long as they don’t hit a technical limitation then call devs like myself in to replace it. It was a great phase 1 and made money. Th…

I think low code works for smaller more routine projects where hiring devs is just not all that feasible.

Re: Microsoft's low-code strategy paints a target on UIPath and other RPA companies

#9
post #6

This is addressing a market. I have seen it first hand more than once. Highly driven and competent individuals that are not programmers for whatever reason and that create a monstrosity that works (using some low code solution). It’s ugly and buggy but gets a job done. This works for as long as they don’t hit a technical limitation then call devs like myself in to replace it. It was a great phase 1 and made money. Th…

>>It’s ugly and buggy but gets a job done. This works for as long as they don’t hit a technical limitation then call devs like myself in to replace it.

Or more likely they leave the company, it breaks and no one knows how it worked, how it was suppose to work, or anything about it so they need to call in someone either from Internal IT, or and outside consultant to figure out what broke, and how to fix it...

Re: Microsoft's low-code strategy paints a target on UIPath and other RPA companies

#10
Low Code is the modern version of "Write Once run Anywhere"

It is pipe dream that will cost companies millions in Vendor Lockin, rewrites, and all of the other problems that come with non-developers "developing"

See the nightmare that is Excel Workbooks, the fact they are modeling FX on Excel Function is a horror I do not even want to think about

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