A few weeks ago, we wrote a story that got a significant amount of pickup from several sources called “Ad-Block: Adapt or Die,” where we posited that the technically savvy would – and in some cases even should – use the Ad-Block tool, despite the fact that it is disruptive to the advertising business model.

One of the network management programs out there that we don’t talk about much is the Spiceworks IT Desktop – a SAAS-based network management and general IT organizing tool for small businesses. It’s downloadable for free but supported by advertising.

First let me say that Spiceworks is not competitive to our own products. For starters, they only support networks with 250 devices or less. However, we were privately skeptical, at the time, that this business model would be sustainable. After all, aren’t the same people who work with complex IT problems also the ones most likely to download tools such as Ad-Block? (Which makes me think – can you use Ad Block with Spiceworks?) Aren’t they the ones most annoyed by advertisements and wary of any ad-based revenue model for software? (Most of us tech geeks got hit with Kazaa’s spyware infections back during our late teens, after all.)

And indeed, Spiceworks is now offering a version of the software without ads for a subscription fee. By offering that option, they’ve opened up an alternative form of revenue from technical people who can’t stand to bear ads.
So, to answer a number of questions, I do believe it is possible and viable to adapt away from an advertising-based business model. I think Spiceworks, by offering an ad-based and subscription-based model, is offering the best of both worlds for small businesses.