Opinion

Opinion

Operating systems software

• There are no economic reasons to regulate the US tech giants

  The likes of Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon and Microsoft may dominate their markets, but the economic argument to regulate them is weak  Continue Reading

• The high price of not understanding how automation works with existing software licences

  Businesses must check their software licences before they introduce robotic process automation or they risk breaking the rules  Continue Reading

• Driving digital productivity in the UK

  There is a need for British businesses to improve their adoption of digital technologies  Continue Reading

• Time for DevOps to get out of the weeds

  Software and service providers face a battle to deliver new products, features and capabilities faster than ever  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Patch Shellshock vulnerability without delay

  What steps should businesses take to assess their vulnerability to the Shellshock Bash bug and patch vulnerable systems?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Isaca guide on tackling Shellshock

  What steps should businesses take to assess the true scope of their vulnerability to the Shellshock Bash bug?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Businesses cannot afford to be complacent about Shellshock

  What steps should businesses take to assess their vulnerability to the Shellshock Bash bug and patch vulnerable systems?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Shellshock – check, patch, monitor

  What steps should businesses take to assess their vulnerability to the Shellshock Bash bug and patch vulnerable systems?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Guidelines for dealing with Shellshock

  What steps should businesses take to assess the true scope of their vulnerability to the Shellshock Bash bug?  Continue Reading

• Is Windows-everywhere a serious option for the modern business?

  Let’s get real says Dale Vile, Research Director & CEO, of analyst group Freeform Dynamics.  Continue Reading

• User acceptance testing needs real training, not just a short course

  In spite of its importance, user acceptance testing (UAT) is often chaotic, problematic and ineffective  Continue Reading

• Internet of things: Low-cost trade-off

  The office at DoES Liverpool has a DoorBot, which works as a kiosk device, showing webcam views of the office and a list of upcoming events.  Continue Reading

• Windows 8 - the challenge of moving to a new operating system

  Microsoft launched its Windows 8 operating system (OS) in 2012, promising manifold benefits - but what are the challenges of moving OS?  Continue Reading

• Windows 8 – Beauty and the Beast?

  Quocirca analyst, Clive Longbottom, looks at whether corporates should consider deploying Windows 8.  Continue Reading

• Does Microsoft need to change its policy on Windows upgrade pricing ?

  Microsoft will needs to reduce the cost of Windows upgrades if it is to conquer the tablets market, writes Andrew Buss.  Continue Reading

• The fog of software licensing: dissatisfaction reigns - even in clouds

  There are some things in life that you just have to get on with, and in IT one of those is the management and administration of software licences, writes Tony Lock, programme director at Freeform Dynamics.  Continue Reading

• Let the taxman pay your software development costs

  On the back of government consultation, tax relief for companies involved in development activity is set to become even more generous and software development companies should ensure that they are taking advantage of this valuable relief, writes ...  Continue Reading

• 10 steps to get Internet Explorer 9 going

  As more and more companies migrate to Windows 7, the uptake of Internet Explorer 8 and now Internet Explorer 9 is booming - and it needs just as much careful attention. In fact, if you don't have plans in place for IE8 or IE9, it will hold up your ...  Continue Reading

• Software engineering, but not as we know it

  With the further developments of the Chartered Information Technology Professional status, or CITP, BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, encourages us to reconsider our understanding of our profession, writes Jon G Hall.  Continue Reading

• Review: WikiLeaks - Inside Julian Assange's war on secrecy

  The one enduring thing Wikileaks has taught us is that the internet works, if you know what you are doing.  Continue Reading

• IT Headaches for Continental and United Airlines

  The merger of United and Continental Airlines - soon to be known as United Airlines - will give the new company control of around seven per cent of routes worldwide and a fifth of all US flights.  Continue Reading

• Living with Windows 7, six months on

  Six months ago Microsoft began shipping Windows 7. Greg Lambert, chief technical architect at app compatibility specialist Changebase AOK, has worked with some of the world's biggest enterprises supporting their Windows 7 migrations and examines the...  Continue Reading

• How SMEs can use social networking to get their message across

  In today's business environment, the ability to be available online for your users 24/7 is increasingly seen as a given. As a result, companies of all sizes...  Continue Reading

• Google Chrome OS: A threat to Windows 7?

  Google OS has been warmly embraced by the anti-Microsoft crowd, but Davey Winder is less than blown over by the announcement.  Continue Reading

• A wise Oracle follows the Sun

  As negotiations over the Oracle/Sun merger continue, let's examine what they might have in store for businesses and IT managers with respect to software development  Continue Reading

• Microsoft Security Essentials raises baseline security in Windows 7

  The launch of Microsoft Security Essentials should be commended, writes Thorsten Holz, an IEEE member and researcher at the Technical University of Vienna.  Continue Reading

• Desktop OS upgrade options greater than ever

  Windows 7 finally delivers what Vista should have done three years ago. Application issues have all been greatly improved with Windows 7, it works well...

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• Mixed messages as Microsoft Office comes to the web

  The on-premise walls are crumbling. Microsoft's Office Web Apps are now in public technical preview - though currently for US customers only - which means that users can now create, edit and view Office documents using only a web browser.  Continue Reading

• Opinion: Engineering values in IT could mean error-free software

  A report published by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) on 31 July raises important issues for everyone who works in the UK computer industry or who relies on its products or services.  Continue Reading

• Opinion: Google Chrome OS: the web's the thing

  Google's timing is immaculate. Just when Microsoft is trying to get us excited again about Windows and Office, it announces its own operating system, called Google Chrome OS, initially targeting netbooks and to be released in the second half of 2010.  Continue Reading

• Google Chrome OS: We love the cloud

  Google is building a cloud-based empire for enterprise IT. Chrome OS is its latest effort to launch into the cloud and offer a viable alternative to Microsoft's dominance down on the desktop.  Continue Reading

• Email blunders, messaging mishaps and more: Your stories...

  Many people have fallen foul of the ‘email quarantine trap’, or have mistakenly sent the wrong email to the wrong person. Well, we asked for your stories - and you certainly had plenty of blunders to share!  Continue Reading

• Macs and Malware

  Everybody but the anti-virus industry "knows" that there aren't any Mac viruses, so what, if anything, does an IT team need to do about Apple Macintosh security?...

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• The possibilities of an XML-based information delivery framework on the desktop

  JustSystems has released xfy Technology, possibly the first XML-based information delivery framework on the desktop. David Norfolk looks at what this software is capable of.  Continue Reading

• Hot skills : Rise of Ajax drives demand for Javascript developers

  Scripting language enables rich internet applications  Continue Reading

• A clear case for operating system harmony

  There was scepticism last year when arch-rivals Microsoft and Novell signed an alliance which would see Microsoft sell and support Linux systems.  Continue Reading

• Simple ways to do more, faster, with older PCs

  Slow and outdated PCs can waste time and reduce end-user efficiency, however, there are easy and cheap ways to upgrade staff computers  Continue Reading

• Pretty interfaces alone do not make a business case

  The release of Windows Vista is a great achievement, but Microsoft should not lose sight of the fact that many of its customers will be running Windows XP for a while yet.  Continue Reading

• Users win in Linux love-in

  It seems the world really is big enough for both Windows and Linux. Earlier this month some of the heat was taken out of the long-standing rivalry between Microsoft and the Linux community thanks to a collaborative effort between old enemies ...  Continue Reading

• Spelling out Vista's value

  One would hope that in this day and age most people have a fair idea of whether an application is adding value to the business. But what is the intrinsic value of a new operating system?  Continue Reading

• Right NHS formula is to ‘keep it simple’

  Over-complex IT results in diminishing returns, says Andrew Sakals  Continue Reading

• Plan for a slow roll-out of Windows Vista

  Delays to the Vista operating system should not prove a big problem for users as its immediate benefits may not make a compelling case for a speedy upgrade.  Continue Reading

• The end of the paper trail

  Imagine the scene: you are disgruntled with a supplier. You do your best to make sure your communications with them are measured and calm. Internally, though, you e-mail a colleague with some colourful language expressing your frustrations.  Continue Reading

• DPM's Diary

  DPM's Diary by C P Bound  Continue Reading

• Your shout: World's best OS, hardware horror story

  Computer Weekly readers have their say.  Continue Reading

• Time of choice creeps up on Netware users

  Gartner is usually reluctant to advocate doing nothing, but with regard to the next step for Netware users, this might make sense for the next two to three years, assuming you are on Netware 6.5. This is because Novell will probably stop updating ...  Continue Reading

• Why Microsoft is learning from Linux in its drive to deliver software as a service

  "We are not anti-open source," says Martin Taylor, Microsoft's general manager of competitive strategy. In fact, he makes a point of hiring people with Linux and open source skills for his R&D team and Linux lab.  Continue Reading

• Can Google bring openness to messaging?

  E-mail style universal interoperability would add huge value for users, says Jack Schofield  Continue Reading

• Use the power of the people's IT

  Security, security and security are the three big priorities for many IT directors these days. Along with worms and viruses,...  Continue Reading

• Could Firefox have assisted birth of IE7?

  Microsoft plans to release a new beta test version of Internet Explorer this summer, but it will only run on Windows XP with...  Continue Reading

• Need for better communication is vital as doctors voice deep concerns about NPfIT

  Doctors' comments reveal fears of wastage and a failure to appreciate their needs  Continue Reading

• Neglect of e-mail etiquette can ruin business relationships

  The volume of e-mail is growing exponentially and it is predicted that by next year 36 billion e-mail messages will be sent...  Continue Reading

• Hot skills: Visual Basic eases programmers' path for creating Windows apps

  What is it?  Continue Reading

• Will desktop searching reveal all your hidden PC secrets?

  Desktop search is not new: it is already built into the Start menu of Microsoft Windows XP.  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: To SP2 or iMac?

  Escaping the world of the PC and Microsoft for an alternative such as the iMac, may be harder than you think, says Simon Moores  Continue Reading

• Multi-core chips deliver faster operations but could double per-processor OS charges

  Intel's move to put two processors on the same chip may give Linux a boost  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Sink or swim

  Citrix needs to re-evaluate its position in the large company market if it is not to be eaten by the big fish Microsoft, says...  Continue Reading

• The IT director holds key to sales

  We live in a multi-channel world. Gateway's stores have become showrooms in which the shop assistant expects you to buy elsewhere...  Continue Reading

• Business needs open standards for applications

  Push suppliers to provide greater interoperability, says Graham Bird  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: The battle of open source and security

  Microsoft's fight between security and open source continues, but will it win the vital battle of winning public support, asks...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: The long SP2 wait

  Simon Moores is beginning to get nervous about the imminent arrival of Microsoft's Windows XP SP2 and its compatibility problems.  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Manual backup a runaway success

  Colin Beveridge praises Nats for getting their manual system running when they faced a system failure, and urges other businesses...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Linux - a weapon of mass destruction?

  If Linux is feared as a tool for terrorism, then why are the majority of servers run on open source?, asks Simon Moores.  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: The war of the words

  Jettison the jargon to sell web services to the board, says Julian Kaine.  Continue Reading

• Your shout! On the untrained use of touch-pads by children

  In response to the letter about money being spent on IT in schools without the provision of proper back-up (Computer Weekly, 9 March)  Continue Reading

• Migration analysis

  Large companies have already accepted the why of Linux, it is up to the IT industry to paint the picture of how, where and when.  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Are your Windows secure?

  Companies should worry less about migrating to new operating system and concentrate more on its security, says Simon Moores.  Continue Reading

• SCO is right to go after Linux users

  SCO has a duty to assert its claims over disputed open source code  Continue Reading

• What to do if you're worried about SCO action

  What can you do to protect yourself in case SCO is successful in its quest? Maybe the best strategy is to do nothing.  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: The jury's out on open source

  The battle between open source and Windows still appears to be a hot topic for debate, but businesses can't afford to be naive,...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Psst! .net's far ahead of its rivals

  Analyst Gary Barnett gives his personal take on the hot issue of the day.I know I'm about to offend some people in the next 90...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Between the devil and the deep blue sea

  Is the move to an open source community going to benefit computer software strategy, asks Simon Moores.  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Does anyone own Linux?

  Will SCO have evidence to back its claim against IBM? asks Anthony Youngman.  Continue Reading

• Your shout! On Microsoft

  In response to Simon Moores, who predicted that Microsoft will dominate the IT industry for a long time to come.  Continue Reading

• How does open source pay?

  As open source gains backers, its security is becoming more robust.  Continue Reading

• The great Web services debate

  Web services is being positioned by the IT industry as the next great wave of innovation - but to succeed everyone will need to...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: .net or .not?

  Simon Moores ponders the confusing history of Microsoft's .net and concludes that these days it looks more like .not.  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Look out! The Penguin's got a gun

  Are Microsoft's attempts to understand the Linux phenomenon too little too late? asks Simon Moores.  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Don't get shot in the Wild West Web

  Online bulletin boards on corporate websites can seriously damage corporate health, warns Colin Beveridge.  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Welcome to my wireless world

  So many everyday devices are now cordless that Peet Morris is amazed that for the most part computing is still literally stuck in...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:The coffee wars of Sun and Microsoft

  The decision to force Microsoft to carry the latest version of Java in Windows and Internet Explorer has left a bitter taste,...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Faking it on the Web

  Readily available e-mail accounts mean you can be anyone you like on the Internet. It's time to impose some reality, argues Colin...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:BT fails to make the connection

  BT is missing out on lucrative broadband customers by not teaming up with third-party cable suppliers, Colin Beveridge believes.  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Sony plays Office politics

  Sony is starting to install Sun's StarOffice on its computers. Is this the beginning of the end for Microsoft's stranglehold?...  Continue Reading

• A better desktop outlook

  GNU/Linux needs an alternative to Outlook if it is to be a serious desktop contender.  Continue Reading

• Why is the health service paying EDS £91m to develop a 'Hotmail' system?

  The NHS is paying a vast sum for a system that could have been bought "off-the-shelf"  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Penguin on a PlayStation

  Hard-hitting IT columnist Simon Moores gives his personal take on the hot issue of the day.I was speaking to one of the...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Expensive medicine?

  Hard-hitting IT columnist Simon Moores gives his personal take on the hot issue of the day.This week, I'm feeling a little...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:The OS security dilemma

  Hard-hitting IT columnist Simon Moores gives his personal take on the hot issue of the day.Security - or, should I say,...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Sex-obsessed? Surely not...

  Hard-hitting IT columnist Simon Moores gives his personal take on the hot issue of the day.You won't believe this, but mention...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Trust me, I'm an e-government expert

  Incisive columnist and IT expert Colin Beveridge looks at a hot issue of the day.It's very nice to be popular, especially if you...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the DayIf it ain't broke, don't fix it!

  Hard-hitting IT columnist Simon Moores gives his personal take on the hot issue of the day.Chairing a Microsoft Forums seminar on...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Who's reading your e-mail?

  Hard-hitting IT columnist Simon Moores gives his personal take on the hot issue of the day.As I'm quite unused to sensible...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:The best things in life are free

  Research wizard Peet Morris gives his personal take on the hot issue of the day.The Web never ceases to astound me with the...  Continue Reading

• Open source hits release 1.0

  The release of Mozilla 1.0 brings a complete open client and server solution a step closer  Continue Reading

• Getting Wired:Real opens up online media battle

  Can RealNetworks beat Microsoft by making key parts of its media players open source?  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Brits get uptight in laid-back Europe

  Hard-hitting IT columnist Simon Moores gives his personal take on the hot issue of the day.The large white sign ahead said...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Open day at the Office

  Research wizard Peet Morris gives his personal take on the hot issue of the day.You know, I used to be well against the open...  Continue Reading

• Security for free: Don't trust everything in e-mail

  E-mail security has several threads, as there is a wide range of vulnerabilities. We have all heard about the Love Bug, BadTrans,...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day:Pass the e-mail parcel

  Incisive columnist and IT expert Colin Beveridge looks at a hot issue of the day.How many times a day do you play pass the parcel...  Continue Reading