Tag Archives: time

The Changing Diet of Animals over Time

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Researchers used tools from geology and genetics to find evidence of changes in how the first organisms ate, based on molecular fossils and traces of organic matter in rocks from billions of years ago. is made clear. Modern annelids, like earthworms and this bearded fireworm, retain genes that make certain lipids that most animals have lost.

Paleontologists led by David Gold are uncovering the evolution of early life through chemical signatures in ancient rocks and genetic studies. They found that changes in sterol lipids in the rocks corresponded with significant changes in animal diets and increases in algae, shedding light on life more than a billion years ago.

Paleontologists are gaining glimpses of life over the past billion years based on chemical signatures in ancient rocks and the genetics of living animals. Research results announced on December 1st nature communications Combining geology and genetics, it shows how changes in the early Earth prompted changes in the way animals ate.

Molecular paleontology: bridging geology and biology

David Gold, an associate professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California, Davis, works in the new field of molecular paleontology, which uses tools from both geology and biology to study the evolution of life. . A new technique allows researchers to recover chemical signatures of life from ancient rocks where animal fossils are rare.

Lipids in particular can survive in rocks for hundreds of millions of years. Trace amounts of sterol lipids derived from cell membranes have been found in rocks dating back 1.6 billion years. Most animals now use cholesterol, a 27-carbon (C27) sterol, in their cell membranes. In contrast, fungi typically use C28 sterols, and plants and green algae produce C29 sterols. C28 and C29 sterols are also known as phytosterols.

Tracking the evolution of life through chemical markers

C27 sterols have been found in rocks that are 850 million years old, and traces of C28 and C29 appear about 200 million years later. This is thought to reflect the increased diversity of life at this time and the evolution of the first fungi and green algae.

Without actual fossils, it’s difficult to say much about the animals and plants these sterols come from. However, genetic analysis by Gold and colleagues has shed some light.

Don’t make it, eat it

Most animals cannot make phytosterols themselves, but they can obtain them by eating plants and fungi. Recently, annelids (a group that includes segmented worms and common earthworms) smt, required to make long-chain sterols.by seeing smt Gold and colleagues used the genes of different animals to create family trees. smt first within annelids and then across animals in general.

They discovered that this gene originated long before the evolution of the first animals and then underwent rapid changes around the same time that phytosterols appeared in the rock record. After that, most animal lineages smt gene.

“Our interpretation is that these phytosterol molecular fossils document an algae outbreak in the ancient oceans, when animals had easy access to phytosterols from this increasingly abundant food source. “We think they may have abandoned production of phytosterols,” Gold said. “If we are right, the history smt Genes record changes in animals’ feeding strategies early in evolution. ”

Reference: “A common origin of sterol biosynthesis suggests changes in feeding strategies in Neoproterozoic animals” T. Brunoir, C. Mulligan, A. Sistiaga, KM Vuu, PM Shih, SS O’Reilly, RE Summons, DA Gold, November 31, 2023; nature communications.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43545-z

The co-authors of this paper are: hers Tessa Brunoir and Chris Mulligan of the University of California, Davis; Ainara Sistiaga, University of Copenhagen. KM Vuu and Patrick Shih, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Shane O’Reilly, Atlantic Institute of Technology, Sligo, Ireland. Roger Sammons, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This research was supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Firefly’s Alpha Rocket Successfully Reaches Orbit for the Fourth Consecutive Time

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firefly aerospace launched its Alpha rocket into orbit this morning, carrying a payload from Lockheed Martin into space. However, the company has not yet announced whether it was able to successfully deploy the satellite into its intended orbit, which could indicate a problem with the rocket’s second stage.

Today’s launch marks the fourth ever flight of Firefly’s Alpha rocket. The vehicle took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 9:32 a.m. local time. The mission, dubbed “Fly the Lightning,” was a commercial launch for customer Lockheed Martin. The rocket carried a Lockheed demonstrator payload called the Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) Technology Demonstrator to low Earth orbit.

Around 9:40 a.m. local time, Firefly tweeted Alpha’s second stage engine will be re-ignited and it will complete the orbit in about 40 minutes. From there, the Lockheed Martin payload was supposed to be deployed. However, the company still hasn’t provided an update after four hours.

ESA is a type of electronically steered antenna array. Lockheed says its unique design allows new ESA sensors to be calibrated in a fraction of the time compared to traditional orbital sensors, which can take months to power up and become operational. The payload of the company’s ESA demonstrator was integrated into a satellite bus built by Terran Orbital (Lockheed owns nearly 7% of Terran’s outstanding stock).

While the primary objective of the mission is to deploy the payload, Firefly says the mission team also tracks the total effort time from receiving the payload until it is ready for launch, providing space-saving launch capabilities. He said he would continue to demonstrate this to the military. .

Rapid launches are a top priority for the Space Force. Firefly has already demonstrated once during the previous Alpha mission, setting a new record for launch readiness. For this mission, Firefly had just 24 hours to complete its final preparations for launch, encapsulate its payload, and attach it to the rocket.

Source: techcrunch.com

Find the perfect gift for your gamer in no time!

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2023 was an absolute year for gaming. Probably no one has played all the great titles released on various platforms. That certainly wasn’t the case. But it also means that you have options to get gifts for gamers in the last moments of life. We’ve rounded up some of the best titles of the type that someone happened to be putting off while playing the latest Final Fantasy or Call of Duty. Of course, I also tried to select multi-platform games other than Mario. So check what your giftee is playing and make the right choice. If you’re a nerd, or want to be one: Baldur’s Gate 3 Image credits: Larian Studio If you’re the type of gamer who carries dice everywhere, plays complex card and tabletop games, and jokes about “critical failures,” get Baldur’s Gate 3 if you don’t already have it please. Currently available on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, this most epic RPG is winning award after award and is even better than when it was released. It’s been a long time since it was released, so there’s a good chance you already have it, but I’m sure there are many people who have been waiting for it to be released. that’s what I have now. Their hesitation is a gift from you. If you like a challenge: P’s Lies Image credits: Neowiz game If you’re a gamer who loves difficult games or says that today’s games involve too much hand-holding, get Lies of P. You wouldn’t expect a Pinocchio-themed game to be one of the best Souls-like (Dark Souls-type imitators have been called out for years, but somehow that’s exactly what happened. The game has a dark and original story and setting, and a long and satisfying campaign with lots of secrets, weapons, obscure gameplay elements, and of course incredibly difficult bosses. It’s a good idea to buy a spare controller in case your controller breaks in half. For ages 35 and older: Super Mario RPG Image credits: Nintendo If you’re a nostalgic gamer (as we gamers “of a certain age” often are), then pick up Nintendo’s latest nostalgic fodder, a remake of Super Mario RPG. This remake is more of a remaster of the popular Super Famicom game, with the same story and gameplay elements but updated graphics and controls for the modern era. This is another game that a lot of people will probably hold off on buying because there are so many great games out there right now, but they’ll be happy to receive it. If you are over 35 years old and want to talk about the anime Star Ocean Second Story R Image credits: square Enix This is another nostalgic hit, but for those who don’t mind if the medium leans a bit towards anime (or those who don’t own a Switch). Star Ocean 2 is one of his biggest and best works of his 16-bit era and received a masterpiece remake using a stunning “2D-3D” art style. Some people find it a little strange to pay full price for an older game like Super Mario RPG, but if you get it as a gift, you can play it without worrying. He doesn’t have to be over 35 to enjoy these games, but it probably helps. (PC, PlayStation, Xbox) If you have a friend you often play with: Remnant II Image credits: gunfire game Does your gamer have a buddy to play with? Get Remnant II. One of his surprise hits this year, Remnant II is a fantasy/sci-fi shooter built from the ground up for co-op play. The environments and enemies are truly imaginative and bizarre, the gameplay is tough, varied, and fair, and the procedural generation makes every playthrough slightly different. If you want to play to the fullest, no matter what platform you play on, buy the 2-pack. If you like original and artistic things: Jusant Image credits: please don’t nod If your gamers always talk about indie games and movies and seem to value originality over other aspects, buy Jusant. This extremely gorgeous and completely original game was released pretty quietly, probably because people didn’t know what to make of it. You play the role of an unnamed protagonist who climbs up the mountain holding hands using ropes and other tools. As you explore, you learn about the seemingly endless stone towers studded with the ruins of civilization. It’s gorgeous, completely unique, and even super fun to play. If you played 700 hours of Stardew Valley: Roots of Pacha or Moonstone Island. Image credits: soda den Like many who played it, I searched hard for a game that even came close to the standard Stardew Valley set in the “life sim” field. And the closest we’ve come is Roots of Pacha. This brand new game is set in the Stone Age and basically puts you as a young man in a cave helping your tribe discover everything from improving crops to livestock to almond milk. Charming, very spacious and very quiet. It also has multiplayer built in if you prefer. Image credits: studio super soft Or check out Moonstone Island, which combines the town and farming sim parts of Stardew with exploration and Pokemon-like combat. Also includes deck building components and procedural generation. Sure, there are a lot of trends at once, but everything blends together very well and is fun from start to finish. It’s quite a good deal for the money.

Source: techcrunch.com

For the First Time, NASA Unveils World Map of Earth’s Surface Minerals

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NASA’s EMIT has produced the first global map of hematite, goethite, and kaolinite in the dry regions of Earth using data from the year ending November 2023. The mission collected billions of data measurements of three different minerals along with seven minerals that could impact climate when released into the air. The mission, EMIT, aims to provide a detailed map of the mineral composition of Earth’s dust source regions, which can help scientists model the impact of fine particles on climate change.

EMIT launched to the International Space Station in 2022, will be launched by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and surveys the Earth’s surface from approximately 250 miles in the air. The mission captures high-resolution images to create detailed maps of surface composition and is capable of detecting plumes of methane and carbon dioxide emitted by various human activities. EMIT’s data will be used to improve climate models and study the effects of dust on global ecosystems, including its impact on phytoplankton blooms and the transport of essential nutrients over long distances.

In addition to tracking the 10 major minerals as part of its primary mission, EMIT’s data also tracks other minerals, vegetation types, snow and ice, and even humans at or near the surface. The instrument was selected from NASA’s Earth Venture Instrument-4 public offering and is managed by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. The data collected by EMIT is publicly available for use by other researchers and the public at the NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Controversial Ziploc phone hack ignites discussion about children’s screen time

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Here’s how to get kids to zip up during long car rides. TikToker @jeffandlaurenshow “The best travel hack for staying calm during long road trips,” he says, involves a Ziploc bag and a smartphone. Her 17 second clipAn image uploaded to the social media platform last month shows the driver’s headrest being removed from the car, using scissors to cut two holes in the side of the Ziploc bag where the headrest is connected to the seat, and then replacing the headrest in its original position. The image shows a woman returning to her home. . A woman presses play on a children’s video on her mobile phone and puts it in her bag, creating a hands-free screen for her toddler. “Things I wish I had known when I became a mom for the first time,” the TikToker wrote in text above the video, which has been viewed more than 50 million times. One TikToker claims the “best travel hack to keep the peace on long trips” involves a Ziploc bag and a smartphone. Her clip sparked a debate about giving children too much screen time. Jeff Lauren Show/TikTok The clip sparked a debate on TikTok about giving kids too much screen time, with some calling the hack “ridiculous.” One commenter laughed: “Oh yeah, keep them glued to their screens.” “It’s better to let kids watch something on TV than to have them kicking and screaming and crying because they’re bored,” another argued. “If they’re bored, than engage with them because they’re your kids,” the TikToker retorted. “Read to them,” suggested another. “Some of the kids can’t read yet, they’re crazy!” someone yelled. “There is such a thing as a picture book,” said the third person, expressionless. “Things I wish I had known when I became a mom for the first time,” the TikToker wrote in text above the video, which has been viewed more than 50 million times. Jeff Lauren Show/TikTok One TikToker commented on the comment section, saying, “There’s a serious battle going on over parenting here.” “It’s a stupid fight (lol),” said one dispatcher. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry recommends limiting screen time for all children. People under 18 months should only be exposed to screens when video chatting with someone on the go. Young children between 18 and 24 months of age should stick to educational programming, the academy says. Screening time for children ages 2 to 5 must be limited to one hour on weekdays and three hours on Saturdays or Sundays. And parents should talk to their children ages 6 and up to “encourage healthy habits and limit activities that involve screens.” Too much screen time is associated with sleep, weight, and mood problems, as well as poor performance in school.

Source: nypost.com

Effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines diminishes with passage of time, study finds

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A study by the UK Health and Safety Executive that analyzed more than 10 million coronavirus patients found that vaccination significantly reduced the risk of death, with the most significant benefit seen within six months of vaccination. Became. The results of this study support the success of vaccination programs and the need for booster vaccinations. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

According to a study by the UK Health and Safety Executive, COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) Vaccination significantly reduces the risk of death, especially within 6 months after vaccination, highlighting the importance of booster vaccination.

The risk of dying from COVID-19 is significantly reduced after vaccination, but this protection wears off after six months, providing evidence to continue giving booster shots, a new study has found.

Researchers from the UK Health and Safety Agency (UKHSA) analyzed more than 10 million coronavirus infections in adults between May 2020 and February 2022. The result is Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (JRSM).

Vaccination and mortality reduction

Cross-referencing vaccination status with case fatality risk (CFR), the proportion of cases that result in death, revealed a clear association between vaccination and lower mortality rates. Of note, this study highlights a critical period (within 6 months of last vaccination) in which CFR was consistently lowest across all age groups. After this time, the protective effect started to decrease and the CFR increased.

Noteworthy findings in the elderly

The study highlights that the COVID-19 vaccination program has been successful in reducing mortality rates.

Among adults aged 50 years and older, CFR was 10 times higher among those who had not been vaccinated (6.3%) compared with those who had received the vaccine within 6 months of testing positive (0.6%). The study also found a sharp decline in CFR in early 2021, coinciding with the initial vaccine rollout.

Florence Halford, from UKHSA’s Covid-19 Vaccines and Epidemiology Unit, said: ‘The risk of dying from Covid-19 is reduced after vaccination, and those vaccinated up to six months before the sample collection date. This was the lowest of all age groups.” This provides some evidence for the continuation of booster doses in the elderly group. ”

Reference: “Temporal changes in the risk of adult mortality from COVID-19 after vaccination in the UK from May 2020 to February 2022: a national surveillance study” Florence Halford, Kathryn Yates, Tom Clare , by Jamie Lopez Bernal, Megan Karl, and Hester Allen, December 13, 2023, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.
DOI: 10.1177/01410768231216332

Source: scitechdaily.com

Report Warns UK Vulnerable to Cyberattack that Could Shut Down Country at Any Time

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The UK is unprepared for a major ransomware attack and could face an outage “at any time”, according to a new report.

Parliament’s Joint Committee on National Security Strategy (JCNSS) has been accused in a report of shifting responsibility for tackling ransomware attacks away from the Home Office, which is politically prioritizing other issues. He said it should be given to the Cabinet Office and directly supervised by the deputy prime minister. Minister.

The report claimed that former Home Secretary Suela Braverman “showed no interest” in the issue and instead focused on illegal immigration and small vessels.

Russian ‘Star Blizzard’ spy accused of years-long cyber attack on UK

Ransomware is a cyber attack in which a hacker infiltrates your system, locks access to your data and files, and demands payment to release the files or prevent the leak.

It has been used in many high-profile cyberattacks, including: Want to cry Attacks on the NHS in 2017.

In a report, JCNSS said the UK’s regulatory framework is inadequate and outdated, warning that much of the country’s critical infrastructure relies on legacy IT systems and remains vulnerable to ransomware. ing.

The report notes that even though government agencies such as the National Cyber ​​Security Center (NCSC) have warned of ransomware attacks from groups linked to Moscow, Beijing and Pyongyang, among others, there are They say they are not investing enough in safety measures.

read more:
Election Commission targeted by cyber attack
University of Manchester says data ‘may have been copied’
Increase in “hackers for hire”

As part of its report, the commission has requested a private briefing from the NCSC on its preparations to protect the UK from cyber-attacks ahead of the next general election, citing concerns about potential interference with the democratic process. did.

Dame Margaret Beckett, Chair of JCNSS, said: ‘The UK has the dubious distinction of being one of the most cyber-attacked countries in the world.

image:
Dame Margaret Beckett

“It is clear to the committee that government investment and response to this threat is not the best in the world, leaving us exposed to devastating costs and destabilizing political interference.

“When a large-scale, devastating ransomware attack is likely to occur, failure to meet this challenge rightly qualifies as an inexcusable strategic failure.

“If the UK is to avoid having its wealth held hostage, ransomware will become a more pressing political priority and more resources will be committed to tackling this pernicious threat to UK national security.” That is extremely important.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We welcome the JCNSS report and will publish a full response in due course.”

“The UK is well prepared to respond to cyber threats, including investing £2.6 billion under our Cyber ​​Security Strategy and rolling out the first ever government-backed minimum standards for cyber security through the NCSC’s Cyber ​​Essentials. The scheme is taking strong steps to strengthen its cyber defences.

“We also sanctioned 18 criminals who spread large quantities of ransomware this year, removed malware that infected 700,000 computers, and condemned the unprecedented ransom payments signed by 46 countries. He became a leader in international statements.”

A government spokesperson said: “We welcome the JCNSS report and will publish a full response in due course.”

“The UK is well prepared to respond to cyber threats, including investing £2.6 billion under our Cyber ​​Security Strategy and rolling out the first ever government-backed minimum standards for cyber security through the NCSC’s Cyber ​​Essentials. The scheme is taking strong steps to strengthen its cyber defences.

“We also sanctioned 18 criminals who spread large amounts of ransomware this year, removed malware that infected 700,000 computers, and condemned the unprecedented ransom payments signed by 46 countries. He became a leader in international statements.”

Source: news.sky.com

China successfully sends experimental spacecraft into orbit for the third time in 2020

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BEIJING — China has successfully launched a reusable robotic spacecraft on Thursday for the third time since 2020 in a series of secret orbital test flights aimed at developing reusable technology to reduce the cost of space missions.

The unmanned spacecraft flew atop a Long March 2F rocket, the same rocket series China uses to transport astronauts into space, on Thursday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, state media said. It was launched in

The spacecraft will operate in orbit for a “certain period” before returning to a designated landing site in China. State media reported that reusable technology would be “validated” and space experiments carried out during the flight, but gave no other details.

of final launch The spacecraft was launched in August 2022 and returned to Earth after a 276-day orbit. Details such as what technology was tested or how high the plane flew were not disclosed. Images of the spacecraft have never been released to the public.

China’s plans for a reusable spacecraft (referred to by some as Shenlong, or “Shenron” in Chinese) coincide with a similar secret plan by the United States to fly an autonomous spacecraft known as the X-37B.

Thursday’s launch in China came hours after the launch countdown for the new rocket. X-37B SpaceX has canceled its mission for the third time this week due to weather and technical issues at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

A new launch date for the X-37B has not yet been announced. The X-37B was scheduled to launch for its seventh mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket that can carry secret robotic spaceplanes to much higher orbits than ever before.

The Pentagon has provided few details about the mission, which will be overseen by the U.S. Space Command under the military’s National Security Space Launch Program.

But Space Force Gen. B. Chance Saltzman told reporters at an industry conference this week that he expects China to launch Shenron around the same time as the upcoming He said he expected further developments in the growing competition.

“It is no surprise that the Chinese are very interested in our spaceplanes. According to the US aerospace magazine Air & Space Force Magazine, we are very interested in theirs. ,” Saltzman said.

“These are two of the most-watched objects in orbit. It’s probably no coincidence that they’re trying to grab us at this timing and sequence.”

of Made by Boeing(Ban) The X-37B is about the size of a small bus and resembles a small space shuttle ship, and is designed to deploy a variety of payloads and conduct technology experiments on long orbital flights.

On its previous mission, the unmanned X-37B returned to Earth in November 2022 after more than 900 days in orbit.

China successfully launches reusable spacecraft for the first time September 2020 This happened after it had been in orbit for just two days.

The development of reusable spacecraft is considered important to ultimately achieving the goal of increasing the frequency of space flights and lowering the cost per mission.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Can Natural Genetic Factors Lead to Having More Children in a Shorter Time?

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Scientific Evidence Backs Antagonistic Pleiotropy Theory of Aging

Comprehensive studies have confirmed the antagonistic pleiotropy theory of aging, indicating a genetic correlation between high fertility and shortened lifespan. Nonetheless, environmental factors are highlighted as major influencers of modern human lifespan and reproductive behavior.

New research further supports the idea that genes promoting early reproduction can accelerate aging but emphasizes the overriding role of environmental factors in determining longevity and reproduction.

Originating in a 1957 theory proposed by evolutionary biologist George Williams, the antagonistic pleiotropy theory posits that genetic mutations favoring early reproduction could simultaneously contribute to aging, making life shorter.

The theory was tested in a new study led by the University of Michigan, involving over 276,000 individuals, reaffirming its validity. The researchers found distinct genome-wide evidence supporting the theory.

A novel breakthrough discovery showcased a strong negative genetic correlation between reproduction and longevity, suggesting that mutations promoting reproduction tend to shorten lifespan. However, this link is also influenced by environmental factors.

It was established that the number and timing of reproduction can impact lifespan. Remarkably, having two children was linked to the longest lifespan, according to this study, reinforcing previous research findings.

The concept of pleiotropy suggests that a single mutation can impact multiple traits, while antagonistic pleiotropy posits that mutations can be beneficial or harmful depending on various circumstances. The evolutionary basis of aging is seen through this lens.

In line with this, the study’s outcome points to significant environmental changes, such as lifestyle and technological advances, as opposed to genetic variants identified as drivers of human phenotypic changes.

Reference: “Evidence for the role of selection for reproductively advantageous alleles in human aging” by Erping Long and Jianzhi Zhang, December 8, 2023. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh4990

Source: scitechdaily.com

It’s Time to Examine the Value Proposition of the Subscription Economy for Customers.

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vijay sundaram
Contributor

vijay sundaram I am the chief strategy officer of zohoHe drives corporate strategy, execution, channel management, business development and enterprise sales. He was an entrepreneur and founder of companies in the fields of cloud, supply, chain, software, mobile advertising technology, and renewable energy.
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subscription economy It continues to expand unabated.by someone Estimate, companies with subscription licensing have grown three to four times faster than the S&P 500 over the past 12 years. As his CSO at Zoho, a B2B subscription-based technology company founded more than a quarter of a century ago, I see a growing disparity between provider interests and customer outcomes, especially in his SaaS. I realized that.

The prevalence and significant growth of subscription licensing has created an irreproachable model. But if you look closely, software is no longer cheaper, broader, or deeper for customers. Meta, Netflix, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, Salesforce, and others have recently announced price increases. 24% higher For certain products or services. New layoffs are also underway in the tech industry. Somewhere along the way, economies of scope and scale broke down, and enterprise customers were saddled with monthly, per-user checks.

Rather than contributing to this chasm, software providers can drive growth by passing on the unique benefits of cloud and subscription licensing to their customers. After all, this was the original promise of the model nearly 20 years ago. In my experience, longevity in the market depends on increasing productivity, agility, and revenue for enterprise customers. In other words, adding value rather than limiting it improves both the health and sustainability of the subscription economy and its merchants. Providers can approach this strategy in the following ways:

promote flexibility

Migrating from one tool or system to another is arduous, costly, and disruptive. Even if trial accounts are offered, they have limitations on data processing, storage, usage, and duration, and lack functionality. Increasing the length and scale of customer trials has two benefits for vendors. First, providers can understand the impact of users on enterprise performance, resources, and costs, allowing enterprises to make changes to delivery and pricing without impacting existing paying customers.

Companies can stand out by offering solutions through subscription licensing.

A second benefit of building customer flexibility and choice into your product is new business growth.As a point of Harvard Business Review outside, the Financial Times conducted an experiment in which it removed the ability for customers to view three free articles on the site and instead immediately imposed a paywall. Website traffic fell by 30% and new subscribers declined over time. “If you force every user to convert on the first visit, you’ll lose 79% of conversions, which equates to tens of millions of dollars in customer lifetime value.”

This is because customers prefer to experience the product and build a trusting relationship with the manufacturer before making a purchase decision. In the case of software, deals can run into the millions of dollars, and businesses are willing to shop around until they find the right solution from a trusted vendor at an affordable price. But with the current state of the industry, they may continue to shop forever.

Source: techcrunch.com