software-economics
Cheap Code Does Not Settle the Vertical SaaS Moat Question
A value-chain test for deciding whether AI-generated code destroys a vertical SaaS advantage or exposes where the real moat lives.
Updated 2026-07-31
Publication archive
Articles
Evidence-based analysis of vertical software, AI-assisted development, and the economics of owning business software.
software-economics
Does Cheaper Implementation Shift Value to Operation?
Use reported software-company cost categories to test where value may move when implementation gets cheaper without confusing cost, value, or causation.
Updated 2026-08-17
software-economics
Does AI Make Custom Software Cheaper to Own?
A lifecycle cost model for evaluating whether AI-assisted development reduces the total cost of owning custom business software.
Updated 2026-08-17
software-economics
Test Service Patterns Before Building Software
Use a dated evidence ledger to test whether recurring service work has a bounded product rule or should remain a human operating advantage.
Updated 2026-08-13
software-economics
Releases Two Through Ten Reveal the Real Software Economics
A cohort model for evaluating whether low-cost software creation turns into a durable operating advantage after the prototype.
Updated 2026-08-09
software-economics
Treat Review Capacity as a Software Asset
Treat generated code as a proposal queue until a named maintainer can accept, test, recover, and account for the exact change.
Updated 2026-08-14
software-economics
The Software Ownership Stack Goes Beyond Source Code
A five-layer model for testing whether a business can actually control, operate, change, and exit from custom software.
Updated 2026-08-09
software-economics
What Service Work Should Stay Human Before Productization?
Use a human-work register to distinguish bounded automation from judgment, accountability, exceptions, and service work that should remain visible.
Updated 2026-08-10
software-economics
When a Cheap Software Substitute Becomes a Product
Separate a useful personal feature from repeated demand, transferable operation, support, maintenance, distribution, and defensibility.
Updated 2026-07-31
software-economics
When Do Small Changes Create Ownership Work?
Use an assumption-led ledger to distinguish a small visible edit from the definition, verification, release, and operating work of changing accepted software.
Updated 2026-08-29