News

Software licensing

May 23, 2013 23 May'13
Where does Microsoft fit in the future of VDI and remote applications?

Users say they prefer Citrix over Microsoft for desktop virtualisation, but will Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8 change that?
May 23, 2013 23 May'13
Interview: Government CTO Liam Maxwell

Government CTO Liam Maxwell has driven Whitehall’s IT agenda for years, previously as deputy government CIO and director of ICT futures
May 16, 2013 16 May'13
CSC returns to profitability

Beleaguered software firm CSC has returned to profitability in its full year results, posting operating profits of $900m (£600m) compared with losses of $1.36bn for the previous year 2011-12.
May 15, 2013 15 May'13
Sapphire 2013: Business Suite on HANA goes to general availability

Jim Hagemann Snabe, co-CEO of SAP, has announced the general availability of HANA on its Business Suite ERP software at Sapphire 2013 in Orlando

May 13, 2013 13 May'13
Firms not ready for Windows XP end-of-life could face compliance risks

In less than a year, Microsoft ends support on Windows XP. Companies must have a migration plan or face compliance issues
May 13, 2013 13 May'13
UKOUG extends reach to CIOs and business leaders

The UK Oracle User Group is set to raise its profile among C-level executives
May 08, 2013 08 May'13
Adobe moves to cloud-based subscription model

Adobe has announced that it is to introduce a cloud-based subscription model for popular applications, including Photoshop
April 19, 2013 19 Apr'13
Microsoft reports strong quarterly results for all divisions

Microsoft reported profit of $6bn for the past quarter, up 17% from a year ago, despite a mixed response to Windows 8 and a decline in PC sales
April 18, 2013 18 Apr'13
IT rationalisation must be combined with layoffs for long-term savings

Long-term IT cost reduction requires more than just server consolidation and cuts to software licences, says Gartner
February 14, 2013 14 Feb'13
CIOs should scrutinise Oracle's Fusion strategy

A Forrester report paints a bleak picture for Oracle's Fusion Applications business, suggesting price hikes could be on the horizon

February 11, 2013 11 Feb'13
Australia to quiz tech giants on pricing

The Australian parliament has summoned Microsoft, Apple and Adobe to appear before a committee investigating pricing
January 29, 2013 29 Jan'13
VMware cuts jobs as sales increase but profits disappoint

Virtualisation software supplier VMware has announced 900 job cuts despite increasing its sales by 22% in the past year
January 09, 2013 09 Jan'13
Expect two or more supplier audits this year

A recent survey by CA has reported that 40% of IT decision makers expect to be audited by their software provider up to twice a year
January 08, 2013 08 Jan'13
Are software audits good for your health?

The Business Software Alliance's claim that 90% of all audit letters sent in 2012 were the result of tips from whistle-blowers is a wake-up call to CIOs
January 07, 2013 07 Jan'13
Barclays' Linux programme not a snub to suppliers

Barclays says it is not snubbing any supplier by developing a private cloud infrastructure and using Linux to cut software development costs by 90%.
December 18, 2012 18 Dec'12
Mott MacDonald rolls out Microsoft software globally

Engineering firm Mott MacDonald is rolling out Microsoft products globally over the next year as it moves towards a Microsoft-centric business strategy
December 17, 2012 17 Dec'12
Surrey County Council finds SAP cost savings with Enterprise Support

Surrey County Council is saving time and reducing user despair in its SAP usage, according to Tahiana Jefferis, SAP competency manager
December 07, 2012 07 Dec'12
Citrix buys corporate MDM tool company Zenprise

Citrix has bought mobile device management (MDM) company Zenprise for an undisclosed sum to boost its corporate mobile tools portfolio
November 29, 2012 29 Nov'12
Deloitte and KPMG face litigation over HP/Autonomy deal

Two of the big four accounting firms have been named in a lawsuit following HP's $8.8bn write-down of Autonomy
November 28, 2012 28 Nov'12
Forrester: Microsoft licence hike makes no sense

Windows users can expect a 15% increase in the cost of licensing key Microsoft products from December, as the software giant raises its prices
November 20, 2012 20 Nov'12
SAP users need more clarity on latest cloud, mobile and BI efforts

SAP customers continue to express confusion about the supplier’s more advanced initiatives, including cloud migration and recent acquisitions
November 13, 2012 13 Nov'12
Big Switch Networks enters SDN race

Silicon Valley start-up Big Switch Networks debuts its first software defined networking (SDN) products
October 31, 2012 31 Oct'12
Government dips toe in water for single ERP

The government is to test the feasibility of moving to a single enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform across Whitehall
October 29, 2012 29 Oct'12
BSA fines First Choice Facilities after licence shortfall following an M&A

Safety specialist First Choice Facilities has been fined £18,000 for unlicensed software following completion of an acquisition
October 25, 2012 25 Oct'12
Microsoft launches Windows 8

Microsoft has finally released Windows 8, Windows RT and the Windows Store at a packed launch event in New York
October 10, 2012 10 Oct'12
Case study: End of BMC sponsorship a blessing for Toyota Motorsport IT

Toyota Motorsport went to the market for a new ITSM system when a sponsorship deal with BMC came to an end, and has been reaping the benefits ever since
October 10, 2012 10 Oct'12
SAP users voice licensing concerns, call for greater clarity

SAP users in the UK and Ireland demand more transparency in licensing and better value for money from the supplier.
October 05, 2012 05 Oct'12
Samsung promises profit despite Apple patent battle

Samsung claims its profits will almost double this quarter, despite its high-profile court case with Apple over iPhone and Galaxy S3 patents
September 12, 2012 12 Sep'12
Huddle gets US federal government breakthrough

US public sector workers get cloud-based collaboration software from Huddle after two major US government departments sign up
September 11, 2012 11 Sep'12
Ten killer questions for choosing an HR IT system

Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) chose a cloud-based HR system, to manage its 3,700 disparate global staff, on the basis of 10 killer questions
September 04, 2012 04 Sep'12
In-depth: Windows Server 2012 goes after VMware

The general availability of Windows Server 2012 today will see Microsoft’s strongest push yet to target VMware users
August 15, 2012 15 Aug'12
SMEs driving $2.2bn cloud industry growth

The global cloud industry is set to be worth an extra $2.2bn before the end of the year, according to KPMG
August 10, 2012 10 Aug'12
Case Study: Welcome Break Group revamps HR with SuccessFactors

Welcome Break Group is starting a project to deploy SuccessFactors, the cloud-based HR system from SAP.
July 20, 2012 20 Jul'12
Microsoft reports first loss since 1986

The software giant recorded an operating loss of $492m in the fourth quarter of its 2012 fiscal year
July 05, 2012 05 Jul'12
CW500: Agile techniques for software development

Using agile development methodologies can speed software development and reduce the likelihood of errors, IT leaders heard at the CW500 Club
June 28, 2012 28 Jun'12
Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude vows permanent rein on IT spending

The government will keep a permanently tight rein on spending controls, says Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude
June 27, 2012 27 Jun'12
Microsoft hikes software costs by four times for some charities

Specialist charities such as housing associations face paying nearly four times as much for Microsoft software due to licensing changes.
June 27, 2012 27 Jun'12
Windows 8 in the enterprise: From tablet to desktop PC

During the Windows preview day in Amsterdam, Microsoft explained how it plans to change the way everyone uses computers in its so-called "beautiful experience"
June 25, 2012 25 Jun'12
Government slashes SAP and Microsoft spend by £150m

The government expects to slash licence and maintenance spend with Microsoft and SAP up to £150m by 2015, via a framework renegotiation.
June 22, 2012 22 Jun'12
Government Procurement Service tenders for £1bn IT services

The Government Procurement Service has published a £1bn tender for IT services
June 19, 2012 19 Jun'12
Oracle reports strong profit growth

Oracle reported an 8% increase in profits on a 1% increase in sales for the fourth quarter of its 2012 financial year
June 18, 2012 18 Jun'12
Microsoft customers react to July licence fee hike

Microsoft’s decision to increase the costs of volume licensing agreements demonstrates the power software suppliers wield over their customers
June 06, 2012 06 Jun'12
Microsoft publishes its response to government open standards consultation

Microsoft has become the first major IT supplier to publish its submission to the government's consultation on the use of open standards.
June 01, 2012 01 Jun'12
Microsoft softens July licence blow

Microsoft has lowered the price hike planned for July, but businesses still face paying up to 25% more for their software.
May 24, 2012 24 May'12
Google Android does not breach Oracle patents, court finds

A US court has found that Google's Android mobile platform does not infringe Oracle's Java patents
May 21, 2012 21 May'12
Global software piracy increasing rapidly, study shows

Global software piracy is increasing rapidly in the absence of any effective deterrence, a survey has revealed.
May 11, 2012 11 May'12
Adobe Muse offers websites without code

The software helps users build websites without them having to know HTML
May 03, 2012 03 May'12
Microsoft hikes volume licensing prices by up to 33%

UK organisations buying Microsoft volume licensing will see up to 33.5% price hikes from July as the firm attempts to harmonise European prices.
May 03, 2012 03 May'12
Motorola Mobility wins injunction against Microsoft in Germany

Motorola Mobility has been granted an injunction against the distribution of key Microsoft products in Germany
May 03, 2012 03 May'12
European copyright ruling good for IT innovation, say lawyers

The top European court's ruling on copyright is good news for innovation, say lawyers
April 27, 2012 27 Apr'12
Microsoft conflict forces Cabinet Office to extend open standards consultation

The Cabinet Office has extended its ICT strategy public consultation on open standards after learning its facilitator was being paid by Microsoft.
April 24, 2012 24 Apr'12
Facebook profits fall; buys AOL patents from Microsoft for $550m

Social networking giant Facebook reported a fall in profits for the first three months of this year as its anticipated IPO gets nearer.
April 23, 2012 23 Apr'12
What is the future of open source in government?

While the pace of the move to open source in the public sector has been slow so far, a number of factors are converging to determine the blueprint for its future use in government IT.
April 18, 2012 18 Apr'12
Government unaware how much it pays for e-mail services

Government departments do not know how much they are spending on e-mail services, according to research by Computer Weekly.
April 10, 2012 10 Apr'12
Microsoft bolsters patent arsenal in $1bn deal with AOL

Microsoft is to acquire most of AOL's patents in a deal worth $1.06bn that covers more than 800 technological innovations
April 02, 2012 02 Apr'12
Knight Frank selects Virgin Media Business network for switch to fat clients

Property consultant deploys faster WAN to avoid Citrix server farm upgrade and improve unified communications
March 27, 2012 27 Mar'12
Global SaaS spend to reach $14.5bn in 2012

Global software-as-a-service sales are forecast to reach $14.5bn (£9bn) in 2012, rising to $22.1bn by 2015
March 26, 2012 26 Mar'12
BSA fines Coverteam UK £6,000 for unlicensed Microsoft and Adobe software

The BSA has fined power conversion company Converteam UK £6,000 for using unlicensed copies of Microsoft and Adobe software
March 16, 2012 16 Mar'12
Microsoft cuts the price of Azure and Office 365

Microsoft has cut the price of Windows Azure by 12%, and Office 365 by 20%, as competition in the cloud computing market increases
March 13, 2012 13 Mar'12
Businesses at risk from fake computer parts

Factories in China are supplying substandard memory devices, claims corporate investigator.
March 05, 2012 05 Mar'12
NHS trusts to be freed from CSC contract commitments

The Department of Health has proposed a deal with CSC to release trusts in the National Programme for IT from their contractual obligations to use software from the troubled supplier.
February 27, 2012 27 Feb'12
Salesforce.com revenues jump almost 40%

Software-as-a-service supplier Salesforce.com has reported strong growth in the final quarter of its latest financial year.
February 19, 2012 19 Feb'12
Government launches CloudStore and names G-Cloud suppliers

The government has launched its CloudStore, a catalogue of 1,700 cloud-based, pre-approved IT services now available for the public sector to buy.
February 10, 2012 10 Feb'12
Government takes on proprietary software lobby in open standards battle

The government wants to push through open standards against vested interests keen to maintain the dominance of proprietary systems.
February 07, 2012 07 Feb'12
Oracle rejects SAP settlement and seeks new trial

Oracle has rejected a $1bn reduction in a jury verdict it won against rival SAP and is seeking a new trial for copyright infringement.
January 30, 2012 30 Jan'12
Government inconsistency on ERP costs is 'inexcusable'

Whitehall departments are spending up to three times more than others for the use of near-identical software, Computer Weekly can reveal.
January 30, 2012 30 Jan'12
Oracle and SAP worst for government ERP cost differences

Oracle and SAP have been singled out as having the most inconsistent prices for ERP systems across government departments.
January 25, 2012 25 Jan'12
SAP reports bumper results

Business software giant SAP has reported strong double-digit growth in sales and profit for last year, with software leading the charge.
January 04, 2012 04 Jan'12
What’s in store for IT in 2012?

The global economy is creating an atmosphere of uncertainty in the IT sector, but what can we expect in 2012?
January 04, 2012 04 Jan'12
Microsoft sting adds to Comet’s woes

Microsoft has filed proceedings against retailer Comet after it was discovered to have created and sold over 94,000 copies of Windows Vista and XP recovery CDs.
January 03, 2012 03 Jan'12
Warwickshire County Council's move to the cloud

Warwickshire County Council CIO Tonino Ciuffini talks about why moving to an on-demand services model is the best way for councils to slash costs.
January 03, 2012 03 Jan'12
Licensing implications of bringing your own device to work

Given the pace of change in gadgets that people wish to bring to work, we look at the issues around software licensing.
December 23, 2011 23 Dec'11
Top 10 business software stories of 2011

Businesses and software suppliers are adopting new models, strategies and technologies in an increasingly cloud-based IT world.
December 05, 2011 05 Dec'11
CIOs slam Microsoft and Oracle for milking the licence-fee cash cow

Paul Cheesbrough and David Jack, two CIOs who have pioneered cloud computing, have slammed traditional software suppliers for sticking with “cash cow” licensing models.
November 25, 2011 25 Nov'11
Government opens consultation on definition of IT open standards

The UK has put its open standards policy up for public consultation after opposition from the British Standards Institution and software vendors.
November 22, 2011 22 Nov'11
Thames Water uses refresh cycle to pilot virtual desktops

Thames Water is piloting desktop virtualisation with 500 users following a successful initial 40-user pilot.
November 21, 2011 21 Nov'11
SAP user group calls for better engagement from SAP

SAP UK & Ireland User Group chairman Alan Bowling has called on business software maker SAP to continue to focus on customer engagement and communication.
November 17, 2011 17 Nov'11
Microsoft swoops on UK pirates as BSA reveals the damage

Microsoft has settled out of court with five UK companies selling illegal copies of its software as part of its global crackdown on pirates.
November 03, 2011 03 Nov'11
Trinity Mirror chooses Google Apps over rival IBM and Microsoft cloud services

Trinity Mirror Group is rolling out Google's enterprise cloud e-mail and collaboration service to replace a Lotus Notes-based on-premise e-mail system for 6,500 staff.
February 09, 2011 09 Feb'11
Gartner: open source software gives businesses flexibility

IT departments are increasingly deploying open source software as part of their IT strategy to improve flexibility and lower licensing costs, a report from analyst Gartner has found.
January 14, 2011 14 Jan'11
Microsoft to halve school licence fees

Many schools will have their software licence fees cut by more than half as Microsoft changes its method for calculating payment.
December 17, 2010 17 Dec'10
Oracle makes $2bn software sales as executives talk up hardware

Oracle sold $2billion new software licences in its second quarter of 2010. Software license updates and product support revenues were up 12% to $3.6...
November 25, 2010 25 Nov'10
SAP improves customer relations, but still faces price and licensing issues

New leadership of German enterprise software maker SAP is pursuing a transformation agenda and a more customer-focused strategy in an attempt to rebuild trust.
November 01, 2010 01 Nov'10
Oracle starts court battle for $2.3bn in damages from SAP

Oracle's court battle with SAP is set to begin today in Oakland, California as it seeks at least $2.3bn in damages for unauthorised access of its systems by an SAP subsidiary. In a suit filed in 2007, Oracle alleges that SAP's now-defunct support ...
August 12, 2010 12 Aug'10
Linux Foundation releases open source compliance tests

An open compliance programme has been launched by the Linux Foundation to help people using open source software comply with licensing.
July 14, 2010 14 Jul'10
Government scraps £80m Microsoft licensing deal with NHS

The government has scrapped the long-running NHS Connecting for Health (CfH) enterprise agreement (EA) software licensing deal with Microsoft after deciding there was no business case or budget to renew it.
May 11, 2010 11 May'10
Businesses warned of software licensing clampdown

Businesses are under threat of legal action and compulsory audits as cash-strapped software suppliers take a tough line on software licensing.
December 18, 2009 18 Dec'09
Oracle boosts software and services revenue with SAP business

Oracle has increased its software licence and product support revenue by 14% to $3.9bn for the second quarter of 2009, at the expense of SAP.
October 21, 2009 21 Oct'09
Citrix changes XenDesktop licensing after user pressure

Citrix has reacted to criticisms from IT departments of the user-based licensing of its XenDesktop 4 product and introduced more flexibility into its payment options.
August 10, 2009 10 Aug'09
Video: Windows 7 - Businesses can upgrade now

Enterprise users with Microsoft Software Assurance subscription licensing can now download and install Windows 7 Enterprise Edition.
July 15, 2009 15 Jul'09
Microsoft slashes licence fees up to 40%

Microsoft is to streamline and simplify its licensing structure, saving customers up to 40% of their licensing costs.
April 24, 2009 24 Apr'09
Government departments to swap spare software licences

The government is setting up a software swap-shop to allow government departments to use spare software without paying extra licensing costs.

The pool,...
March 26, 2009 26 Mar'09
Recession leads to more business for Red Hat

Red Hat has reported rising licensing revenue as it benefits from increased customer interest in open source sparked by the recession.

There has been...
March 19, 2009 19 Mar'09
Oracle boosts software licence revenue

Oracle has reported a rise in software licence sales for Q3 2009.
March 06, 2009 06 Mar'09
Save costs by understanding your ERP licences

One area companies rarely consider for cost saving, but where there is a lot of potential, is ERP software licences…
November 14, 2008 14 Nov'08
Infor helps Nakheel reach for the sky with world's tallest building

Nakheel has bought extra licences worth $3m for Infor 's...
August 29, 2008 29 Aug'08
Credit crunch drives software audits

More frequent software audits and new licence conditions likely as software houses seek to shore up revenues against the economic downturn.
July 18, 2008 18 Jul'08
Open source in technology merger and acquisitions

Open source technology is simply an evolved class of licensing under which wider, more permissive rights are given to users. Crucially, access to source code is given enabling user support and development of the code. While the open source ...
July 01, 2008 01 Jul'08
Microsoft debuts Select Plus flexible enterprise licensing

Microsoft has introduced the Select Plus software licensing package for larger firms that want a more flexible organisation-wide agreement.
April 01, 2008 01 Apr'08
Thus returns to Thresher

Retailer Thresher is to extend its contract with telco Thus to run the communications services for its 1,800 licence sites and head office.