Every year Fiserv produces software, but rather than expense that cost against earnings, the company declares the software as an asset and amortizes it over time.

FORBES: Priced For Perfection

"Our position as the technology and market leader in imaging software is a unique asset that enables DOC to develop highly differentiated mobile camera modules, " said John Thode, president of DOC.

ENGADGET: Galaxy S 4, future Samsung devices to use DigitalOptics tech for face tracking (updated)

Worse, the company's chief asset--its nifty software--still has no patent or trademark protection (see radar graph).

FORBES: Magazine Article

The software bundle includes HP's TopTools manageability software, which handles chores from remote configuration to asset tracking.

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Throughout the apparel industry, manufacturers and distributors are starting to use supply-chain systems and enterprise software that were first adopted in industries with higher asset values and investment costs.

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And DST gets paid for each shareholder account its specialized software processes, regardless of the rise and fall in asset value.

FORBES: The Track Less Taken

We also had a conversation around software-as-a-service, and the only asset they had was Business By Design.

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Galli sold VerticalNet's largest asset, a broker of electronics components, to focus solely on software.

FORBES: Rebirth of a Sales Man

Workday sells Web software that helps big companies run back-office functions such as payroll, personnel, asset-tracking and spending.

FORBES: Software

Delivered through web-based software, BrightScope data drives better decision-making for individual investors, corporate plan sponsors, asset managers, broker-dealers, and financial advisors.

FORBES: Transparency Now