The options available for building software applications have never been so wide ranging as they are today. This is largely to do with the impact of the Web, with different solution models available depending on user needs, from infrastructure to end device considerations.
The most recent trend of cloud computing is also opening new possibilities that are lowering the cost barrier, increasing access to high performance computing, and also lowering the skill barrier for non-programmer information workers, whether in SMEs or departments in large organisations, to build business applications.