Software licensing

Software licensing can be a contentious and complex area for IT managers, but is essential to getting value from your software investments. While new models such as software as a service (SaaS), open source and freeware offer new ways to source software, auditing and compliance for your existing software estate remain an important part of IT governance. We analyse the latest trends in this important field.

News 17 Nov 2023
Does third-party support make sense?

We speak to a Rimini Street customer about their experience of managing an Oracle ERP Continue Reading
News 13 Nov 2023
Shawbrook Bank slashes mortgage processing time through low code

Specialist business lending and savings bank is using Pegasystems’ low-code platform to rewrite and automate the customer journey Continue Reading

News 09 Nov 2023

Conflict of interest concerns raised over CMA's use of AWS UK public sector discount scheme

Less than a month after the CMA confirmed it would be investigating the competitive impact of AWS preferential pricing deals on the UK cloud market, data reveals the CMA is benefiting from cut-price Amazon cloud services Continue Reading
News 07 Nov 2023

Post Office disclosure failures delay Horizon scandal inquiry again

Many of the 300,000 emails unearthed could be relevant to evidence from future and past witnesses in the Post Office scandal inquiry Continue Reading
News 06 Nov 2023

NatWest taps IBM skills for generative AI

NatWest and IBM are developing generative AI capabilities to expand the capabilities of the bank’s virtual customer assistant Continue Reading
News 31 Oct 2023

How much is enough to support those who maintain open source?

Without the ongoing work of developers, open source projects would become stale and riddled with unfixed bugs and security issues. We look at the issues of funding and fairness Continue Reading
News 04 Oct 2023

ICO issues guidance on workplace surveillance

Guidance on employee monitoring covers how employers can conduct their digital surveillance lawfully, transparently and fairly, and warns against businesses intruding on their workers’ private lives Continue Reading
Opinion 25 Sep 2023

Insights from launching a developer-led bank

A software developer's approach to building a bank in the digital age. Continue Reading
News 23 Aug 2023

Six subpostmaster appeals to be heard in Scottish court

Scottish court will hear appeals against the convictions of six former subpostmasters based on evidence from a Post Office computer system Continue Reading
News 21 Aug 2023

Red Hat CEO on AI moves and source code kerfuffle

Matt Hicks talks up Red Hat’s efforts to support generative AI adoption through OpenShift AI and weighs in on the issues surrounding the company’s decision to limit access to RHEL source code Continue Reading
News 15 Aug 2023

TSB and Fintech Scotland lab open for applications

High street bank opens applications to its latest fintech programme in partnership with Fintech Scotland Continue Reading
News 21 Jul 2023

SAP’s Klein sees $1tn market for AI business software

Enterprise software company embeds AI across product portfolio to improve efficiency in business processes Continue Reading
News 29 Jun 2023

Brits are using healthcare apps without proper checks

As mobile health app acceptance increases, people are taking risks by using them without any advice from their medical professionals, finds survey Continue Reading
News 27 Jun 2023

Oracle shifts database support goalpost

Oracle has updated its maintenance and support across its relational database family – we explore the implications Continue Reading
Blog Post 23 Jun 2023

Doing much more, with even less to spend

The nature of IT means that there are numerous ways to achieve more-or-less the same result.Some options are technically superior; others may be lower cost or simpler to manage. With so much choice ... Continue Reading
News 21 Jun 2023

Software spending grows fastest as finance firms spend $652bn on tech in 2023

Banks and investment firms are increasing their spending on IT despite gloomy economic outlook, but priorities have changed Continue Reading
News 15 Jun 2023

Enterprise software price hikes risk derailing digital transformation

Buying software and cloud services for strategic initiatives is all very well as long as the price is stable. But costs are escalating, which is impacting value Continue Reading
News 13 Jun 2023

Belgian bank leaps forward in digital transformation through core banking outsourcing deal

Online bank moves to a software-as-a-service core banking platform to ‘leapfrog’ in-house development Continue Reading
Blog Post 18 May 2023

Legacy IT: A technical debt field of dreams

In Field of Dreams, while walking in his cornfield, Kevin Costner’s character hears a whisper: “If you build it, he will come,” which, without giving the plot away, inspires him to build a baseball ... Continue Reading
News 18 May 2023

Defra's tech review reveals legacy IT issues across government

The Public Accoubts Committee recently found that Defra has been unable to measure inefficiencies due to running legacy IT Continue Reading
News 10 May 2023

Defra’s legacy IT unsupported and ill-equipped for digital services

A Public Accounts Committee report has found many applications are based on legacy IT and paper-basd systems, holding back digitisation Continue Reading
News 05 May 2023

Bing AI push rings in price change

Microsoft’s large investment in OpenAI has seen an expansion of AI in Bing. This appears to be reflected in new Bing API licensing Continue Reading
News 25 Apr 2023

Lloyds Bank joins industry IT standards group

UK banking giant Lloyds Banking Group has joined an industry group which promotes global IT standards Continue Reading
News 20 Apr 2023

Banks don’t want to develop fintech in-house

Banks are increasingly partnering with fintechs to gain access to their platforms, with few interested in developing such capabilities in-house Continue Reading
News 11 Apr 2023

Controversial Fujitsu contract with Post Office extended after technical challenges moving to cloud

The Post Office has extended a contract with Fujitsu after being unable to resolve technical issues related to migrating its IT to the cloud Continue Reading
News 30 Mar 2023

How millions of consumers and businesses are using open banking

SMEs and consumers are increasingly turning to open banking services to help them manage their businesses and lives Continue Reading
News 30 Mar 2023

UK government study reveals 50,000 people employed in AI sector

Government publishes baseline analysis of UK artificial intelligence sector as it pins hopes on future growth Continue Reading
News 13 Mar 2023

SolarWinds doubles down on APAC business

SolarWinds teams up with key systems integrators in the APAC region to develop joint offerings as it bolsters its capabilities in observability and autonomous operations Continue Reading
News 06 Mar 2023

Fintech industry calls for regulatory change to help struggling consumers

Fintech trade body calls for regulatory changes to allow fintechs to broaden services for people struggling in the cost-of-living crisis Continue Reading
News 03 Mar 2023

Shawbrook Bank uses Pegasystems for low-code business process rewrite

SME lending and savings bank Shawbrook Bank is using a low-code platform from Pegasystems to rewrite outdated business processes Continue Reading
News 28 Feb 2023

Government announces national fintech hub

The UK Treasury has announced a centre for fintech innovation, two years after a major report recommended one Continue Reading
News 23 Feb 2023

Oracle goes on hunt for Java non-compliance

Non-Oracle organisations warned to check if they comply with Java SE licensing after Oracle introduces radical changes Continue Reading
News 23 Feb 2023

Santander SME platform harnesses Salesforce

Bank platform that helps UK small and medium-sized enterprises expand export opportunities is built on cloud technology from Salesforce Continue Reading
News 21 Feb 2023

Seven million people in UK used open banking services in 2022

More than seven million people used services that harnessed open banking last year, with 1.2 million of these first-time users Continue Reading
Podcast 16 Feb 2023

Enterprise open source: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

We speak to Spotify’s open source tech lead, Per Ploug, on supplier relationship management in open source Continue Reading
News 14 Feb 2023

Executive interview: Putting a value on open source

Spotify’s open source tech lead discusses why open source is failing those whose free time is dedicated to maintaining code Continue Reading
News 30 Jan 2023

Former Fujitsu staff under police investigation to face Post Office IT scandal inquiry

Two former Fujitsu IT professionals being investigated for potential perjury will face Post Office Horizon public inquiry in May Continue Reading
E-Zine 16 Jan 2023

CW EMEA: Protecting the privacy of schoolchildren

In this month’s CW EMEA, we look at how schools in Germany have stopped using Microsoft Office 365 over lack of clarity over how data is collected, shared and used. We also delve into how former UK spy boss Richard Dearlove leaked names of MI6 secret agent recruiters in China to back an aggressive right-wing US campaign against tech company Huawei. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 06 Dec 2022

EU fails to protect human rights in surveillance tech transfers

Transfers of surveillance technology from the European Union to African governments are carried out without due regard for the human rights impacts, the European Ombudsman has found after a year-long investigation into the European Commission’s management of an aid fund Continue Reading
News 30 Nov 2022

Microsoft 365 banned in German schools over privacy concerns

German schools cannot legally use Microsoft Office 365 over lack of clarity about how data is collected, shared and used, as well as the potential for unlawful transfer of European citizens’ personal data to the US Continue Reading
Opinion 17 Nov 2022

Gartner: Three key tasks needed to decommission applications

A guide to slimming down a full portfolio of applications that are expensive to maintain and difficult to adapt to business needs Continue Reading
News 03 Nov 2022

Russia risks shortage of PCs and software

Russian consumers and businesses could face a shortage of IT equipment including PCs and software Continue Reading
E-Zine 27 Sep 2022

Making digital a key ingredient at Mondelez

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to snack giant Mondelez, the owner of Cadbury, about how AI and data are transforming its business. SAP is increasing support costs for the first time in years – we assess the impact on customers. And a Ukrainian tech CEO tells us how his company kept going despite the Russian invasion. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 14 Sep 2022

US to see huge increase in embedded finance transactions

Retailers and other non-financial businesses are increasingly offering their customers financial services, such as credit and payment options Continue Reading
News 13 Sep 2022

Blancco works with charity to provide IT for African schools

Blancco is providing data sanitisation and erasure software to The Turing Trust so that old IT equipment can be securely reused by school children in Sub-Saharan Africa, instead of adding to world’s growing e-waste problem Continue Reading
News 03 Aug 2022

Finnish AI Region drives digital growth in small businesses

Helsinki-based SMEs are being offered support and resources to help them get the best out of artificial intelligence technology to improve their operations and create services to sell Continue Reading
Tip 13 Jul 2022

Learn the basics of SaaS licensing and pricing models

SaaS licensing can be tricky to navigate, and a wrong choice could cost you. To get it right, examine the different types of licenses and the main pricing models. Continue Reading
News 05 Jul 2022

Legacy UK customs system stops accepting registration requests

HMRC closes new applications to legacy customs system as its shutdown nears Continue Reading
News 17 Jun 2022

Fintech firm chooses Salesforce software to support growth

Revolut is to use Saleasforce software to support sales and marketing as part of its expansion plans Continue Reading
Opinion 10 Jun 2022

Government wrong to pass the buck on computer evidence reform

IT expert James Christie tells Computer Weekly why he is disappointed that the government has no plans to change the rules on the use of computer evidence in court Continue Reading
Feature 08 Jun 2022

Swedish entrepreneurs capture the world’s attention with eye-tracking technology

A growing number of killer apps are driving the uptake of eye-tracking systems – and Sweden is positioned to play a leading role Continue Reading
News 07 Jun 2022

Prison and Probation Service’s tagging ambition ‘outstripped its ability to deliver’

HM Prison and Probation Service’s programme to transform the tagging of offenders has failed to deliver after software platform was scrapped Continue Reading
News 31 May 2022

Heineken puts employees in charge of their own careers with new HR system

According to Sanne Noordam, head of SAP SuccessFactors in the Netherlands, companies need to look and listen more closely to the needs of employees in order to attract and retain them Continue Reading
News 06 May 2022

How Rimini Street is growing its footprint in ASEAN

Rimini Street is expanding its reach in ASEAN as more companies, such as Malaysian carmaker Proton, look for cheaper software maintenance options Continue Reading
News 28 Mar 2022

Most big businesses are taking up banking as a service

API-based banking services allow corporate customers to offer financial services without the need for heavy tech development or regulatory approval Continue Reading
News 09 Feb 2022

How Carrefour is lowering its Oracle footprint

Migrating core business applications requires a multi-pronged approach, so what remains on-prem, and where does SaaS fit? Continue Reading
News 02 Feb 2022

Nationwide Building Society streamlines digital onboarding through API

Building society is improving its digital onboarding process through application programming interface-based technology from a US startup Continue Reading
Feature 02 Feb 2022

Finland brings cryostats and other cool things to quantum computing

Not only is Finland the clear leader in refrigeration technology for quantum computers, but it also leads in fundamental research into the underlying quantum information theory Continue Reading
News 01 Feb 2022

Dutch software engineers join campaign for research funding

Software researchers from all over Europe are sounding the alarm: to maintain a strong international competitive position, more financial resources must be committed to software research Continue Reading
News 19 Jan 2022

Twelve million jobs to be lost to automation in Europe by 2040

Millions of current jobs in Europe will be carried out by robots as software robots automate processes Continue Reading
News 13 Jan 2022

Ikano Bank’s team of robots exceeds 2021 targets

How the Swedish bank’s robotic automation project reached its time-saving target with time to spare, automating 168 processes, creating an in-house RPA team and embedding automation in every department’s thinking Continue Reading
Opinion 22 Dec 2021

A trial relying on computer evidence should start with a trial of the computer evidence

Learning from the Post Office Horizon scandal - the most widespread miscarriage of justice in recent British legal history Continue Reading
News 06 Dec 2021

European finance firms increase open banking spend

Financial services firms are increasing investment in open banking capabilities, with improvements to payment initiation and onboarding capabilities expected Continue Reading
News 16 Nov 2021

Can UAE become a world leader in AI?

The UAE has launched multiple programmes as it bids to be a world-leading location for artificial intelligence innovation Continue Reading
News 11 Nov 2021

Stockholm and Copenhagen: Different IT innovation journeys, similar success

Swedish and Danish capitals have build compelling tech startup success stories, and now rub shoulders with the likes of San Francisco Continue Reading
Blog Post 08 Oct 2021

Is it a Suite, Package, Bundle or Platform?

People have been selling collections of products and tools for centuries, and with the advent of commercial IT and off-the-shelf software, IT suppliers were quick to follow. There are various ways ... Continue Reading
News 15 Sep 2021

Nordic central banks drive fintech and digital currency

Banks are working together through a cross-border financial technology development hub Continue Reading
News 08 Sep 2021

Estonian government opens its digital heart to tech testers

Tech startups are being invited to build and test their products and services on the Estonian government’s IT estate for free, in return for use of the software developed Continue Reading
News 18 Aug 2021

Thames Valley Police drops ERP system after spending £14m

Thames Valley Police exits tri-force programme to develop new enterprise resource planning software for the police Continue Reading
News 13 Aug 2021

GoStudent: Europe’s newest edtech unicorn

Europe’s biggest ed-tech unicorn reaches unicorn status and tests sector traditions Continue Reading
News 11 Aug 2021

Global fintech investments reach new heights

The global financial technology industry is emerging from the pandemic-triggered slowdown with record levels of investment to fuel further growth Continue Reading
News 23 Jul 2021

TfL under fire for relying on Uber facial-verification data in licensing decisions

TfL is facing numerous legal appeals from Uber drivers as a result of its decisions to revoke their private licences on the basis of mistaken information from Uber’s systems Continue Reading
News 15 Jul 2021

Fintech sector continues to attract investment as Revolut hits $33bn valuation

Revolut has become the most valuable financial technology firm in the UK after its latest round of investment, with plans for a ‘superapp’ Continue Reading
News 05 Jul 2021

Klarna’s alumni thrive with new ventures after witnessing path to success

Former Klarna employees are using their experiences with the fintech giant to create the next wave of Swedish tech startups Continue Reading
News 10 May 2021

Server-side licensing leads to hike in public cloud prices

Changes made over the last year or so to protect open source revenue streams is starting to impact public cloud managed service costs Continue Reading
News 05 May 2021

Why ITAM can aid IT-fuelled business recovery

As a sense of normality returns, we look at why IT asset management is the stealth tool for clearing a path towards greater digitisation Continue Reading
News 22 Apr 2021

Grafana Labs switches open source licensing to stem strip-mining tactics

Public cloud providers have been accused of strip-mining open source products, offering them as managed services, cutting a valuable revenue Continue Reading
News 19 Apr 2021

UK fintech investment hits new heights as government announces increased support

The UK fintech sector saw high levels of investment in the first quarter of this year, with increased support from the government Continue Reading
E-Zine 13 Apr 2021

The evolution of RPA

In this week’s Computer Weekly, our latest buyer’s guide looks at the future of robotic process automation (RPA). Google’s legal victory against Oracle over the use of Java APIs has huge significance for software developers. And we find out how expectations of IT have grown as firms prepare for the post-Covid workplace. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
12 Apr 2021

US court issues Google API with Java ruling

US Supreme Court rules that specifying an API function call to enable third-party developers to access functionality should not be copyrighted Continue Reading
News 08 Apr 2021

Microsoft accused of stifling secondhand software market

In 2012, UsedSoft won a case for second user software, which has enabled the market to grow across Europe. But it is now under threat Continue Reading
News 06 Apr 2021

US court issues Google API with Java ruling

US Supreme Court rules that specifying an API function call to enable third-party developers to access functionality should not be copyrighted Continue Reading
News 05 Mar 2021

Clarification needed on IT ‘super-deduction’ allowance

Chancellor announces that companies investing in qualifying new plant and machinery assets will be able to claim a ‘super-deduction’ allowance Continue Reading
Feature 22 Feb 2021

How colocation fits alongside a cloud-native architecture

IT departments are on a cloud-native roadmap to become more agile, but they are constrained by the risks involved in migrating core systems and data Continue Reading
Opinion 16 Feb 2021

Why Brexit will make software licence transfers and database copyright harder for UK firms

Brexit will make it more difficult for UK companies to sell unused software licences and to enforce their database rights in Europe. Firms will face a legislative disadvantage over AI-generated databases Continue Reading
E-Zine 09 Feb 2021

Audi fine-tunes its digital performance to boost online car sales

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the digital chief at Audi UK discusses how the carmaker is tackling the slump in new car sales. One of the largest global malware botnets has been taken down, but how much of a blow will it be for cyber criminals? And we hear how one county council made huge savings on its SAP installation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 03 Feb 2021

CIO interview: Deryck Mitchelson, director of digital, NHS Scotland

We speak to NHS Scotland’s head of digital about the IT to help ease the pressure on the health service, which has intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading
News 27 Jan 2021

How Nottinghamshire County Council saved loads of money on SAP

The council was paying £100,000 a year just to keep ECC patches up to date and needed to find savings to support frontline services Continue Reading
Opinion 07 Jan 2021

The five tenets of quality ITAM

At the end of last year we looked at some of ITAM’s failings. This time we explore how to improve ITAM Continue Reading
Opinion 21 Dec 2020

HANA or ‘na’?

With alternatives abundant, many organisations are holding off on enterprise software upgrades Continue Reading
Opinion 16 Dec 2020

What is wrong with ITAM?

IT asset management should be an important pillar in an organisation's digital transformation journey, but it doesn't seem to be working Continue Reading
News 16 Dec 2020

Lancashire police integrate body-worn video into digital policing app

Body-worn video integration will transform Lancashire police’s time-consuming and manual procedures into an efficient digital workflow, but claims that BMV will increase transparency and accountability are not backed by the evidence Continue Reading
News 26 Nov 2020

Robots taking jobs, but creating careers

Robotic process automation developers tell Computer Weekly about the job they never expected to be doing Continue Reading
News 24 Nov 2020

Three options for next year’s IT strategy

CIOs are under pressure to reduce costs, but they also need to modernise applications and help their businesses return to profitability Continue Reading
News 19 Nov 2020

Cut jobs or cut software spending?

With little or no growth in IT budgets, IT chiefs will be tasked with cutting costs in 2021. Improving IT asset management can help to avoid job cuts Continue Reading
Feature 26 Oct 2020

Forrester: Why tagging should be used to manage hybrid assets

With complex hybrid environments, there is a need to apply IT asset management best practices across cloud and on-premise systems Continue Reading
E-Zine 20 Oct 2020

Why is IBM splitting in two and what does it mean for CIOs?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, IBM is splitting in two, hiving off its services business to focus on hybrid cloud – we examine what it means for CIOs. Our new buyer’s guide looks at how intelligent workload management can cut cloud complexity. And we analyse how getting backup right can help tackle ransomware threats. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 06 Oct 2020

Coronavirus raises the software audit stakes

IT asset managers say they are receiving more requests from software publishers to check for licence discrepancies Continue Reading
Blog Post 01 Oct 2020

Considerations for 2021 IT budget

With the start of the fourth quarter IT leaders are likely to be scratching their heads, to figure out where best to spend whatever IT budget has been allocated for next year. No one could have ... Continue Reading
News 29 Sep 2020

Over two million Brits using open banking

Data shows more than two million people in the UK are now taking control of their financial data through open banking Continue Reading
News 25 Sep 2020

Tips on breaking free from long-term IT contracts

Far-reaching, multi-year contracts are less popular these days, but IT departments often find the renewal date is still years away Continue Reading
News 22 Sep 2020

Green Cargo extends Rimini contract to keep legacy SAP backend running

Mainframe and SAP to provide systems of record, with real-time data for new digitisation initiatives, built on multi-cloud, RPA and low-code platforms Continue Reading