In Depth

In Depth

• Join the professionals

  Membership of a professional IT association or union could enhance your career prospects. David Mascord reports  Continue Reading

• Hot skills: The number-cruncher

  Fortran may be old, but it is far from finished, writes Nick Langley.  Continue Reading

• Next Move: Can agencies help with San step?

  After 16 years as a field service rep, I am seeking a career option with prospects. I have been with my current employer for 13...  Continue Reading

• Future trends: Hot on the grid

  Grid computing - sharing spare processor capacity - began to be noticed when it was used as an aid in the search for extra...  Continue Reading

• Directors can't hide behind ignorance

  Paul Williams reminds IT managers that members of the board cannot duck their responsibility for ensuring the security of the...  Continue Reading

• Blair promises to ring-fence IT funds for public services

  Public sector IT chiefs have welcomed the Government's commitment to ensure that its £6bn IT injection for the sector will not be...  Continue Reading

• Walking the walk with SAS CEO Jim Goodnight

  IT suppliers can talk such hot air. Yet there are a few characters in the supplier industry who have enough experience to make...  Continue Reading

• The rise and rise of Websphere

  IBM has been reborn with its Websphere application server e-business software. Lindsay Nicolle reports on the strategy users...  Continue Reading

• Drug dealers

  The pharmaceuticals industry may be one of the richest in the world, but it is under pressure to reduce prices. The greatest...  Continue Reading

• Portal players forge business processes

  As corporate portal technology continues its battle to become an enterprise mainstay, vendors are moving to deepen business...  Continue Reading

• Software usability tests can save you millions

  Some of the world's leading corporations are using a new standard developed by the US National Institute of Standards and...  Continue Reading

• Comdex: CIOs spell out how to achieve return on investment

  Many visitors to the Comdex show in Las Vegas this week focused on the latest technology and gadgets on display. Others took the...  Continue Reading

• Jobs: Nowhere to run to

  The IT recession, not loyalty, is keeping staff from switching jobs, but what can employers do to keep staff motivated and what...  Continue Reading

• Microsoft's SME security toolkit is light on tools but heavy on product plugs

  A free Security Toolkit for small- and medium-sized UK businesses has been released by Microsoft, writes Eric Doyle.  Continue Reading

• Follow the W2K leader

  Migrating to Windows 2000 Server should be easy if you copy others, writes Sally Whittle.  Continue Reading

• Storage travels into the future

  Insatiable demand for data has forced radical changes to storage technology, writes Nicholas Enticknap.  Continue Reading

• Getting wired: Time for desktop GNU/Linux?

  The open source movement goes for co-existence with Microsoft on the desktop.  Continue Reading

• Tech talk: The writing's on the wall for Tablets

  Microsoft's refusal to enable the Tablet PC to "learn" will limit its value as a business tool.  Continue Reading

• Linux: the pic'n'mix solution

  If you want applications from different suppliers to interoperate, Linux is the way to go, writes Julia Vowler.  Continue Reading

• Information commissioner gets tough

  The Office of the Information Commissioner is gearing up to get tough with UK businesses that fail to comply with the Data...  Continue Reading

• The cache catcher

  An organisation's main Internet security policy rests in its proxy servers so the skill will always be in demand, writes Nick...  Continue Reading

• BCS Awards demonstrate dedication

  Two personal projects were among the three winners of BCS IT Awards in the scheme's 30th year  Continue Reading

• Blowing the whistle

  If you uncover wrongdoing in your firm there is now a law stating what you should do to make others aware. Roisin Woolnough...  Continue Reading

• Education: Coding kids

  Ryde College is teaching children as young as five to programme in Visual Basic, Java and C#. Is this the future of IT? Bill...  Continue Reading

• 'Average hacker' skills shut down US defence systems

  The latest case of hacking demonstrates the need to have up-to-date patches on every PC in your business. Bill Goodwin reports  Continue Reading

• Security: Indecent exposure

  The IT-dependent structures of the developed world are extremely vulnerable to cyber-terrorism, says Peter Lilley.  Continue Reading

• Security: Banking on trust

  Banks are waking up to the need to earn the trust of their online customers. Nick Huber reports on their chequered history, and...  Continue Reading

• Security: A mountain to climb

  A look at the 10 most common causes of security breaches shows the uphill battle facing security specialists. Daniel Thomas...  Continue Reading

• IT Security: Flexible fencing

  The Royal Mail is uniting all its systems into a coherent security architecture as computing boundaries blur. Philip Hunter...  Continue Reading

• Stores look to self-scanning to cut checkout queues

  UK supermarket giant Tesco and high-street retailer Marks & Spencer are looking to self-scanning checkouts to cut waiting time at...  Continue Reading

• Business process management - its role in transformational outsourcing

  Many professional service companies operating in the business process outsourcing market that have both a strong management...  Continue Reading

• E-government must warm up to conquer public apathy

  The UK is the second best place in the world for e-commerce, according to a major international report launched at the...  Continue Reading

• Comdex: Another flavour of wireless LAN emerges

  Visitors to the Comdex trade show in Las Vegas this week will get an early glimpse of IEEE 802.11g wireless LAN products, which...  Continue Reading

• How to escape Tupe traumas

  IT professionals may be shocked when they first hear they are being outsourced, but if they know their rights they shouldn't lose...  Continue Reading

• Taking learning to the community

  Karl Cushing reports on how the UK's largest networked environment is changing teaching countywide.  Continue Reading

• Feline charity ditches paper system

  Electronic funds transfer software is being used to support fundraising and streamline donations process, writes Karl Cushing.  Continue Reading

• Industry needs an IT revolution

  Difficult economic conditions are encouraging global manufacturing businesses to make sure they maximise their use of IT. Antony...  Continue Reading

• Your IT exposed

  As the Internet is used to reach customers and suppliers alike, poor IT performance can directly damage brands worth millions of...  Continue Reading

• What can science do for IT?

  Even though they have a common ancestry, scientific and corporate computing are recognised as separate species of IT, so what...  Continue Reading

• Next move:Can I get back into IT?

  The question:I spent 10 years in insurance and 10 in a software support position with a leading bespoke software house. At the...  Continue Reading

• Channel energy away from work to cut stress

  IT is a very stressful profession. According to a recent survey into workplace pressures by travel insurance provider,...  Continue Reading

• New president outlines programme of change

  New BCS president John Ivinson has big ambitions for the society: "I want us to be able to live up to the banner saying, 'BCS -...  Continue Reading

• The three stages of grid computing

  The story of computing is no stranger to the tale of the exotic turning into the mundane. Furthermore, technology that was...  Continue Reading

• Trusted computing could lead to more supplier lock-in

  Security improvements promised by trusted computing Alliance may come at a price. Bill Goodwin reports  Continue Reading

• Troubleshooter sees IT as enabler for small businesses

  Famed as BBC's Troubleshooter, former ICI chairman John Harvey-Jones believes IT and the Internet make it possible for everyone...  Continue Reading

• OracleWorld: Cost savings are Oracle's big sell

  One message is being pushed at every opportunity at the OracleWorld conference here this week: Oracle can save you money.  Continue Reading

• Companies use technology to fight the downturn

  Many organisations are delaying new IT initiatives in the face of the economic downturn, but American Express is using this time...  Continue Reading

• Division signals telling time for Bacs IT staff

  The division of the UK clearing house into two separate companies will see its systems people move to the fore. Nick Huber...  Continue Reading

• Transparent processes will save industry millions

  If process industry supply chain partners can achieve visibility throughout the product life-cycle all the businesses involved...  Continue Reading

• SMS gets the children to school

  The debacle over teacher checks led to a tricky problem and an innovative solution, writes Karl Cushing.  Continue Reading

• Data link saves time and lives

  Sending scans of head injuries to experts over the Net will help speed up treatment, writes Karl Cushing  Continue Reading

• Make copyright law user-friendly

  I am constantly faced with complex arguments as to why a particular incidence of copying software is not illegal in those...  Continue Reading

• Managing your boss

  Managers may be higher up the corporate hierarchy but you can still influence their decisions. David Mascord explains how.  Continue Reading

• Are IT professionals past it at 40?

  IT professionals as young as 40 have been victims of age discrimination, according to research by the Third Age Foundation, a...  Continue Reading

• From bomb shelter to business

  The Net's communication protocols are now used by all, making TCP/IP a vital skill, writes Nick Langley  Continue Reading

• Webmaster blags his way into the surf set

  Viewers of last night's (6 November) Faking It programme on Channel 4 will have witnessed Web developer Stuart Matheson's efforts...  Continue Reading

• Next move: Getting beyond the helpdesk

  The problem:I have worked in IT for four years. For the first 18 months I worked as a network operator providing first-level...  Continue Reading

• Tablet PC: Software is the key

  Early success for the Tablet PC will depend on the availability of effective software, and more than 20 independent software...  Continue Reading

• Users offered wide range of Tablet PC devices

  Microsoft's launch of the Tablet PC operating system promises greater flexibility for mobile desktop users.  Continue Reading

• Better broadband uptake will secure London's future

  The London mayor wants the capital's small businesses to make the most of broadband opportunities, but they will jump when they...  Continue Reading

• 'Things are going extremely well,' says Nats chief officer

  After huge delays in IT implementation and a difficult first summer, Colin Chisholm, chief operating officer of Nats, believes...  Continue Reading

• 10 commandments for writing an IT contract

  Alistair Maughan, partner at technology law firm Shaw Pittman, preaches 10 lessons you should obey when drawing up a contract for...  Continue Reading

• It's a grand day for Microsoft's Tablet PC's first public outing

  Today (Thursday) is the day when Microsoft's Tablet PC is officially unveiled and pen technology comes of age, writes Eric Doyle.  Continue Reading

• End to network cables?

  Unleashing the organisation from the clinging grip of network cabling could free up the IT department to make more effective use...  Continue Reading

• Healthcare IT sector is in disarray, warns BCS

  IT in healthcare is being hit by "confusion, blight, lack of motivation, lack of appropriate skills and inefficient use",...  Continue Reading

• Barter wars in W1

  When PC World opened a store on Tottenham Court Road, a battle line was drawn between the retail mammoth and traditional dealers...  Continue Reading

• Analysts: Microsoft ruling clears way for enterprise software push

  Microsoft will be able to pursue its current business strategy unhindered by the latest ruling in its long-running antitrust...  Continue Reading

• Liverpool council CRM system wins national award

  Liverpool City Council has won the National Business Award for the best use of technology for the innovative use of customer...  Continue Reading

• Real World:Web services - the future

  In the last in a series of three articles on Web services, Atos KPMG Consulting's Andy Tinlin offers 10 predictions for the...  Continue Reading

• Growth in overseas outsourcing will change face of IT in the UK

  Industry experts predict that offshore outsourcing of back-office functions is next on the list for cost savings. Nick Huber...  Continue Reading

• Tech talk: Will Ballmer be sleepless in Seattle?

  Microsoft is buzzing with the kind of activity guaranteed to distract all its busy little Microserfs from the serious worries...  Continue Reading

• Audit office slams ministers for causing £80m training scandal

  ILA scandal was caused by DfES ministers cutting corners, says a National Audit Office investigation. Bill Goodwin reports  Continue Reading

• Dress code

  Flares and beards used to be the uniform of the IT profession, but as technology has moved on, so have the people who work with...  Continue Reading

• Character recognition

  Spotting the various personality types within the IT department may help you to get the most from your team. Roisin Woolnough...  Continue Reading

• Under pressure

  UK IT managers are under more pressure than their European counterparts. Julia Vowler reports  Continue Reading

• You hum it, your PC will find it

  The world's first online music recognition software has many potential applications, writes Ross Bentley.  Continue Reading

• Swale's service centre success

  A new council contact centre in Kent uses IT to improve access to public services, writes Karl Cushing.  Continue Reading

• BCS presses Whitehall on new security rules

  The BCS is pressing the Government on legislation which could lead to the regulation of the IT security sector, writes John...  Continue Reading

• Are you an IT prince or a pain in the neck?

  Do you ever look around your IT department and wonder how you ended up there? Or perhaps you have never even considered working...  Continue Reading

• Next Move: Am I over- or under-qualified?

  I am a 34-year-old IT support specialist. Since I was made redundant last December I have been unable to get back into work. I...  Continue Reading

• Smart working: We've got it all

  Looking for a buzz? Looking for a rewarding job? Looking for a chance to make a difference to society? James Rogers has found the...  Continue Reading

• Why is the skills pool still dry after so many redundancies?

  Anyone who is looking for staff with specific IT skills will disagree with the Government and a contractors' group which claim...  Continue Reading

• Access highlights of Gartner news analysis and research from CW360.com

  Online access to highlights of Gartner news analysis and research is now available through CW360.com, the online arm of Computer...  Continue Reading

• Portals and Web services

  Web services hold the possibility of easy and seamless integration of applications and content into portal software. But is this...  Continue Reading

• Java and .net: Can Siebel juggle both?

  Siebel's recent support for Microsoft's .net architecture and Java promises to simplify training and development costs for...  Continue Reading

• Bank Web sites are slow to load and down for 21 hours each year

  Exclusive Computer Weekly research shows that banks are not delivering a good enough online service - particularly the new...  Continue Reading

• A-level crisis: time for e-testing?

  Matthew Poyiadgi of IT training association CompTIA believes we need to rethink the UK's exam system  Continue Reading

• NHS staff record programme provides template for electronic patient records

  Good project management will be the key to the success of NHS electronic records. James Rogers reports  Continue Reading

• Next move: Getting an Oracle/Unix position

  I have many years' experience in IT and joined the contract market four years ago. I am currently out of contract and I am unsure...  Continue Reading

• Is your midday spud sending you to sleep?

  New research shows that 12 million UK workers (more than 40% of the total UK workforce) are suffering from a form of workplace...  Continue Reading

• Use the Net to improve your service

  Colin Brown, managing director at service management software supplier Tesseract, believes the Internet has created one of the...  Continue Reading

• Remember: Memory skills

  Elephants may never forget, but many professionals find that names, important details and brilliant ideas go in one ear and out...  Continue Reading

• Who's footing the bill?

  Gordon Brown's party conference speech last month revealed how important PFI is to the Government. Michael Cross reports on the...  Continue Reading

• TUPE: The facts

  Ross Bentley reports on what Tupe actually means.  Continue Reading

• Ready for e-market take-off

  As BAE Systems moves to e-enable itself, the defence supplier expects to draw considerable benefits from gaining access to the...  Continue Reading

• Compsec: Be vigilant, be secure

  Everything you need to know about security but were afraid to ask can be found at this year's Compsec conference in London next...  Continue Reading

• E-voting increases risk of electoral errors and fraud, US expert warns

  US problems with e-voting and suppliers' refusal to allow testing will not fill UK e-voters with confidence. Bill Goodwin...  Continue Reading

• Dead man working

  Reports of one IT contractor's death were, it turned out, exaggerated. But his scam to evade justice contains a lesson for anyone...  Continue Reading

• Gartner's 10 views of the future

  Gartner analysts have been gazing into their crystal balls to see what the future holds. IT is going to develop in some...  Continue Reading

• IT skills shortages persist despite economic slowdown

  The latest E-skills UK survey of IT in the UK describes an industry battening down the hatches to survive a long haul, and still...  Continue Reading