Computing articles from August 2008

Computing archives from August 2008

Full steam ahead for collaborative action.(Interview)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Lisa Kelly Full steam ahead for collaborative action In the second of our four-part guide to collaboration, Lisa Kelly discusses with Harvey Nash CIO Alastair Behenna how talking can boost business efficiency z "When it...

Case study: The British Council.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Lisa Kelly Case study: The British Council z The British Council has cut duplication of effort across its 12 global regions, sped up data gathering, cut down on international travel costs and reduced its carbon footprint since...

Managing collaboration.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Lisa Kelly Managing collaboration z "Collaboration should not be approached in a formal, prescriptive manner. People are more comfortable doing things collaboratively in a relaxed environment," says Alastair Behenna, chief...

Very real legal issues exist in a virtual world.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Charlotte Walker-Osborn Very real legal issues exist in a virtual world BCS view: Charlotte Walker-Osborn says businesses must consider the legal implications of having a Second Life z The past few years have seen the entry...

Time for a change of attitude.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Andrew Rogoyski Time for a change of attitude The public sector needs to think differently about how it uses consultants, says Andrew Rogoyski z A change in attitude in the public sector is vital if consultants are to make...

Credit crunch gives a boost to outsourcers.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney Credit crunch gives a boost to outsourcers Atos Origin is the latest IT services firm to report positive results as demand for outsourcing increases Martin Courtney z European consultancy and services...

Hospital sings NHS IT praises.(National Health Service)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Hospital sings NHS IT praises Tom Young Last month Computing was invited behind the scenes to see the National Programme for IT in action at Homerton hospital, one of the most advanced adopters of the scheme. Our...

The geek shall inherit the earth.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Mark Samuels The geek shall inherit the earth The world seems to have suddenly decided that technology is cool A- and woe betide anyone who disagrees, says Mark Samuels z Technology used to be the preserve of the...

Should you mention money?
August 7, 2008... Should you mention money? Recruitment agency draws criticism for advising graduates to avoid talking about salaries Janie Davies z IT graduates have been warned not to sell themselves short after a panel of experts said their...

Need to know: WiMax.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey Need to know: WiMax A monthly guide to up-and-coming technologies, sponsored by Intel What is WiMax? WiMax stands for worldwide interoperability for microwave access, a term describing a...

Devotion to cheques stalls digital progress.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Devotion to cheques stalls digital progress Consumers suspicious of moves to end paper-based fund transfer Angelica Mari z Plans to develop substitutes for paper cheques may be underway, but some...

Technology will be good for our health.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Computing Technology will be good for our health z For the advocates of the NHS National Programme for IT, working on the project must feel rather like being part of an unfinished Rolf Harris painting: "Can you see what it...

Virtualisation hems in costs.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Virtualisation hems in costs Fashion retailer trims upgrade costs by opting for virtualised servers Angelica Mari z Online fashion business Asos has opted for server virtualisation to keep down the cost...

Culture key to filling IT posts.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Culture key to filling IT posts Janie Davies z Employers are having to sell themselves to IT candidates, as a firm's culture becomes an increasingly significant differentiator, according to a survey of 5,000...

All systems go for Beijing Olympics.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies All systems go for Beijing Olympics Janie Davies z As the Beijing Games kick off tomorrow, the 4,000-strong IT team will be working to communicate competition results to the rest of the world within 0.3...

Grid awaits secrets of universe.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tom Young and Ambrose McNevin Grid awaits secrets of universe Cern scientists hope to use IT to help solve the mysteries of creation Tom Young and Ambrose McNevin z The world's largest IT grid is due to start work...

YouTube sued again z Google-owned YouTube is facing a i?1/2500m (i?1/2393m) lawsuit from Italian broadcaster Mediaset Spa. Mediaset says about 4,600 of its copyrighted clips are posted on the site. Google has downplayed the allegations, saying YouTube respects.
August 7, 2008... YouTube sued again z Google-owned YouTube is facing a a[logical not]500m ([pounds sterling]393m) lawsuit from Italian broadcaster Mediaset Spa. Mediaset says about 4,600 of its copyrighted clips are posted on the site. Google has...

p10 NIBS.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tom Young BT z BT's first quarter 2009 pre-tax profit fell seven per cent to [pounds sterling]613m compared with the same period in 2008, the firm's fourth consecutive period of profit decline. Growth in managed...

How to master the Web 2.0 arts.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney How to master the Web 2.0 arts In the third of our four-part guide to collaboration, Martin Courtney looks at how IT professionals should go about acquiring the right skills to take advantage of Web 2.0 ...

Top five collaboration technologies.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney Top five collaboration technologies Email Email continues to be the collaborative application of choice, having established dominance in both business and consumer environments during the past...

Celebrating the advantages of partnering.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Matt Gascoigne Celebrating the advantages of partnering Better training and communication will enable IT to gain a more prominent business role, says Matt Gascoigne z Human resources (HR) has spent the past 10 years...

How to make IT work for you.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Luke Claughton How to make IT work for you An IT overhaul can lead to significant advances in information management, says Luke Claughton z Five years ago, Micheldever Tyre Services was a typical mid-sized company, with no...

Super weather system to up forecast accuracy.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Super weather system to up forecast accuracy Tom Young z The Met Office is to upgrade its weather predictions with a [pounds sterling]33m supercomputer from IBM that will be the second most powerful system in the...

Councils urged to look for cash in IT.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Councils urged to look for cash in IT Funding cuts mean local councils should follow Birmingham's lead with schemes that optimise performance and save money Janie Davies z Local authorities should start...

GPS maps insurance market.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari GPS maps insurance market Insurers are analysing GPS data to assess their exposure to risk Angelica Mari z Insurance companies are relying on GPS-based systems to simplify processes, but the...

IBM targets Microsoft with open source PC.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Ambrose McNevin IBM targets Microsoft with open source PC Linux distributors get on board as rumours begin to surface of a split at Fujitsu Siemens ambrose mcnevin z IBM has laid out plans for a Microsoft-free PC by...

page 10 nibs.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Ambrose McNevin Cisco z Cisco posted adjusted fourth-quarter revenue of $10.4bn ([pounds sterling]5.3bn), up 10 per cent on the same period in 2007, with adjusted quarterly net income rising 4.4 per cent to $2bn ([pounds...

Jaguar Land Rover starts IT migration z Jaguar Land Rover has signed a managed services contract with supplier Incat, which will include key areas of the Ford-Tata Motors IT migration process. The move follows the completion of the sale of Jaguar and Lan.
August 14, 2008... Byline: computing staff Jaguar Land Rover starts IT migration z Jaguar Land Rover has signed a managed services contract with supplier Incat, which will include key areas of the Ford-Tata Motors IT migration process. The move...

Concept of cloud still shrouded in mystery.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney, Ambrose McNevin Concept of cloud still shrouded in mystery Few fully understand how next-generation platform actually works Martin Courtney and Ambrose McNevin z Most IT professionals have heard of the...

Where is the summer slowdown?
August 14, 2008... Byline: Bryan Glick Where is the summer slowdown? Long, lazy summer days seem to be nothing but a distant memory for IT workers now A- and the situation will only intensify, says Bryan Glick z Perhaps it is old habits dying...

Eurostar pins hopes on IT revamp.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Eurostar pins hopes on IT revamp The firm is overhauling its customer service IT in bid to fend off rivals Angelica Mari z Jean-Pierre Gilbert's big challenge as the chief information officer (CIO) at...

Train operator signals supplier cull.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Train operator signals supplier cull Angelica Mari z Eurostar is planning to cut the number of IT vendors it uses by half as part of a strategy to increase efficiency and reduce costs. The pool of...

TfL ends Oyster contract z Transport for London (TfL) has given notice to terminate its i?1/2100m-a-year contract with TranSys, the consortium responsible for maintaining and developing the Oyster card system. The announcement follows a year of negotiations.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Computing staff TfL ends Oyster contract z Transport for London (TfL) has given notice to terminate its [pounds sterling]100m-a-year contract with TranSys, the consortium responsible for maintaining and developing the...

Web 2.0 needs time to grow.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies, Ambrose McNevin Web 2.0 needs time to grow Emerging technologies will take two years to demonstrate their worth, say analysts Janie Davies and Ambrose McNevin z Adoption of the latest...

Mixed reactions to open source plan for schools.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Mixed reactions to open source plan for schools Janie Davies z Education procurement agency Becta has invited 21 suppliers to tender for [pounds sterling]80m of proprietary and open source software supply for...

Co-op group banks on new IT.(Cooperative Financial Services )
August 14, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Co-op group banks on new IT CFS to spend more than [pounds sterling]150m on revamping IT infrastructure Angelica Mari z Co-operative Financial Services (CFS) is set to start a complete revamp of its...

Clouds on horizon for software firms.
August 14, 2008... Byline: Computing Clouds on horizon for software firms z There is little doubt that software will be the biggest driver of technological innovation and business change in the years ahead. But what will the future commercial model...

Share and share alike.
August 21, 2008... Byline: David Banes Share and share alike The over-zealous application of laws governing file sharing will hurt those with disabilities who would benefit greatly from a helping hand from people with the best...

Waste not, want not.
August 21, 2008... Waste not, want not In the final part of our definitive guide to green computing, Michael Peeters and Helen Keele look at the impact of green legislation on IT z Businesses are now opting to use Web 2.0 applications, such as business...

A holistic approach to green IT is essential.
August 21, 2008... A holistic approach to green IT is essential David Tebbutt explains how businesses must look at the whole picture when implementing green strategies A- and the best way to motivate company bosses who are more interested in cost...

Careless talk costs business.
August 21, 2008... Careless talk costs business In the final part of our definitive guide to collaboration, John Skelton looks at the legal implications of collaborative technologies z Businesses are now opting to use Web 2.0 applications such as...

Collaborative technology is all about people.
August 21, 2008... Collaborative technology is all about people David Tebbutt takes a look at the growing number of collaboration technologies, from wikis to IP-based telephony, and considers the common fears of companies that are attracted to the...

Apprentices can fill the skills gap.
August 21, 2008... Byline: David Way Apprentices can fill the skills gap Training young people has benefits for employers as well as instilling staff loyalty and motivation, says David Way z As pupils across the country receive their GCSE exam...

Solving the problem of a broadband crunch.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Kenny Kamal Solving the problem of a broadband crunch BCS view: Wireless services are the way forward to cope with increasing demand for bandwidth says Kenny Kemal z In parallel with the credit crunch, a different dilemma...

Iti?1/2s the end of the world as we know it.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Mark Samuels It's the end of the world as we know it Mark Samuels bids farewell to Computing and looks back at eight years of columns on everything from e-commerce to charity shops z And now, the end is near; and so I...

Building a workforce fit for the future.
August 21, 2008... Building a workforce fit for the future Our monthly guide to leadership strategies for tackling today's CIO challenge looks at skills IT has become the engine room of today's enterprise, powering virtually every aspect of...

Logica results reveal the offshoring effect.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney Logica results reveal the offshoring effect Analysts predict that European IT services firms will soon be eclipsed by cheaper Indian rivals Martin Courtney z Systems integrator Logica attributed a 16...

IT staff survive credit crunch.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies IT staff survive credit crunch Firms recognise need for IT A- but staff must keep skills up to date Janie Davies z As recruitment stalls across all sectors, top-quality IT professionals are coming under...

p12 nibs.(Brief article)
August 21, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies NetApp z Storage specialist NetApp saw revenue for the first quarter of fiscal year 2009 rise 26 per cent to $869m ([pounds sterling]464m) compared with $689m ([pounds sterling]368m) a year ago. Net income...

Mixed reaction to decision by TfL to end Oyster contract.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Mixed reaction to decision by TfL to end Oyster contract Transport for London cuts its ties with the TranSys consortium and begins plans for its replacement Angelica Mari z The fallout from Transport for...

TfLi?1/2s contract with TranSys.(Transport for London)(Brief article)
August 21, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari TfL's contract with TranSys z The Oyster card system was deployed in 2003, under an agreement between Transport for London and TranSys, a vendor consortium in which EDS and Cubic are the main shareholders and...

HP funds UK university IT research.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney HP funds UK university IT research Bath, Bristol, Leeds and Edinburgh universities are all given funds for IT research projects Martin Courtney z HP has announced it will pour funds into IT research...

Overseas prospects for IT professionals.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Overseas prospects for IT professionals Across Europe, about 13 per cent of candidates took up roles outside of their home country in 2007/2008, according to a study of the job moves of 13,269 executives by...

Data retention plans draw further criticism.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Ambrose McNevin Data retention plans draw further criticism ambrose mcnevin z Last week's consultation paper on communications data retention from the Home Office drew criticism over the number of government and public...

Volvo extends IT testing contract.
August 21, 2008... Volvo extends IT testing contract z Volvo Car Corporation has extended its agreement with Logica to test its IT applications and systems. The announcement follows the supplier's testing work at the manufacturer's centre in Sweden...

Copyright win for open source.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Phil Munchester, Janie Davies Copyright win for open source Initial UK reactions to ruling that gives open source copyright protection are positive Phil Muncaster and Janie Davies z The open-source community...

Northern Ireland urges more councils to join in.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Mark Ballard Northern Ireland urges more councils to join in z Councils across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to join an open-source software movement. The Northern Ireland Department of the Environment has advised...

Evolving skills is key to your future.(Brief article)
August 21, 2008... Byline: Computing Evolving skills is key to your future z You can be a contrary bunch at times, you hardy IT professionals. According to the latest research (see page 1), your confidence in the current business environment is at an...

Tech giants pitch web-based human rights.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Mark Ballard Tech giants pitch web-based human rights z Google, Yahoo and Microsoft have approached the US Congress with solutions for bringing human rights laws to the web. The companies have described how human rights can be...

Weak economy forces firms to refocus IT budgets.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari, Ambrose McNevin Weak economy forces firms to refocus IT budgets Angelica Mari and ambrose mcnevin z IT budgets are being refocused as businesses are forced to face new economic realities and pressure...

Virgin Wi-Fi is hit by delays.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Virgin Wi-Fi is hit by delays Onboard web service due to arrive in 2007 is behind schedule Angelica Mari z The rollout of Virgin Trains' onboard Wi-Fi internet access is suffering operational issues...

Help people protect themselves.
August 28, 2008... Byline: Richard Steel Help people protect themselves Educating individuals on protecting their data will help implementation of new systems, says Richard Steel z When it comes to sharing information across government agencies,...

Powerful systems will integrate into daily life.
August 28, 2008... Byline: Ian Williams Powerful systems will integrate into daily life Iain Thomson z Future technology will be embedded into the very fabric of society and we will not even notice it, according to Intel senior vice president Pat...

Intel chief calls for IT education to improve.
August 28, 2008... Byline: Ian Williams Intel chief calls for IT education to improve We report on all the news and key announcements from the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco ian williams z Technology is a tool not a panacea, was the...

High-capacity hardware due next month.
August 28, 2008... Byline: Iain Thompson High-capacity hardware due next month Iain Thomson z Intel has promised to deliver its first solid-state drives (SSDs) in the next month. The X18-M and X-25M drives will initially ship in 1.8in and 2.5in...

Experian hires first CIO.
August 28, 2008... Byline: Iain Thompson Experian hires first CIO z Data services group Experian has created the new role of global chief information officer (CIO) in a bid to create a common IT strategy and deployment policy. Mel Mason,...

General management skills are now as important as technical ability.
August 28, 2008... General management skills are now as important as technical ability When recruitment company Harvey Nash gathered an influential group of CIOs together earlier this year to discuss leadership, success, development and challenges,...

CIO morale plummets as crunch hits.(chief information officer)
August 28, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies CIO morale plummets as crunch hits Fewer opportunities and less responsibility depress IT managers Janie Davies z Chief information officers (CIOs) and IT directors feel they are being denied job...

HP rides the storm with services rise.(Hewlett-Packard Co.)(Brief article)
August 28, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney HP rides the storm with services rise Low margins on notebook PCs fail to dampen IT giant's financial spirits thanks to growing profit Martin Courtney z HP's latest financial results show continued...

P8 nibs.
August 28, 2008... Salesforce.com z Software-as-a-service specialist Salesforce.com reported record second- quarter revenue of $263m ([pounds sterling]141m), up 49 per cent on the same period a year ago. Revenue from subscription fees and support...

Lack of IT students puts future at risk.
August 28, 2008... Byline: Computing Lack of IT students puts future at risk z Some things, unfortunately, never seem to change. Yet again, the number of UK schoolchildren studying IT or for computing exams fell this year, even though we have...

Tories renew NHS IT z The Conservative Party has commissioned a review of NHS IT policy, to produce a vision for the future based on evidence from a variety of contributors. The review will be conducted by the British Computer Society and will establish.
August 28, 2008... Tories renew NHS IT z The Conservative Party has commissioned a review of NHS IT policy, to produce a vision for the future based on evidence from a variety of contributors. The review will be conducted by the British Computer...

Knowledge gap in green IT is hampering further adoption.
August 28, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari, Martin Courtney Knowledge gap in green IT is hampering further adoption IT managers need to realise green IT has reputation as well as environmental benefits Martin Courtney and Angelica Mari z...

Illegal African dumping highlights lack of policy.
August 28, 2008... Byline: Rosalie Marshall Illegal African dumping highlights lack of policy Rosalie Marshall z The government has been accused of failing in its duty to enforce its own e-waste regulations in the wake of fresh reports that large...

BSF schools to spend i?1/21.29bn on IT by 2012.
August 28, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies BSF schools to spend [pounds sterling]1.29bn on IT by 2012 Janie Davies z IT spending in schools is forecast to hit [pounds sterling]1.29bn per year by 2012 as the government's [pounds sterling]45bn schools...

Siemens completes SAP rollout.
August 28, 2008... Byline: Ambrose McNevin Siemens completes SAP rollout Single system serves company across the world to cut IT costs ambrose mcnevin z Engineering conglomerate Siemens has completed an eight-year global IT harmonisation project...