Computing articles from February 2007

Computing archives from February 2007

The ideal package.(Bola Rotibi, principal analyst at Ovum Inc)(Corne Human, European solution marketing manager at Borland International Inc.)(Interview)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Bryan Glick The ideal package Bryan Glick reports on a Computing web seminar examining best practice in delivering software to meet business needs One of the most common complaints about IT projects is that too often...

Metrics.(E-banking customers need kick-start)(PC shipments increase in fourth-quarter)(Financial services lead outsourcing pack)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Tom Young metrics E-banking customers need kick-start 1More than four out of 10 online banking customers surveyed by RSA Security would be willing to start using a new authentication method such as a card reader or keyring...

IBM sales grow to $26bn.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos IBM sales grow to $26bn Fourth-quarter figures reveal growth in all regions, reports Dave Friedlos z Strong software sales enabled IBM to end its financial year on a high with fourth-quarter results...

financial world.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos financial world IBM z IBM's software sales have hit a five-year high as the division posted increased fourth-quarter sales up seven per cent to $26.3bn ([pounds sterling]13.2bn). For the year, software sales...

Tesco dot community.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Jim Mortleman Tesco dot community z Nick Lansley, IT manager at online shopping giant Tesco.com, thinks the DesignIT competition is an ideal way to highlight how businesses can help to solve problems within local communities....

Can you help deliver the goods?
February 1, 2007... Byline: Jim Mortleman Can you help deliver the goods? James Mortleman looks at the first charity that is using business innovation to overcome technical limitations M icrosoft's DesignIT competition aims to highlight the...

Smooth operators.(virtual network)
February 1, 2007... Byline: John Malachy Smooth operators Is a virtual network operator right for your business, and which model should you choose? John Malachy reports The virtual network operator (VNO) promises to cut the cost of companies'...

CASE STUDY.(Somerfield PLC outsourcing contract with VNO Vanco)
February 1, 2007... Byline: John Malachy CASE STUDY Somerfield z Supermarket Somerfield signed a multi-year [pounds sterling]18.6m outsourcing contract for managed telecommunications services with VNO Vanco in December last year. The wide area...

What the experts say.(Quotation)
February 1, 2007... Byline: John Malachy What the experts say We wanted a supplier that would work with our objectives, and Vanco had an active negotiation process model whereby we get a gainshare of any savings they identified for us. We liked that model...

Computer science departments must plot a new course.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Neil McBride Computer science departments must plot a new course Universities must rethink how they teach computing to meet changing industry demands, says Neil McBride z There is a crisis in university computer science...

Hospitals track assets via RFID.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Hospitals track assets via RFID But technical difficulties are hampering successful adoption on wards. Dave Friedlos reports z The healthcare industry is expected to tap into the benefits of radio...

Technical ailments.(health care industry rfid equipment)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Technical ailments Use of RFID to track life-saving equipment in hospitals is increasing, but technical difficulties continue to impede its widespread use. 1 The cost of establishing an RFID system,...

PayPal acts to stamp out phishing attacks.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Tom Young PayPal acts to stamp out phishing attacks Online payment site will fight fraud with two-factor system, says Tom Young z PayPal's decision to introduce an optional two-factor authentication system highlights the...

UK must act now to kick-start innovation.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Emma Nash UK must act now to kick-start innovation India has seen a boom in IT sector revenues and it is only a matter of time before its reach goes beyond low-cost services, says Emma Nash z Most of the UK population has...

feedback.(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... feedback Police must hunt down e-criminals OEighteen months ago a small business I know found someone had entered its accounts computer and deleted the data and software. It was reported to Thames Valley Police under both the...

Talking point.(public sector information technology projects)(project management failures due to poor monitoring)(Microsoft launched Microsoft Office 2007 software)
February 1, 2007... talking point On public sector projects Commitment crucial for public sector IT, 18 January z It is encouraging to see ministers taking public sector IT seriously. But public sector efficiency requires more than basic...

Hospital on track to extend trial of RFID.(Royal Alexandra Hospital )
February 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Hospital on track to extend trial of RFID System helps to locate life-saving equipment Dave Friedlos z Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley is to extend a pilot of radio frequency identification (RFID)...

Oil group builds local data centres.(Penspen contracts with Fordway Solutions)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Oil group builds local data centres Tom Young z Oil and gas pipeline engineering group Penspen has completed the first stage of an IT infrastructure overhaul to improve access to data and increase levels of...

RFID wards ... in 30 seconds.(Royal Alexandra Hospital using radio frequency identification systems)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos RFID wards ... in 30 seconds z Royal Alexandra Hospital launched a pilot project last year, installing RFID readers at the entrances of three wards to track medical equipment. The radio frequency field of...

Whitehall creates review group.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott Whitehall creates review group sarah arnott z Plans for a Treasury-led project review group will give more muscle to the Gateway process that evaluates government IT programmes at key stages of their...

Council signs [pounds sterling]10m HR deal.(City of Edinburgh Council contracts with British Telecommunications PLC)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Council signs [pounds sterling]10m HR deal Lisa Kelly z City of Edinburgh Council has signed a [pounds sterling]10m deal with BT to modernise its human resources (HR) and payroll department with the introduction...

Voice over IP cuts phone bills.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Voice over IP cuts phone bills Lisa Kelly z Business services company Lorien Group has introduced voice over IP technology and halved its annual phone bill. Telephony costs have been reduced from [pounds...

Bank speeds up market data.(Credit Suisse Group using Relegence's MiniMap software)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Bank speeds up market data Credit Suisse introduces bespoke search engine to reduce the time taken to find market information Lara Williams z Analysts at investment bank Credit Suisse are using a bespoke...

E-crime problem needs solving.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott E-crime problem needs solving z Last week Computing highlighted dangerous gaps in the UK's response to e-crime. The National High-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) was disbanded last April on the basis that its...

Charity hits back at malware.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Charity hits back at malware The National Trust opts for a managed security solution as threats rise Tom Young z The National Trust has installed a managed security service to improve its defences against...

Boeing halts plans for wireless entertainment.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Boeing halts plans for wireless entertainment Dave Friedlos z Aircraft maker Boeing has abandoned plans to use wireless networks for in-flight entertainment on its 787 Dreamliner planes due to technical...

Insurance firm raises voice standards.(Standard Life Assurance Co. contracts with VeCommerce)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Insurance firm raises voice standards Lara Williams z Insurance giant Standard Life has cut the number of misrouted calls it receives by 66 per cent using a natural language voice recognition system across...

online.(House of Fraser using wireless communications systems)(online fraud affecting information technology firms)(usage of information technology)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... online Computing.co.uk's most popular stories this week House of Fraser turns to wireless systems z High-street chain House of Fraser is installing a standardised wireless communication system across 10 shops. ...

bulletin.(expenditures on business printing)(women as information technology professionas)(biometrics regulations for immigrants)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... bulletin UK wastes [pounds sterling]1bn on business printing z More than [pounds sterling]1bn a year is wasted across UK government and industry through inefficient business printing, according to research from OKI Printing Solutions....

Fire IT project sparks delay.(UK Department for Communities and Local Government contracts with O2 Airwave for national radio network for the fire service)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott Fire IT project sparks delay But experts say Firelink radio system is not yet cause for concern Sarah Arnott z The [pounds sterling]350m national radio network for the fire service has missed its first...

Backbytes.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Tim Phillips backbytes A short history of language z Thanks, through gritted teeth, to all of you who emailed us to refine, by which we mean to disagree with, our definition of abbreviations and acronyms. To...

PayPal tackles UK phishing concerns.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Tom Young PayPal tackles UK phishing concerns Tom Young z Online payment broker PayPal is to offer a two-factor authentication system to UK customers before the end of the year. The firm is testing the keyring-sized...

TfL signs temporary outsourcing agreement.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos TfL signs temporary outsourcing agreement Dave Friedlos z Transport for London (TfL) has signed an interim desktop outsourcing deal to replace a multimillion-pound contract with LogicaCMG scrapped last...

Cash barrier to e-crime plan.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Cash barrier to e-crime plan Lack of funds could scupper Met Police's proposal Tom Young z Proposals for the Metropolitan Police to co-ordinate national e-crime strategy will fail without major new funds,...

IT delay leads to [pounds sterling]350m worth of uncollected fines.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott IT delay leads to [pounds sterling]350m worth of uncollected fines sarah arnott z Delays to the introduction of the magistrates' courts Libra case management system is leading to millions of pounds-worth of...

BT's ringing endorsement.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Jim Mortleman BT's ringing endorsement z GAP's calculator project is an ideal challenge for DesignIT entrants to tackle, says Adam Oliver, BT's head of research for age, disability and corporate social responsibility. 'We...

The carbon trail.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Jim Mortleman The carbon trail Green charity Global Action Plan hopes DesignIT entrants will be able to revamp its web site and improve the potential of its carbon calculator, writes James Mortleman Microsoft's DesignIT...

Changing pace.(Gerry Pennell of Co-operative Group (CWS) Ltd.)(Interview)
February 8, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Changing pace The Co-operative Group is renewing its financial services IT system. Lara Williams discusses the transformation programme with group chief information officer Gerry Pennell The pace of The...

CV: Gerry Pennell.(chief information officers of Co-operative Group )(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams CV: Gerry Pennell z Pennell read mathematics at university. z His early career was in software development around statistical modelling and real-time simulation projects for defence clients. z Pennell...

School's out.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas School's out Take-up of online learning is booming as businesses dispense with the more traditional methods, reports Kim Thomas For years, businesses have used old-fashioned methods of chalk and talk to train...

Case study.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas Case study Allen & Overy z Law has two characteristics that make it an ideal environment for the introduction of Web 2.0 technologies. It is constantly changing, which means that lawyers have to keep on top of...

What the experts say.(collaborative learning and information sharing)
February 8, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas What the experts say z You need to make sure not only that your knowledge workers are up-to-date and using these new types of collaborative software, but that you have the right community empowerment within your...

financial world.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos financial world Microsoft z Microsoft's second-quarter profits fell 28 per cent to $2.6bn ([pounds sterling]1.3bn) because of deferred revenue from the delay to Windows Vista. Total sales were up by six per...

Vista delay damages profits.(Financial report)
February 8, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Vista delay damages profits Microsoft second-quarter sales lower than expected. Dave Friedlos reports z The delayed launch of Windows Vista caused Microsoft's second-quarter profits to fall, but full-year...

metrics.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Tom Young metrics Banks urged to monitor online activity 1More than half of respondents to a survey by vendor RSA Security believe their bank should monitor their internet banking activity and contact them if something...

Advantage programme.
February 8, 2007... Advantage programme Technology days will keep your business ship-shape z Computing readers planning to invest, maintain and update their technology to ensure they stay ahead of the competition need to put two key dates in their diaries...

UK and India team up on nanotechnology.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly UK and India team up on nanotechnology Joint working group will elevate UK's role to global arena, writes Lisa Kelly z The UK has joined forces with India to establish a joint Nanotechnology Working Group to...

Feedback.(Letter to the editor)
February 8, 2007... feedback Simple solution to phishing problem OArticles in Computing about phishing all seem to concentrate on how to tighten up security at the organisational level (PayPal tackles UK phishing concerns, 1 February). But what about...

Talking point.(Varney report on public sector information management)(smart metering)(cyber crimes)
February 8, 2007... talking point On smart metering Fresh concerns surface for smart metering plan, 25 January z Only when customers can see the direct connection between their actions and their bills will they become more involved in managing...

A focus on telecare should be a priority.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott A focus on telecare should be a priority Changing demographics will need home-based health monitoring to keep the elderly out of institutional care, says Sarah Arnott z There is no avoiding it: we are all...

Education must improve to inspire our schoolchildren.(says Robin Saxby of ARM Holdings PLC)(Interview)
February 8, 2007... Byline: Bryan Glick Education must improve to inspire our schoolchildren Sir Robin Saxby, chairman emeritus of intellectual property firm Arm, speaks to Bryan Glick about the future of technology in the UK z Sir Robin Saxby is one...

Councils urged to back standard for smartcards.(London Connects)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Councils urged to back standard for smartcards Dave Friedlos z London authorities are being urged to adopt a common standard for the introduction of smartcards, to enable the adoption of a single...

Credit checking firm guarantees compliance.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Credit checking firm guarantees compliance Lara Williams z Credit search company Experian has implemented a software asset management tool to help achieve compliance standards for its 600,000 UK software...

Reuters hones search engine.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Reuters hones search engine Tom Young z Reuters news agency has installed technology to enable clients to search for financial data more quickly and efficiently. The system, from vendor Fast, allows...

Iceland signs [pounds sterling]18m BT deal.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Iceland signs [pounds sterling]18m BT deal David Friedlos z Frozen food firm Iceland has signed a seven-year, [pounds sterling]18m IT outsourcing deal with BT Global Services to reduce costs and move to a...

BAA lays network foundations.(using internet telephony)
February 8, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos BAA lays network foundations Legacy system to be updated ahead of switch to voice over IP Dave Friedlos z BAA is replacing the telecommunications backbone across its seven airports ahead of a planned...

E-learning speeds up training at Mothercare.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos E-learning speeds up training at Mothercare Dave Friedlos z Retailer Mothercare has used e-learning technology to train 75 per cent of its staff to use a new electronic gift card scheme in just two weeks. ...

ITN On makes early use of Windows upgrade.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly ITN On makes early use of Windows upgrade Users to view Vista-based news services in 3D Lisa Kelly z ITN On, the multimedia division of ITN, has launched new online services developed using Microsoft Vista....

Government stalls on EC plan.(research funding to European Institute of Technology)
February 8, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott Government stalls on EC plan Practical issues need addressing for European Institute of Technology Sarah Arnott z The UK government wants further clarification before supporting plans for a European...

Consolidation shows maturity.(information technology sector)
February 8, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott Consolidation shows maturity z Technology sector mergers and acquisitions (M&As) have reached an all-time high -- up 24 per cent in value terms in 2006 compared with the previous year, according to the latest...

bulletin.
February 8, 2007... bulletin The Co-op Group gets to know its customers z The Co-Operative Group is installing a marketing software suite in the latest phase of a membership scheme that has so far gone live to more than two million customers. ...

Vista poses environmental dangers.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Vista poses environmental dangers Tom Young z Microsoft Vista could have serious environmental implications, experts have warned. The latest version of Windows uses encryption methods that are incompatible...

IBM named as favourite for Lottery contract.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Tom Young IBM named as favourite for Lottery contract Tom Young z Camelot has named IBM as a preferred supplier to provide technology and software should it win a third licence to operate The National Lottery. IBM...

UK makes bid for innovation.(e-infrastructure)(Office of Science and Innovation)
February 8, 2007... Byline: Mark Samuels UK makes bid for innovation E-infrastructure key to country retaining global competitiveness Mark Samuels z A national e-infrastructure for research will help maintain the UK's global...

UK's basic IT skills fall behind European rivals.(IDC report)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott UK's basic IT skills fall behind European rivals sarah arnott z UK workers' basic-level IT skills fall short of those of European rivals, according to research published last week. Less than 60 per cent of...

IT mergers reach new peak.
February 8, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams IT mergers reach new peak European deals exceed [pounds sterling]200bn as firms seek to boost competitiveness Lara Williams z Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) reached an all-time high in the technology...

Conservatives reject ID card scheme.(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... Byline: Computing Staff Conservatives reject ID card scheme Computing Staff z The Conservative Party will cancel the national biometric ID card scheme if it wins the next General Election, potentially pushing up the...

backbytes.(National Aeronautics and Space Administration using Google Earth)
February 8, 2007... Byline: Tim Phillips backbytes Blown away by hurricane news z After our piece about Nasa using Google Earth to map hurricanes last week, Anthony Cartmell points us to a deal where Nasa and Google have agreed to share...

Public service.(information systems)
February 15, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas Public service Kim Thomas looks at some of the challenges facing IT departments in the public sector Public sector IT hit the headlines again last year, when iSoft, the company tasked with supplying an...

Case study: Leeds City Council.
February 15, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas CASE STUDY Leeds City Council z If local authorities have a reputation for being cautious in their approach to IT, then Leeds City Council is certainly doing its best to go against the grain. Innovation...

Case study: HM Prison Service.(implemented shared services)
February 15, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas CASE STUDY HM Prison Service z HMPS Shared Services was launched in May last year, when a new centre, housing 200 staff, opened in Newport, Gwent. As with other shared services projects in the public...

Equal opportunities.
February 15, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas Equal opportunities The public sector is starting to offer the same sort of career prospects as the private sector, writes Kim Thomas Public sector organisations often use the same sorts of IT systems as their...

Safety in numbers.
February 15, 2007... Byline: Jim Mortleman Safety in numbers Child protection charity the NSPCC is hoping to establish an effective age-verification system, writes James Mortleman Microsoft's DesignIT competition aims to highlight the creative...

Charitable Ministry.
February 15, 2007... Byline: Jim Mortelman Charitable Ministry z James Bacchus, head of operations at nightclub giant Ministry of Sound, says IT professionals should jump at the chance to help a charity through DesignIT. 'People working at the cutting...

An inside job.
February 15, 2007... Byline: Jim Mortleman An inside job Outsourcing may be on the rise, but the need for in-house skills will remain strong, says James Mortleman Compliance and competition are driving huge IT changes in the financial sector. But new...

The future bank.
February 15, 2007... Byline: Jim Mortleman The future bank z New technology means big changes for many employees of financial services organisations. From the back office to the trading floor, the call centre to the branch, it seems none will be immune to...

Case study: HSBC.(cut down its air travel costs by implementing videoconferencing technology)
February 15, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Case study HSBC z Travel is a significant part of carbon expenditure for a large, international company such as HSBC -- but group chief information officer Ken Harvey says the bank has cut air travel by 25...

A win-win situation.
February 15, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams A win-win situation Businesses are beginning to realise that going green can also be an important marketing tool, reports Lara Williams Just about everyone is going green. And with financial services IT at...

Energy-saving IT.
February 15, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Energy-saving IT z A computer left on 24/7 will cost about [pounds sterling]37 a year, whereas switched off at night and weekends the charge can be reduced to about [pounds sterling]10 a year -- and save an...

Advantage programme.(KnowledgeStorm.co.uk and Computing introduced online technical library)(Brief article)
February 15, 2007... Advantage programme Boost your knowledge with free access to white papers z KnowledgeStorm.co.uk, in partnership with Computing, is offering Computing readers free registration and complete access to the UK's best B2B technology...

IT needs image overhaul to sustain UK competitiveness.(British Computer Society)(information technology)
February 15, 2007... Byline: Brian Runciman IT needs image overhaul to sustain UK competitiveness A new approach to education and innovation would breathe new life into the industry, writes Brian Runciman z Competitive advantage is increasingly enabled...

Metrics.(Forrester Research on information technology departments)(Research in Motion Ltd.'s market share of handhelds)(malware is detected using anti-virus software)
February 15, 2007... Byline: Tom Young metrics CIOs dissatisfied with IT performance 1 On a scale of one to five, just 21 per cent of chief information officers (CIOs) awarded their IT department the top mark of five -- described as having full...

EDS's hard work pays off.(Electronic Data Systems Corp. sales)(Brief article)
February 15, 2007... Byline: Emma Nash EDS's hard work pays off Rising profits mark start of new era for services firm. Emma Nash reports z Services giant EDS is attributing an increase of its profits to the fruits of a growth strategy it has been...

Financial world.(British Telecommunications PLC, Cisco Systems Inc., Electronic Data Systems Corp.)(Brief article)
February 15, 2007... Byline: Emma Nash financial world EDS z Services giant EDS has more than doubled its earnings with fourth-quarter figures growing from $111m ([pounds sterling]56.7m) last year to $254m ([pounds sterling]129.7m) this year. The firm...