SharePoint and the Document Management Industry

I has been a crazy few years in the Document Management and Enterprise Content Management space, and one of the key factors, in my opinion, is the emergence of SharePoint as a viable option for use as a repository for scanned images. All of the key players are touting their integration with SharePoint, but I am a bit confused? Why would I want to purchase a 6 figure DM/ECM system when I can just use SharePoint. I know, I know, let me see...as I recollect the comments I hear on a daily basis:

• "SharePoint is not really a Document Management System"
• "SharePoint doesn't allow searching by columns"
• "SharePoint lacks the controls that my ECM system offers"
• "SharePoint uses BLOB storage which is scary"
• The list goes on....

The industry is in denial, and I hear more and more objections to using the system every day, which makes me think one thing:  Traditional ECM is being challenged constantly, and they are upping their game to try and compete.

Just this week I had two calls where the customers were trying to move off Documentum, and migrate to SharePoint.  Why?  The main reasons are cost and flexibility.   I believe there will soon be a total reset in the industry, both in price and features, as Big ECM struggles to survive in the current environment.  2010 will be an interesting year.