Well, it’s taken some time, but The Age of the Platform is finally starting to get the press I believe it deserves. While the book looks at consumer-oriented platforms, more and more I’m hearing about platforms in the enterprise world.

My friend Brian Sommer recently ran a six-part piece on ZDNet on how enterprise software vendors are (finally) embracing platforms and ecosystems. He mentions the book and me in parts one and five. Vinnie Mirchandani then followed suit with his own take on the matter.

The days of the closed enterprise platform are coming to an end.

What’s more, yesterday news broke that behemoth SAP is getting on board with the notion of platforms and ecosystems. From the article, the company “is starting a $155 million venture fund to spur development of applications compatible with Hana” (its new columnar database).

Simon Says

Brass tacks: the days of the closed enterprise platform are coming to an end. SAP, hardly an early adopter, has realized that embracing ecosystems, apps, and external innovation is the way of the future. The Age of the Platform is here.