Computing articles from July 2006

Computing archives from July 2006

metrics.(Meshed brief on computers)
July 6, 2006... metrics PC hardware failure rates drop 1PC vendors have reduced annual hardware failure rates by about 25 per cent in the past two years, according to Gartner. But the analyst says notebook PCs still suffer from more hardware problems...

Raise a glass to innovation partners.
July 6, 2006... Byline: Mark Samuels Raise a glass to innovation partners The US Nokia Research Centre is a trail-blazing example of an effective partnership between business and academia, writes Mark Samuels z It is almost impossible to...

IT security body sets mission for Europe.
July 6, 2006... Byline: Daniel Thomas IT security body sets mission for Europe Daniel Thomas reports on EU strategy to protect information and networks z Last month the European Commission's information commissioner Viviane Reding outlined her...

Testing times for RFID tags.(Radio Frequency Identification)
July 6, 2006... Byline: Dave Friedlos Testing times for RFID tags Radio frequency identification pilot projects have highlighted teething troubles, writes Dave Friedlos z Last week's news that supermarket giant Tesco has delayed rollout of radio...

Scientists to automate thought.
July 6, 2006... Byline: James Brown Scientists to automate thought Neurological research could help develop machines that can make informed decisions, says James Brown z A brain scanning experiment at University College London (UCL) could help to...

Ahead of the commercial game.(Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory)(Nokia Research Centre )
July 6, 2006... Byline: Mark Samuels Ahead of the commercial game The mobile phone market is constantly changing. Such developments are spurred by research that understands customer demand, writes Mark Samuels in Boston There is no...

Semantic web.
July 6, 2006... Byline: Mark Samuels Semantic web z The semantic web represents a new generation of technologies, where metadata is used to aid human searching of the web. Nokia has been developing semantic technologies for a decade, pre-dating...

Financial nibs.
July 6, 2006... Byline: Bryan Glick Xansa z Xansa reported full-year revenue down five per cent to [pounds sterling]357.3m. Profit before tax for the IT services provider was [pounds sterling]13.3m, up six per cent from last year. ...

Xansa suffers sales dip.(Company overview)(Brief article)
July 6, 2006... Xansa suffers sales dip Shifting more work offshore hits services supplier's revenue, says Bryan Glick z UK IT services provider Xansa has reported a slight drop in annual sales, caused by the firm's aim to become more competitive by...

Regulations drive security agenda.(Interview)
July 6, 2006... Byline: Emma Nash Regulations drive security agenda Symantec chief executive John Thompson discusses the evolution of the security sector with Emma Nash z This week marks the first anniversary of security vendor...

Train firm signals wireless expansion.
July 6, 2006... Byline: Dave Friedlos Train firm signals wireless expansion Virgin to mix technologies to provide uninterrupted access Dave Friedlos z Virgin Trains is testing high-speed wireless access on its West Coast service, using a...

Online collaboration to help Greenpeace plan campaigns.(Brief article)
July 6, 2006... Byline: James Brown Online collaboration to help Greenpeace plan campaigns James Brown z Environmental campaigner Greenpeace has launched an online collaboration system to help activists plan events and action around the world....

NHS supply body overhauls IT for email compliance.(National Health Service)(Brief article)
July 6, 2006... Byline: Tom Young NHS supply body overhauls IT for email compliance Tom Young z Health service supplies body NHS Logistics has overhauled its IT infrastructure to meet government regulations on the storage and management of...

Everton lines up new systems for defence.(Brief article)
July 6, 2006... Byline: Daniel Thomas Everton lines up new systems for defence Premier club upgrades for remote working and better security Daniel Thomas z Premiership football club Everton FC has upgraded servers and security systems to...

bulletin.
July 6, 2006... bulletin EMC to acquire RSA Security for $2.1bn z Data storage vendor EMC has confirmed it intends to acquire RSA Security for $2.1bn ([pounds sterling]1.1bn). The acquisition will see RSA operating as the EMC's information...

The waiting has to stop.
July 6, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott The waiting has to stop z The report published last week following the public inquiry into the racist killing of Zahid Mubarek in Feltham prison in 2000 was always going to make unpleasant reading. But as well as...

online.
July 6, 2006... online Computing.co.uk's most popular stories this week Computers at risk from the heatwave z Businesses are at risk of losing data if they fail to heed the government's heatwave warning and protect IT equipment. ...

Trade body urges more IT spend on healthcare.(Intellect )(Brief article)
July 6, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott Trade body urges more IT spend on healthcare Sarah Arnott z Health service IT investment must more than double to meet the demands of the UK's ageing population, says technology trade body Intellect. The...

Scientists achieve silicon breakthrough.(University College London)(Brief article)
July 6, 2006... Byline: James Brown Scientists achieve silicon breakthrough James Brown z Scientists at University College London (UCL) have discovered a technique that could change the way microprocessors are made and ultimately reduce the cost...

Barclays beats refresh target.(Barclays Bank Ltd.)
July 6, 2006... Byline: Lara Williams Barclays beats refresh target Bank completes main part of [pounds sterling]5m upgrade six months before schedule Lara Williams z Barclays has completed the main part of a [pounds sterling]5m upgrade to...

Child Support Agency IT overambitious, says report.(Brief article)
July 6, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott Child Support Agency IT overambitious, says report Sarah Arnott z Attempts to reform the Child Support Agency (CSA) in parallel with the introduction of a complex IT system were overambitious, the National...

Tax returns system needs improvement.
July 6, 2006... Byline: Parliamentary reporter Tax returns system needs improvement Parliamentary reporter z HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) must provide a reliable and easy-to-use system for filing Corporation Tax returns online before making...

Online loans planned.
July 6, 2006... Byline: Parliamentary reporter Online loans planned Government moves to make student loan applications available online from 2008 Parliamentary reporter z Student loan applications will be made entirely online from 2008, the...

Email gives way to new virus distribution tactics.
July 6, 2006... Byline: Tom Young Email gives way to new virus distribution tactics Improved security against malware attacks is challenged by more intelligent delivery methods Tom Young z The number of viruses transmitted by emails dropped...

Cambridge lab ruling deters job applicants.(Cambridge University)
July 6, 2006... Byline: James Brown Cambridge lab ruling deters job applicants Computer scientists drawn to private sector, argues senior IT professor James Brown z Controversial rules implemented at Cambridge University giving it ownership...

Inquiry repeats call for prison security database.
July 6, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott Inquiry repeats call for prison security database Sarah Arnott z The Prison Service needs a national database for security information, according to the public inquiry into the racist killing of Zahid Mubarek...

London swaps NHS supplier.(National Health Service)(Cerner)
July 6, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott London swaps NHS supplier GE Healthcare to be replaced by Cerner as regional subcontractor Sarah Arnott z NHS insiders are predicting further delays to the national IT programme following the axing of...

VDUs: our method is madness O In asking if it is possible that VDUs cause cataracts (Letters, 29 June), David Clark is wrong to liken this issue to the debate about mobile phones and brain tumours. The mobile phone debate is based on the technology and i.(Letter to the editor)
July 6, 2006... VDUs: our method is madness O In asking if it is possible that VDUs cause cataracts (Letters, 29 June), David Clark is wrong to liken this issue to the debate about mobile phones and brain tumours. The mobile phone debate is based on...

talking point.
July 6, 2006... talking point On threats from within Trial exposes internal threat, 22 June z According to the DTI information security breaches survey, carried out in April, only one per cent of businesses has a comprehensive approach to...

Your single port of call.(analysis of portal technology from industry experts)
July 6, 2006... Byline: Linda More Your single port of call Portal technology now offers companies and individuals personalised web site information, reports Linda More In the late 1990s, portal technology was viewed as a means to...

case study Osborne.
July 6, 2006... Byline: Linda More case study Osborne z When you are a [pounds sterling]235m turnover company specialising in building and maintaining railways, roads, homes, hospitals, schools and offices, sharing information and managing...

What the experts say.(opinion from industry experts on management of web portals )
July 6, 2006... Byline: Linda More What the experts say z A portal has the characteristics of customisation, search and navigation. Most, if not all, good internal portals also include discussion boards, forums and other collaborative areas for people...

metrics.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Bryan Glick metrics Software pricing irks IT bosses 1IT leaders are not happy with software pricing models and performance that falls short of vendor promises, says Forrester Research. The analyst says many firms are...

How technology has the ability to be a force for good.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Geoff Bussby How technology has the ability to be a force for good Geoff Busby highlights the work of three people who have used technology to make light of disabilities z The three people featured in this article each have...

Predatory era reigns in today's IT sector.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Emma Nash Predatory era reigns in today's IT sector The consolidation of technology companies may be good for the dominant few, but it could be a different story for users, says Emma Nash z RSA Security became one of the...

Copyright watchdog steps up the fight against film pirates.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Dave Friedlos Copyright watchdog steps up the fight against film pirates Fact is tackling increasing piracy with new technology and a cinema investigator. Dave Friedlos reports z Last week's appointment of a cinema...

Peer-to-peer turns corporate.
July 13, 2006... Byline: James Brown Peer-to-peer turns corporate Think tank predicts transfer technology will have a major impact, reports James Brown z Peer-to-peer transfer technology will be widely used by businesses within the next three...

financial world.(financial reports of computer industry)(Financial report)(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... Byline: Bryan Glick financial world Accenture z IT services organisation Accenture reported third-quarter revenue of $4.41bn ([pounds sterling]2.38bn), an increase of eight per cent compared with the same period in 2005....

Offshoring opens up skills gap.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott Offshoring opens up skills gap UK IT career path gap widens as first jobs are moved abroad. Sarah Arnott reports z Skills shortages are just one of the challenges facing the UK IT jobs market. Businesses...

Accenture cuts costs.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Bryan Glick Accenture cuts costs Services firm is tackling the losses on its NHS contracts. Bryan Glick reports z IT services giant Accenture says it is successfully reducing its costs on the NHS contracts that affected...

Electricity costs force firms into power play.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Lara Williams Electricity costs force firms into power play Companies seek to use lower power consumption, reports Lara Williams Electricity costs will increase by 10 per cent a year for the next four years, forcing...

Liverpool FC kicks off season with smart tickets.(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... Byline: Dave Friedlos Liverpool FC kicks off season with smart tickets Dave Friedlos z Liverpool Football Club is to issue season ticket holders with contactless smartcards this year following a successful trial at its Anfield...

DWP to spend [pounds sterling]59m updating payment system.(Central Payment System)(Department for Work and Pensions )(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... Byline: Lisa Kelly DWP to spend [pounds sterling]59m updating payment system Lisa Kelly z The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has awarded a [pounds sterling]59m contract to develop a payment and accounting system to Siemens...

Realism reaches ID card plan.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott Realism reaches ID card plan z Notwithstanding the leaked emails, jittery officials and changing dates, the national biometric identity cards scheme is probably in better shape than ever. It is true that the...

Single system speeds police access to data.(united kingdom South Wales Police)(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... Byline: Lisa Kelly Single system speeds police access to data South Wales force gains complete visibility of related case records Lisa Kelly z South Wales Police (SWP) has installed an information system that it believes will...

Car maker puts brake on spam.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Lara Williams Car maker puts brake on spam DaimlerChrysler looks to reduce IT overheads by 25 per cent Lara Williams z DaimlerChrysler UK expects a new email security system to cut IT operating costs by a quarter over...

research data.(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... research data Offshorers eye Brazil z Brazil is emerging as an offshore destination, according to analyst Forrester Research. Firms concerned about rising costs in India are evaluating alternatives. Brazil has strong financial systems,...

Tesco to extend electronic labelling.(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... Byline: Dave Friedlos Tesco to extend electronic labelling Wireless technology enables staff to check and update prices Dave Friedlos z Tesco is extending trials of electronic shelf-edge labelling with a view to installing it...

AA signs [pounds sterling]4m deal for voice services.(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... Byline: Dave Friedlos AA signs [pounds sterling]4m deal for voice services Dave Friedlos z The AA has signed a three-year contract worth up to [pounds sterling]4m for voice and data services for its roadside assistance fleet. ...

Review delays start of ID card procurement.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott Review delays start of ID card procurement Tendering process must wait until thorough study of Home Office is complete Sarah Arnott z Procurement for the multibillion-pound national biometric identity...

Bookshop stocks up on new system.(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... Byline: Dave Friedlos Bookshop stocks up on new system Dave Friedlos z Bookshop Ottakar's is to finally get vital stock control software more than six months after it was forced to shelve development plans as a result of its...

Schools plan stifles innovation.(Building Schools for the Future)
July 13, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott Schools plan stifles innovation Attempts to consolidate procurement may result in a lack of flexibility Sarah Arnott z The government's multibillionpound Building Schools for the Future (BSF) scheme is in...

bulletin.(Rolls-Royce drives ahead with VoIP)(European online retail to reach $100bn)(Microsoft appoints new UK chief )(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... bulletin Rolls-Royce drives ahead with VoIP z Rolls-Royce has signed a seven-year contract worth $20m ([pounds sterling]11m) to transform its phone network into a single network providing voice over IP (VoIP) services. The provider of...

online.(Microsoft to focus on business applications)(Barnsley agrees [pounds sterling]76m technology deal)(UK falls behind Europe on flexible working)(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... online Computing.co.uk's most popular stories this week Microsoft to focus on business applications z Microsoft has pledged to strengthen its business applications division in the UK under the leadership of new managing director,...

Mobiles set for key role in card authentication.(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... Byline: Lara Williams Mobiles set for key role in card authentication Lara Williams z Mobile phones could be used to authenticate financial transactions in the UK, says the head of financial crime at Lloyds TSB. South Africa's...

NHS puts supplier swap on hold.(National Health Services)(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott NHS puts supplier swap on hold Sarah Arnott z NHS IT director general Richard Granger has stepped in to delay the formal announcement of proposals to swap software suppliers for the London region. Sources...

Sport Relief gears up with grid.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Lisa Kelly Sport Relief gears up with grid Oracle 10g technology will allow charity to cope with spikes in donations during live broadcast Lisa Kelly z Sport Relief 2006 is using grid computing technology to ensure...

Kent Police in switch to Linux.(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... Byline: James Brown Kent Police in switch to Linux James Brown z Kent Police Authority has installed Linux technology to reduce IT costs and expand services. The Suse infrastructure is running a number of systems for Kent...

Whitehall opts for thin clients.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott Whitehall opts for thin clients CIO says move would cut licensing costs and offer greater security Sarah Arnott z The government plans to move to thin client computers to help tackle security issues,...

Ofcom considering trade of unused spectrum.(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... Byline: James Brown Ofcom considering trade of unused spectrum James Brown z Communications regulator Ofcom is proposing the deregulation of private radio licences to make spectrum more flexible. The deregulation would allow...

Ahead of the game.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Bryan Glick Ahead of the game New technologies are vital to opening up the Wimbledon tennis championships to supporters worldwide, says Bryan Glick Wimbledon is all about tradition. Tennis played on grass, competitors...

RFID keeping the touts at bay.
July 13, 2006... Byline: Mark Dye RFID keeping the touts at bay z For the first time in a World Cup, all 3.2 million tickets issued to fans were embedded with a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip. The technology was used to try to cut out...

Life among the grass roots.(The Football Foundation )
July 13, 2006... Byline: Mark Samuels Life among the grass roots Mark Samuels examines how IT is helping to promote football facilities development in the UK While Sven and the team were toiling away in Germany, Dean Burnell was working just as...

Ship to shore.
July 13, 2006... Byline: James Brown Ship to shore Strong communications links are essential for the yachts competing in the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race. James Brown reports on the technology challenges involved Company communications can be...

Disaster and salvation.
July 13, 2006... Byline: James Brown Disaster and salvation z Tragically, all the technology in the world cannot make ocean yacht racing completely safe, as Simon Fisher discovered when his ABN Amro Two crewmate Hans Horrevoets was swept overboard in...

The dangers of data protection OPeople continue to use the data protection law as a reason not to share information (Inquiry repeats call for prison security database, 6 July). Now they can also blame a lack of systems. Neither premise is true and both ar.(Letter to the editor)
July 13, 2006... The dangers of data protection OPeople continue to use the data protection law as a reason not to share information (Inquiry repeats call for prison security database, 6 July). Now they can also blame a lack of systems. Neither premise is...

talking point.(Letter to the editor)
July 13, 2006... talking point On intellectual property Cambridge lab ruling deters job applicants, 6 July While I share Professor Anderson's concerns about the ability of the universities to recruit staff in areas where competition with the...

At your service.(service-oriented architectures)
July 20, 2006... At your service With the growing importance of information, service-oriented architectures can enable companies to reuse data in different shapes and forms offering a range of business benefits, writes Cath Everett The key themes...

What the experts say.(service-oriented architecture )
July 20, 2006... Byline: Cath Everett What the experts say z When adopting a service-oriented architecture approach, you have to bear in mind your long-term goals. It's very easy not to build reusable services as you focus on trying to make things work...

metrics.(Investment in information technology services)(Offshoring forecasts)(web hosting )
July 20, 2006... Byline: Bryan Glick metrics US IT spend looks healthier 1US investment in IT grew nine per cent in the first quarter of this year -- ahead of global averages. Software spend increased by 11 per cent, although hardware budget...

Infrastructure overhaul gives clean bill of health to Boots IT.
July 20, 2006... Byline: Dave Friedlos Infrastructure overhaul gives clean bill of health to Boots IT IT director Rob Fraser spells out what Boots can expect from its new IT systems. Dave Friedlos reports z High-street retailer Boots has spent...

Taking technical control of a nation OIf the ID card pro ject is anything like the rollout of photo-ID driving licences, we will all have to continue carrying paper versions of the replaced or new documents anyway (Realism reaches ID card plan, 13 July).(Letter to the editor)
July 20, 2006... Taking technical control of a nation OIf the ID card project is anything like the rollout of photo-ID driving licences, we will all have to continue carrying paper versions of the replaced or new documents anyway (Realism reaches ID...

Customers prefer to do it for themselves.
July 20, 2006... Customers prefer to do it for themselves The popularity of self-service technology is growing, reports Dave Friedlos z Last month Tesco announced plans to install 20 self-service checkouts at its Bishopsgate branch in London, which...

SAP hit by share setback.
July 20, 2006... Byline: Dave Friedlos SAP hit by share setback Software licence revenue lower than expected, reports Dave Friedlos z SAP's share price tumbled six per cent last week following the release of preliminary second-quarter results...

Changes of direction.(Survey)(Brief article)
July 20, 2006... Byline: Mark Samuels Changes of direction Mark Samuels introduces this month's special report on the future of IT in software development Not everything is moving offshore. A recent survey by IT staffing firm ReThink Recruitment...

Malware writers gain professionalism.
July 20, 2006... Byline: Tom Young Malware writers gain professionalism Criminals are using the latest breed of viruses for targeted attacks. Tom Young reports z Targeted criminal malware is now the greatest IT security threat facing businesses,...

Look to users for the Next Big Thing.
July 20, 2006... Byline: Bryan Glick Look to users for the Next Big Thing These days it is more likely to be IT-aware consumers than specialists leading the way in technology innovations, writes Bryan Glick z Remember the Next Big...

Can smart meters add up?
July 20, 2006... Byline: James Brown Can smart meters add up? Whitehall review focuses on energy efficiency, but experts warn cost is an issue, reports James Brown z Technical and logistical problems must be addressed before smart metering...

Slow on the uptake.
July 20, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott Slow on the uptake z The talk from the Treasury is all about improved efficiency and financial constraints. The government wants more for less, and the prevailing view is that technology is the way to do it. ...

BAE fends off sluggish systems with upgrade.(upgradation of enterprise resource planning software)(BAE Systems plc)(Brief article)
July 20, 2006... Byline: Lisa Kelly BAE fends off sluggish systems with upgrade Defence firm updates ERP system to boost functionality of data Lisa Kelly z BAE Systems has upgraded its enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to improve...

Rentokil improves financial reporting practices.(Brief article)
July 20, 2006... Byline: Tom Young Rentokil improves financial reporting practices Tom Young z Business services firm Rentokil Initial is introducing business intelligence (BI) software to improve its financial reporting and allow data sharing...

Self-service checks in at Newcastle airport.(Newcastle International Airport )
July 20, 2006... Byline: Dave Friedlos Self-service checks in at Newcastle airport But co-operation from major airlines is needed for more development Dave Friedlos z Newcastle International Airport has installed 10 self-service kiosks in the...

Online music store boosts user confidence.
July 20, 2006... Byline: Tom Young Online music store boosts user confidence Tom Young z Music Sales, the world's largest online retailer of sheet music, is overhauling its security infrastructure to build online trust and meet European...

IT mergers reach all-time high.
July 20, 2006... Byline: Dave Friedlos IT mergers reach all-time high M&As in technology sector surpass height of dot com boom Dave Friedlos z More European technology mergers and acquisitions (M&As) took place in the second quarter...