The Long Journey to Software Valuation. This item is unavailable.The Long Journey to Software Valuation

Prior to the 1980’s, if you brought up the business of software in conversation, it wasn’t long before the discussion got around to the subject of software as an asset. Most everyone agreed that the machine, the hardware, had tangible value.  You could see it; you could hold it.  Computer hardware had a physical presence. It was a three-dimensional entity. At that time, you could ask, who should care about the asset value of the thing called software? You can’t see it; you can’t hold it. So, what good is valuing it?

Well, software is the language of the computer. Software is used to express applications, programs, and other information on a computer. The internet is a communication channel made up of a huge amount of software.   Software is the thinking or logical language that is used to express an idea and its function. Software is the creative tool for our imagination.

The monetary asset value and risks of software have been the subject of much discussion.  How did we get to where the value of an idea expressed as software has value in terms of dollars? 

 

Dwight Olson is a Certified Licensing Professional (CLP), Director IP Licensing at EXEN Technologies, a Sr. Software IP Advisor to IP Metrics, and a Business Advisor at CONNECT. Olson was a founder of Data Securities International (DSI), which was acquired in 1997 by Iron Mountain Inc. He began his career in the research and development of supercomputers, parallel processing systems and related application architectures in the 60's and 70's. Prior to founding Data Securities International he was a software programmer, architect, researcher, product manager, product line manager, entrepreneur and has held many C level positions and numerous board positions at software companies. Mr. Olson is a past President of the Certified Licensing Professionals, Inc, a former President of the Licensing Executives Society (LES) USA and Canada and served as chair of the Licensing Executives Society International (LESI) IP valuation committee. As an international delegate to LESI he served as a voting member in the Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC) of ICANN. He was an associate member of the American Bar Association's Electronic Commerce Law and Information Security Committee working on the ABA's Digital Signature Guidelines. Dwight Olson has over 40 years of experience in computer software commercialization. He is called the "father of technology escrow" and writes and speaks on the topics of technology escrow as a business tool, valuation of software, trusted third parties in licensing, IP, and about securities firms using only electronic records. Mr. Olson received a bachelor's degree in mathematics and teaching credentials from Augsburg University. Books: "Northern Lights the Beauty of the Forgotten Scandinavian Enamel Jewelry Artisans" ISBN-13: 978-0-578-44439-0