In Depth

In Depth

• EU's new recycling rules could drive up European PC prices

  Stricter European Union legislation on electronic waste will force IT managers buying PCs to plan ahead for their disposal. PCs...  Continue Reading

• Quest user group still angry at PeopleSoft snub

  Anyone expecting a thaw in the chilly relationship between PeopleSoft and the Quest user group, which PeopleSoft inherited when...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Better safe than sorry

  If the government wants us all to be more cyber-secure, then it should reassure us with a cast-iron policy on e-crime, says Simon...  Continue Reading

• Bhutan tests 'Simputer' for remote e-mail use

  A Linux-based handheld designed by Indian engineers is being deployed in a pilot project in Bhutan to provide e-mail to people...  Continue Reading

• Executive changes will not alter Oracle’s strategy

  Larry Ellison will give up his role as chairman of Oracle, but he will remain as CEO and a board member while continuing to set...  Continue Reading

• Don’t emulate US treasury’s broken promise on privacy

  The US Treasury Department’s plan to publish information gathered from private citizens under the promise of anonymity undermines...  Continue Reading

• Move to Palm OS 6 if only for the improved security

  PalmSource has made the Palm OS more compelling with its new version. Customers should move to it immediately, but PalmSource...  Continue Reading

• Consolidation continues in growing Nordic IT services markets

  TietoEnator’s purchase of Ki Consulting gives it expertise in services for telecom operators. Consolidation among Nordic IT...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Wanted - IT-savvy accountants

  Colin Beveridge thinks a crossover of skills between the IT department and Accounts is long overdue.  Continue Reading

• Riding the waves of new regulation

  Regulatory pressures affect business in general and IT departments in particular. Mike Davis looks at the implications for CIOs...  Continue Reading

• How to boost the bottom line: get the best out of your department

  Studies show that introducing effective workplace policies can cut costs and improve the productivity of your staff.  Continue Reading

• OGC gives tips on getting the most from suppliers

  Practical guidelines for building effective IT user/supplier partnerships have been issued by the Office of Government Commerce....  Continue Reading

• Outsourcing blamed for cut in IT bonuses

  IT professionals are finding that bonus payments for holding technical accreditation have been cut in the past 12 months, partly...  Continue Reading

• Is your OS open to attack? Fix it now!

  Anyone who has ever run Windows update is well aware of the frequent security issues with Microsoft's OS. Some of those issues...  Continue Reading

• What's in store in 2004

  Robin Bloor presents his personal views on this year's technology drivers.  Continue Reading

• Blend skills for a better class of e-learning

  It is cheaper and more effective than traditional training methods and is quietly winning a large share of users' budgets. So how...  Continue Reading

• Insurer reduces risk in rolling out software

  The IT department at insurance company Aon is using a technique called business technology optimisation to assess whether...  Continue Reading

• Still time to enter coding competition

  IT teams have just 11 days left to enter the annual BCS Programming Competition.  Continue Reading

• National identity register could be an expensive flop, warns BCS

  Concerns about the biometric technology, data management and costs associated with the government's proposed national identity...  Continue Reading

• DTI calls for better working hours

  IT workers will be spending less time tinkering with servers and Linux kernels in 2004 if the Department for Trade & Industry...  Continue Reading

• Upgrade your skills to Oracle 10g

  In the SSL/CW list of top IT skills, Oracle is number four  Continue Reading

• The shifting sands of data protection law

  Failure to comply with data protection laws could leave you personally liable for breaches. Owen Warnock advises IT directors to...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Phishing for information

  That e-mail from the bank may not be what it seems, says Simon Moores, who wonders where the phishers will try next.  Continue Reading

• Oracle chairman steps down

  Larry Ellison is handing over his position as chairman of Oracle to the company's chief financial officer, Jeff Henley.  Continue Reading

• The outsourcing trap

  IT directors considering outsourcing development work offshore are advised to look beyond the low labour rates. Danny Bradbury...  Continue Reading

• Trial date set for Ramubus' patent suit against Infineon

  A trial date has been set for Rambus' patent infringement lawsuit against Infineon Technologies.  Continue Reading

• Decentralise NHS data

  Maldwyn Palmer believes the use of patient 'smartcards' will ease traffic on the NHS national data spine  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Flights of fancy

  The Windows versus Linux debacle continues to escalate into a heady mix of emotion, mud-slinging and complexity  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Where Beagles dare

  The disappearance of Beagle 2 may seem like another Great British cock-up, but for Colin Beveridge it's yet another example of...  Continue Reading

• Next Move: What can I expect as a C++ coder?

  I am studying business computing at Huddersfield University and am learning C++. What job opportunities are there for someone who...  Continue Reading

• Resolve to put your IT skills to good use in 2004

  Before the Christmas cheer and all those well-intentioned new year's resolutions recede, there is still time to add your name to...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Don't just blame the technology

  The wheels of e-government grind too slowly for Simon Moores, who claims that bureaucracy and mismanagement are still slowing...  Continue Reading

• Make a firm case for return on investment

  IT directors out to woo a reluctant board to invest in IT need to sharpen up return on investment calculations to make their...  Continue Reading

• Software firms form Java Tools Community

  Eleven software companies, led by Sun Microsystems and BEA Systems, yesterday unveiled the Java Tools Community (JTC), which is...  Continue Reading

• The cost of managing ERP applications

  In most cases, it is impossible to tell when an ERP development project truly ends and the post-implementation period begins....  Continue Reading

• The next-generation database administrator

  The traditional role of the database administrator (DBA) is, increasingly, being automated or outsourced. The next-generation...  Continue Reading

• Marks & Spencer takes RFID a step forward with lessons for others that follow

  Leading retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has begun piloting item-level garment Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tagging.  Continue Reading

• RFID bag-tag test proves a soaraway success

  Delta Airline's RFID luggage tagging test notched up a staggeringly accurate tracking rate. However, the airline has admitted...  Continue Reading

• World digital summit plan lacks clear goals

  A new international plan to bridge the “digital divide” shows promise, especially in its emphasis on public/private partnerships....  Continue Reading

• Provide input to new regulator as it reviews UK telecoms

  A major review of the telecom industry in the United Kingdom will give interested parties opportunities to present evidence to...  Continue Reading

• RealNetworks suit shows Microsoft antitrust woes will continue

  This latest antitrust litigation against Microsoft shouldn’t come as a surprise. Microsoft customers should expect additional...  Continue Reading

• New wholesale broadband regulations could entice new players

  UK regulators are proposing new controls and pricing mechanisms to limit BT’s significant market power in broadband. Customers...  Continue Reading

• Ericsson’s Bluetooth testing won’t ease firms’ concerns

  Ericsson’s plans to test Bluetooth interoperability will help manufacturers but won’t ease enterprises’ support concerns. Testing...  Continue Reading

• Companies to develop home broadband network

  Eight companies, including some of the largest names in electronics, are to develop technology jointly that allows multimedia...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: IT takes a nosedive

  The government is quick to recognise the economic necessity of air travel, yet seems prepared to shoot itself in the foot where...  Continue Reading

• Linux: The battle for desktop supremacy

  Just when you thought the PC desktop war was over, bar the odd bit of Microsoft licence price gouging, hostilities could be about...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Turning back the tide

  One new year's resolution we all should make is to ensure that our networks, PCs and software are protected from e-criminals,...  Continue Reading

• 2004 - recovery with a difference

  There will be a pick up in spending, but this time it will not be to burden the organisation with more IT than it can...  Continue Reading

• Don't leave holes in your patching policies

  With network device vulnerabilities being discovered all the time, should you be monitoring patch management yourself, or is...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Utility dominates a year of change

  On-demand computing and open source were among the initiatives championed by IT suppliers in a year that has seen a flurry of...  Continue Reading

• IBM workers fight plans to move jobs offshore

  The US labour union representing a growing number of IBM employees is considering taking action against the company's reported...  Continue Reading

• Inland Revenue and EDS: The highs and lows

  HM Inland Revenue’s decision to break its 10-year outsourcing relationship with EDS and Accenture for a Cap Gemini Ernst & Young-led consortium in a £3bn, 10-year contract shocked the IT world  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Can Gates halt the march of Linux?

  Microsoft is starting to resemble the old Soviet Union in the face of the rise of a penguin-powered Perestroika, says Simon...  Continue Reading

• Co-op accuses judge of inventing evidence in battle with ICL over till system failure

  The Co-operative Group is pressing the Court of Appeal to allow a retrial in its dispute with a key IT supplier, claiming it was...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Who dares, wins

  One of the basic rules of risk mitigation is proportionality. And, in Colin Beveridge's experience, it is one of the most...  Continue Reading

• Veritas San software eases interoperability

  Veritas has developed integrated storage area network software to be incorporated into Cisco and Brocade switches.  Continue Reading

• Standard mobile infrastructure the way ahead for delivery firms

  TNT Express is rolling out up to 24,000 Microsoft-powered mobile devices over the next three years, reflecting the increasing...  Continue Reading

• How to negotiate a better supplier deal

  Useful tactics to deliver value for money and improve your supplier relationships.  Continue Reading

• Only rigorous metrics can demonstrate the value of IT to the rest of the business

  Define short- and long-term targets and provide the right evidence to gauge the value of IT.  Continue Reading

• A relaxed atmosphere and positive user feedback makes for a rewarding approach to IT

  It is a pleasure here at Computer Weekly to profile the IT departments that have made it on to our shortlist of the Best Places...  Continue Reading

• Demand for .net remains strong

  In the SSL/CW list of top IT skills, .net is number 13  Continue Reading

• Unpaid overtime saves firms £23bn

  Millions of UK staff will work unpaid overtime next year, saving their employers tens of billions of pounds, according to...  Continue Reading

• Skills suite launches in the spring

  Online services that support IT specialists in their careers and help employers identify skills gaps are being prepared by the...  Continue Reading

• New standard recognises value of hands-on engineering experience

  A new standard for people aspiring to become chartered or incorporated engineers has been launched by the Engineering Council UK....  Continue Reading

• Yule be sorry

  IT security threats are a year-round headache, but the season of goodwill seems to bring them out in sackloads. You should take...  Continue Reading

• Microsoft SharePoint products and technologies: Unravelling the confusion

  Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services have caused a real confusion for...  Continue Reading

• ICT business management for SMEs

  This third supplement advises on aligning information and communications technology (ICT) with your business.  Continue Reading

• Breakthrough in technology will reduce the cost of high definition, low-power displays

  Researchers are planning to dominate the display market in ten years’ time with a technique that can be used on any device from...  Continue Reading

• High altitude aircraft could replace comms satellites to provide low-cost broadband

  To overcome the high costs of conventional satellites, researchers are looking at solar-powered craft hovering at high altitude...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: UK plc - could do better

  UK business may be seen as a hotbed of innovation, yet there is still some way to go as far as the use of IT is concerned, says...  Continue Reading

• Government hampers progress by refusal to answer questions about NHS IT funds

  The national programme for IT in the NHS has so far been promised £2.3bn. The government anticipates success, but clinicians are...  Continue Reading

• Making sense of a systems ‘mish-mash’

  What are the management issues related to your telecoms and networks infrastructure? How can you reduce the management burden?...  Continue Reading

• SMEs spill the beans on attitudes to ICT

  How do companies like yours view and use information and communications technology (ICT)? Joe O'Halloran reveals the findings of...  Continue Reading

• Effective ICT implementation

  Normal business pressures make it hard for small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) like yours to stand back and investigate how...  Continue Reading

• Time to stop passing the buck

  The hearings into problems with the government's pension credit systems by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee last...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Why pop-ups prove unpopular

  Online advertising has few fans, yet most companies haven't woken up to the fact that the way they convey their messages are...  Continue Reading

• Great business ideas for 2004

  Outsourcing, flexible working, corporate governance, business process re-engineering, and marketing IT's value are the five big...  Continue Reading

• IT departments feel the pressure as last-minute shoppers begin the countdown to Christmas

  Shops expect summer's well-laid IT plans to deliver generous Christmas bonuses  Continue Reading

• Oracle reverses decision on decommissioning Oracle 8i database

  Oracle's decision to postpone the decommissioning of 8i is a welcome relief for companies. Those that had not yet confronted the...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Out for the count

  Governments across the world hope e-elections will encourage more people to vote and leave no margin for error. Mike Lucas,...  Continue Reading

• Wireless Lan set to take off as technical obstacles are overcome

  The manufacturing, health and education sectors are leading the way in the take-up of enterprise wireless Lans, according to...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Keep it simple, stupid

  IT systems and software are becoming far too complicated for their own good. Colin Beveridge is all for a bit of streamlining,...  Continue Reading

• Confusion over UK data retention laws continues

  The UK government controversial communications surveillance laws, passed last month, will have a powerful impact on internet...  Continue Reading

• US challenges IT industry on cybersecurity

  The US secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge has warned the IT industry that the nation's electronic infrastructure presents...  Continue Reading

• Five great technologies for 2004

  We found five technologies with the potential to make wary IT leaders brave enough to unlock the coffers and invest in IT in...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: A question of privacy

  Retailers need to adopt a code of conduct to help tackle consumers' privacy concerns over RFID, says Nigel Ford.  Continue Reading

• Taking a peek at technology’s future

  Gary Flood looks in his crystal ball to see what ICT is to arrive in the medium term. He examines how it might be relevant to...  Continue Reading

• On the right side of the law

  What are the legal and regulatory issues that could affect the running of your company? What are the ramifications of the Data...  Continue Reading

• E-commerce set to bring fresh rewards

  Findings from the SME Audit show clearly that transactional websites are very much in the minority. Yet the ability to be able to...  Continue Reading

• Training sharpens competitive edge

  Who in your company makes decisions on training? Where should training be placed with respect to an overall ICT strategy? How do...  Continue Reading

• Beware the hidden dangers that lurk within

  The SME Audit findings show that security problems are as much internal as they are external. What are the latest security...  Continue Reading

• Flexible approach will pay dividends

  The government’s flexible working initiative will, in theory, change the way all firms operate. What ramifications will there be...  Continue Reading

• How to make sure the numbers add up

  You’ve got the network and telecoms infrastructure on which you're running business-critical applications. So how do you...  Continue Reading

• Arm core targets WLan and Bluetooth chips

  Arm has reduced the size and the number of transistors on its new ARM968E-S core to reduce the power consumption of chips used to...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Prosper from self-service

  Self-service is transforming commercial relationships, and will, one day, become the norm, says John Hughes.  Continue Reading

• HP’s latest earnings report shows growing competitive strength

  Hewlett-Packard’s (HP’s) enterprise and PC units grew revenue and returned to profit in fiscal 4Q03. Now HP must continue this...  Continue Reading

• Head of the NHS national plan for IT confirms he will retire before the completion of project

  The retirement of Sir John Pattison, the senior officer responsible for the national plan for IT, goes against Cabinet Office...  Continue Reading

• NHS IT: who'll see it through?

  The news that John Pattison is to step down as the senior responsible owner of the £2.3bn national programme for IT is cause for...  Continue Reading

• Red Hat Free Edition merges with Fedora

  Red Hat's shift in focus to the enterprise market has left a gap in the US market for desktop Linux that SuSE will be happy to...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: IT's facing an identity crisis

  Until we can link up all the information held on us with a single signature, the government ID card is doomed, warns Simon...  Continue Reading