Good Morning, DC

The U.S. government wakes up and votes to bolster the domestic tech industry's future; plus, Google blacks out, Benioff sells off, Slim gives out and more software news of the week.

The U.S. House of Representatives took aim at improving America's competitiveness in the global market. The House voted to pass the tech industry-backed "America Competes Act" which earmarks $33.6 billion in funding toward a variety of science, research and technology programs.

"Americans must continue to innovate in order to create new, thriving industries that will produce millions of good jobs here at home and a better future for the next generation," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi before the vote.

SANDHILL.COM BLOG POST OF THE WEEK:

Enterprise Software Industry: Directions

Observers of the enterprise software industry can't avoid the glaringly noticeable trend therein. This is an industry - seen as ever-maturing by some and "never maturing" by others - and an ecosystem that is demonstrating growth indicators which are now becoming visible to all observers. A range of data clearly supports the notion of growth: starting from value added by the industry over the last few years - take the number of people that the industry employs, the projected growth rates, the capital outlay for the industry, and so on.

While all this is happening, there is a discernible movement that is being felt all across the ecosystem: the customers are beginning to slowly assert themselves in taking control of their IT destiny.