Computing articles from March 2006

Computing archives from March 2006

Whitehall skills under fire.(public sector and information technology)
March 2, 2006... Byline: SARAH ARNOTT Whitehall skills under fire Expert predicts long wait for successful government IT projects SARAH ARNOTT z It will take another 30 years before Whitehall can successfully deliver major IT projects...

Bankers back security professionals' accreditation.(Institute for Information Security Professionals )(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... Byline: DANIEL THOMAS Bankers back security professionals' accreditation DANIEL THOMAS z The financial services industry is backing the creation of the Institute for Information Security Professionals (IISP), which aims to put...

EU plans research institute.(European Union)
March 2, 2006... Byline: SARAH ARNOTT EU plans research institute R&D investment crucial to European growth, says Commission SARAH ARNOTT z European Union governments are to consider proposals to boost the region's research and development...

Bank beefs up user authentication.(online banking)(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... Byline: DANIEL THOMAS Bank beefs up user authentication DANIEL THOMAS z Alliance & Leicester plans to cut financial fraud and identity theft by becoming the first UK bank to provide all of its one million internet banking...

Welcome to your new-look Computing.
March 2, 2006... Welcome to your new-look Computing z Today Computing turns a new page in its 33-year history, with a change of format in print and online. The changes are designed to make Computing better to read, simpler to navigate, and --...

Toyota steps up drive to shut out intruders.(Toyota Motor Corp. to prevent hacking)
March 2, 2006... Byline: DANIEL THOMAS Toyota steps up drive to shut out intruders Car manufacturer uses intrusion prevention to protect network DANIEL THOMAS z Toyota Motor Europe is expanding an IT security project to block...

DWP joins Government Connect.(Department for Work and Pensions)
March 2, 2006... Byline: SARAH ARNOTT DWP joins Government Connect SARAH ARNOTT z The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will be the first major Whitehall department to sign up to pilots of a secure national infrastructure to link central and...

Council installs traffic system.(Caerphilly County Borough Council )
March 2, 2006... Byline: JAMES BROWN Council installs traffic system Caerphilly moves on early compliance with roadworks legislation JAMES BROWN z Caerphilly County Borough Council has installed a computer system to comply with the...

Prison Service primed to share admin functions.(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... Byline: SARAH ARNOTT Prison Service primed to share admin functions SARAH ARNOTT z The Prison Service will be the first national government agency to establish organisation-wide shared administrative functions when the Phoenix...

Water utility to centralise data sources.(RWE Thames Water PLC contracts with Oracle Corp.)
March 2, 2006... Byline: DANIEL THOMAS Water utility to centralise data sources Thames Water eases maintenance and regulatory compliance by uniting disparate asset databases DANIEL THOMAS z Thames Water has signed an agreement with Oracle to...

bulletin.(Computer virus attacks reduced)(broadband connections increased)(mobile phone sales increased)(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... bulletin Viruses take their toll z Despite computer virus infection rates dropping by 33 per cent over the past two years, security issues are still causing businesses downtime and financial loss, according to the Information...

Ticketmaster boosts flexibility with IT overhaul.(Ticketmaster Group Inc. contracts with International Business Machines Corp.)(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... Byline: JAMES BROWN Ticketmaster boosts flexibility with IT overhaul Ticket sales firm adds adaptability and internet continuity with view to business expansion JAMES BROWN z Ticketmaster has overhauled its internet...

Vista varieties announced for businesses.(Microsoft Corp.'s new versions of Microsoft Windows Vista)(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... Byline: CHRIS GREEN Vista varieties announced for businesses CHRIS GREEN z Business users are to be offered dedicated versions of Windows Vista, Microsoft's next PC operating system. The company announced this week that when...

bulletin.
March 2, 2006... bulletin Euromaster outsources voice and data work z Tyre and car maintenance firm Euromaster has awarded virtual network operator Vanco a [pounds sterling]19.6m, three-year managed services contract. Vanco will design and manage...

Readers pledge 15,000 PCs to Computer Aid.(Computer Aid International)(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... Byline: MARK SAMUELS Readers pledge 15,000 PCs to Computer Aid MARK SAMUELS z IT directors have pledged more than 15,000 used desktops since last April to our Computer Aid appeal. Working with specialist charity...

Holiday firm cuts costs with outsourcer switch.
March 2, 2006... Byline: JAMES BROWN Holiday firm cuts costs with outsourcer switch TUI UK sees savings after moving helpdesk contract from IBM to Wipro JAMES BROWN z Travel group TUI UK has reduced annual support costs by 20 per cent after...

Supply chain upgrade helps Argos improve stock control.
March 2, 2006... Byline: MIYA KNIGHTS Supply chain upgrade helps Argos improve stock control Retailer targets savings from stores being replenished on a daily rather than weekly basis MIYA KNIGHTS z Argos is poised to go live with new IT...

John Lewis installs system to streamline its HR.(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... Byline: MIYA KNIGHTS John Lewis installs system to streamline its human resources Miya Knights z John Lewis Partnership (JLP) will go live this month with a new human resources (HR) and payroll system to better manage its...

Racing body cuts internet misuse.
March 2, 2006... Byline: james brown Racing body cuts internet misuse Security system helps GRA protect network bandwidth james brown z The Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) is using a new security system to tackle high levels of...

Data sharing gains flexibility.(Vehicle and Operator Services Agency)(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Miya Knights Data sharing gains flexibility Miya Knights z The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (Vosa) has introduced content management software to improve data sharing internally and with other public bodies. ...

London Heathrow's Terminal 5.(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... London Heathrow's Terminal 5 When London Heathrow's [pounds sterling]4.2bn Terminal 5 (T5) opens in September 2007, it will be one of the most technologically advanced airports in the world, according to owner BAA. Some [pounds...

Single payment woes remain.(Single Euro Payments Area )
March 2, 2006... Byline: Daniel Thomas Single payment woes remain A standard Euro payment system is good in theory but has huge cost implications, writes Daniel Thomas z The European Union's (EU's) plans to establish a Single Euro Payments Area...

CSA faces a lengthy process to resolve problems.(Child Support Agency)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott CSA faces a lengthy process to resolve policy problems Sarah Arnott looks at the lessons to be learned from the Child Support Agency's troubles z Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton faces the challenging...

Metrics.(customer relationship managment vya websites)(growth in servers sales)(project management skills for information technology workers)
March 2, 2006... Unsatisfactory web sites 1Most organisations do a poor job of providing a useful and usable web site to their customers, according to Forrester Research. Business users are demanding web content management systems that do far more than...

financial world.
March 2, 2006... Capgemini z IT services provider Capgemini increased its full-year revenue by 11.5 per cent to A[currency]6.9bn ([pounds sterling]4.7bn). Net income of A[currency]141m ([pounds sterling]96m) was up from a loss of A[currency]534m ([pounds...

Councils ease art of communication.(Sue Devlin)(Interview)
March 2, 2006... Byline: James Brown Councils ease art of communication Government Connect chief Sue Devlin tells James Brown about new local authority services Sue Devlin is the programme director for Government Connect (GC), the secure...

Leading retailers set to step up RFID trials.
March 2, 2006... Byline: Miya Knights Leading retailers set to step up RFID tests RFID use is increasingly widespread, but barriers remain, says Miya Knights z Marks & Spencer extended trials of radio frequency identification (RFID) last week, and...

Heads roll as efficiency kicks in.
March 2, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott Heads roll as efficiency kicks in Cutting staff is part of the target to save some [pounds sterling]21.5bn, but improved processes must be given time to settle in, says Sarah Arnott z There is no question...

IT leaders must set example.(information technology modernization)
March 2, 2006... IT leaders must set example z There seems little disagreement that Whitehall's IT skills need to be improved to meet the growing demands of public sector technology programmes. In that, the government is not alone. Many companies will...

Lift-off for better navigation.(atellite navigation)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Gary Flood Lift-off for better navigation Gary Flood kicks off this month's networking special with a look at how the European space programme can lead to improved satellite navigation for users and businesses on...

3G gets mobile.(Third generation wireless technology)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Jason Deign 3G gets mobile The mobile industry's annual 3GSM event this year focused more on corporate than commercial offerings, says Jason Deign in Barcelona. But what real benefits can mobile 3G bring to business? ...

HSDPA: the need for speed.(high-speed downlink packet access)(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... z High-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) promises to boost mobile data access rates by three or four times the speeds offered by the universal mobile telecommunications service (UMTS) standard. The so-called 3.5G mobile telephony...

Wireless watershed.(wireless technology)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Cath Everett Wireless watershed Uptake of wireless is growing across a number of industry sectors as the technology matures. Cath Everett reports on the motivations for adoption and the benefits that wireless can...

The hotel trade.(prices of wireless internet access went down)(hotel trade with new technology)(use of wireless technology in companies)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... z The hotel trade is incredibly competitive both in terms of bottom line profits and gross operating profit for available rooms. Customers have an amazing choice, so you have to be on top of things and at the forefront of...

A test of fitness.(Fitness First and information technology)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Joe Devo A test of fitness The ever-increasing popularity of health clubs has brought challenges for UK club Fitness First to keep up with demand. Joe Devo reports on the company's IT expansion Concerns over a...

VPNs close in.(virtual private networks)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Linda More VPNs close in Corporate use of virtual private networks to connect remote staff has seen a new spate of growth recently. Linda More looks at the cost and security benefits it can offer companies Heralded...

Small expectations.(small and medium sized companies and information technology)
March 2, 2006... Small expectations In the second part of Computing's small business focus, we examine the IT and business priorities of the sector Many of the business issues affecting UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be familiar to...

Backbytes.(computers and energy use)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Tim Phillips Sshh! Enjoy the sound of silence z 'While configuring a voice over IP phone I came across the setting "Silence Suppression",' says Peter Howell, at the Energy Auditing Agency. 'How do you suppress silence?'...

Insurer saves money with consolidated HR.(Norwich Union PLC)(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... Byline: DANIEL THOMAS Insurer saves money with consolidated HR Norwich Union integrates six systems and adds staff portal DANIEL THOMAS z Insurance firm Norwich Union has saved millions of pounds by consolidating its...

Research data.(use of radio frequency identification equipment)(statistics of Linux)(management of data centers by the companies)(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... research data Power shortage report z Following the report in Computing on power problems facing data centres, Bloor Research warns that firms are failing to take the matter seriously. It says blade servers are being put into data...

Mergers put focus on police IT.(plans to restructure the police forces)
March 9, 2006... Byline: SARAH ARNOTT Mergers put focus on police IT But plans to restructure forces must not delay any national schemes SARAH ARNOTT z Government plans to merge local police forces into fewer regional bodies could help towards...

Fifa tests its defences as World Cup trial kicks off.
March 9, 2006... Byline: DANIEL THOMAS Fifa tests its defences as World Cup trial kicks off Preparations begin for network rollout in Germany DANIEL THOMAS z World Cup organiser Fifa will this month begin testing newly built computer networks...

Elearning body targets extra income via private sector link.(Public Accounts Committee)(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... Byline: MARK SAMUELS Elearning body targets extra income via private sector link Providing transferable skills key to target of [pounds sterling]44m a year by 2011 MARK SAMUELS z The government's flagship online learning...

NHS shared services take-up rises.(National Health Service)(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... Byline: SARAH ARNOTT NHS shared services take-up rises Health organisations save an average of 34 per cent of costs SARAH ARNOTT z The NHS Shared Business Services (SBS) venture has attracted 55 new customers in its first...

MoD to extend use of RFID in conflict zones.
March 9, 2006... Byline: SARAH ARNOTT MoD to extend use of RFID in conflict zones Sarah Arnott z The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is planning to extend the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in the supply chain to conflict...

Biometrics passports go into production.(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... Byline: sarah arnott Biometrics passports go into production But planned link to national identity card scheme causes problems in the House of Lords sarah arnott z The first biometric passports were issued in the UK this...

First UK shop gets fingerprint payment.(Midcounties Co-operative, Solidus Networks Inc., contract)(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... Byline: sarah arnott First UK shop gets fingerprint payment sarah arnott z The UK's first fingerprint-based shop-payment system went on trial in Oxford this week. The Midcounties Co-operative is running a 16-week trial of the...

BAT simplifies IT for savings.(British-American Tobacco Company Ltd.)
March 9, 2006... Byline: miya knights BAT simplifies IT for savings Standardisation of global infrastructure saves [pounds sterling]256m a year miya knights z British American Tobacco (BAT) is saving [pounds sterling]256m a year as a result...

Lottery operator completes ERP consolidation.(enterprise resource planning, Camelot Group PLC)(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... Byline: miya knights Lottery operator completes ERP consolidation miya knights z National Lottery operator Camelot has completed a project to consolidate its IT systems, using new enterprise resource planning (ERP) technology. ...

Chip-and-PIN saves UK [pounds sterling]60m.
March 9, 2006... Byline: DANIEL THOMAS Chip-and-PIN saves UK [pounds sterling]60m But fraudsters are now turning their attention to online shoppers DANIEL THOMAS z The introduction of chip-and-PIN payment card technology by banks and retailers...

Extra IT supports Halifax growth.(HBOS PLC plans)(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... Byline: DANIEL THOMAS Extra IT supports Halifax growth DANIEL THOMAS z Financial services firm HBOS will make further investments in new technology as part of plans to open 100 new Halifax branches over the next five years. ...

Speed boost for UK broadband.(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... Byline: James Brown Speed boost for UK broadband James Brown z UK broadband internet speeds are set to start catching up with Europe and Asia, helped by two new services being introduced. Residents of Shoreditch in East...

Software helps ITN to sell old news footage.(Independent Television News Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... Byline: miya knights Software helps ITN to sell old news footage Web-based application will improve sales of archived content miya knights z Broadcaster ITN has gone live with a web-based software application to...

Two charged with creating Trojan spyware.
March 9, 2006... Byline: daniel thomas Two charged with creating Trojan spyware daniel thomas z Two London computer consultants who were extradited to Israel last month have been charged by Tel Aviv authorities for creating and distributing Trojan...

Housing group builds up its online strategy.(East Thames)(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... Byline: JAMES BROWN Housing group builds up its online strategy JAMES BROWN z East Thames housing and social care group has implemented online collaboration software to complete the latest stage of a long-term IT-based reform. ...

Bulletin.(Computer Software Group, Royal Academy of Dancing, contract)(CSC Systems Group, Schroders PLC, contract)(Royal Yachting Association, Diagonal Solutions, contract)(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... bulletin Best foot forward for web access software z The Royal Academy of Dance has installed web access software to allow its global teaching and membership network to conduct more administrative tasks online. The organisation has...

Lloyds TSB trial cuts out fraud for its online banking users.
March 9, 2006... Byline: Daniel Thomas Lloyds TSB trial cuts out fraud for its online banking users Successful test of two-factor authentication devices receives thumbs up from customers Daniel Thomas z Lloyds TSB has eliminated online banking...

Research data.(future of information technology services)(sales of mobile phones and smartphones)(forecast on information technology spendings)(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... research data Skills shortage looms z The first signs of an IT skills shortage in Europe have emerged in France, reports Forrester Research. The analyst urges firms to do more to encourage graduates into IT and recommends they employ...

Thorntons handhelds sweeten stocktaking.(iAnywhere Solutions Inc.)(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... Byline: Miya Knights Thorntons handhelds sweeten stocktaking Miya Knights z Confectionery retailer Thorntons is to refresh part of its store technology to offer mobile point-of-sale services using new handheld devices and...

IT supports retailer's growth programme.
March 9, 2006... Byline: MIYA KNIGHTS IT supports retailer's growth programme Rollout of handheld devices to follow head office and warehouse overhaul MIYA KNIGHTS z Outdoor retailer Blacks Leisure has started a major IT transformation...

Upgraded IT goes on the buses.(London, England. Transport for London upgrade its bus communications systems)
March 9, 2006... Byline: Daniel Thomas Upgraded IT goes on the buses Daniel Thomas reports on the [pounds sterling]117m revamp of London's bus communications systems z It has long been a joke among Londoners that you wait 20 minutes for a bus,...

iBus communications technology.(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... Byline: Daniel Thomas iBus communications technology Transport for London will begin a [pounds sterling]117m upgrade of its bus communications infrastructure next year. Highlights of the new systems will include: Broadband WiFi in...

financial world.
March 9, 2006... financial world BEA Systems z Software supplier BEA Systems reported fourth-quarter revenue of $341.4m ([pounds sterling]195.3m), up 17 per cent from the same period last year. Net income was $35.4m ([pounds sterling]20.2m), compared...

Vodafone price yo-yos.(Vodafone Group PLC)(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... Byline: Bryan Glick Vodafone price yo-yos Plan to sell Japanese concern helps shares to rebound, reports Bryan Glick z Vodafone went through a dramatic few days on the Computing 30 share index last week. The mobile network...

Google searches for new horizons.(services of Google UK Ltd.)
March 9, 2006... Byline: Emma Nash Google searches for new horizons Emma Nash reports on how the company is looking to diversify, with the business market in its sights z Internet giant Google's stock price tumbled seven per cent last week when...

Police and Justice Bill is a big step forward for internet security.(rules for internet security)
March 9, 2006... Byline: Mike Barwise Police and Justice Bill is a big step forward for internet security Mike Barwise looks at the implications of amendments to the Computer Misuse Act 1990 z In January the Police and Justice Bill was introduced...

NHS leads the way with shared services.
March 9, 2006... Byline: Sarah Arnott NHS leads the way with shared services The joint venture model is key to NHS shared services. Sarah Arnott report Shared services have all the signs of being the next big thing. Multiple public sector...

Space expert offers lessons from above.(Jim Wetherbee talks about his experience)
March 9, 2006... Byline: Mark Samuels Space expert offers lessons from above A Nasa-bred, methodical mentality could bring big benefits to the world of technology with advances in innovation, says Mark Samuels z The astronaut Jim Wetherbee...

Innovation must be fostered.(use and forecast of technological innovations)(Brief article)
March 9, 2006... Innovation must be fostered z How many businesses or government bodies can genuinely claim to be innovative in their use of technology? For many boardrooms, IT innovation is seen as a risk. The first question many senior executives ask...

You have to spend money to make money.(investment in research for better and new technology)
March 9, 2006... Byline: Sally Flood You have to spend money to make money Reluctance to invest in innovation could threaten companies' competitive advantage. Sally Flood reports on the quandary facing UK businesses Corporate research and...

Giving air to new ventures.
March 9, 2006... Byline: Sally Flood Giving air to new ventures Billions of pounds are being invested in startups with the brightest technology ideas. Sally Flood reports on where the money is being spent, and the next big growth areas ...

When academics and companies collide.(analysis on industrial research)
March 9, 2006... Byline: Joe Devo When academics and companies collide The success of innovative concepts in academia can be maximised by the support of the private sector, writes Joe Devo In the early 1990s, Professor Ian Page's research at...

The final frontier.(management of space exploration)
March 9, 2006... Byline: James Brown The final frontier James Brown looks at how Nasa turned to the private sector for the inspiration to create cutting-edge software Nasa Ames Research Centre's mission is simple: to support manned and...

Indian motion.
March 9, 2006... Byline: Mark Kobayashi-Hillary Indian motion Mark Kobayashi-Hillary travels to Mumbai to look at how Indian companies are looking to develop the outsourcing model India has long been associated with the provision of...

Systems strategy.(use of information systems in small and medium-sized enterprises)(Discussion)
March 9, 2006... Systems strategy The third part of our SME focus brings you the results of the recent Computing web seminar on IT in small businesses Software applications once considered accessible only by firms with thousands of users,...

Pushing the envelope on ecommerce.
March 9, 2006... Byline: Miya Knights Pushing the envelope on ecommerce Royal Mail is investing in extending the capabilities of its online services. Miya Knights reports z Royal Mail is placing increasing importance on ecommerce. The...

Backbytes.
March 9, 2006... Byline: Tim Phillips Ode to IT kit z Another book dedication is sent to us by Jamie Gordon at Data Encryption Systems, who points out that the dedications we've been making fun of so far may be horribly geeky, but at least they were...

BA puts IT at heart of growth.(British Airways PLC)
March 16, 2006... Byline: sarah arnott BA puts IT at heart of growth Online technology has already cut costs and check-in times sarah arnott z British Airways says technology is critical to its plans to increase productivity by 35 per cent...

MPs censure Foreign Office system.(Brief article)
March 16, 2006... Byline: parliamentary reporter MPs censure Foreign Office system parliamentary reporter z The Commons Foreign Affairs (FA) Committee is demanding to see Gateway Reviews for all future Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) high-risk...

Police plot new crime IT system.(Police Information Technology Organisation )(Brief article)
March 16, 2006... Byline: sarah arnott Police plot new crime IT system sarah arnott z The Police IT Organisation (Pito) is starting work on the replacement for the Holmes2 serious crime management system. The existing system is used by England...

Bank strikes back at ID cheats.
March 16, 2006... Byline: DANIEL THOMAS Bank strikes back at ID cheats All A&L online bankers issued with two-factor authentication DANIEL THOMAS z Alliance & Leicester yesterday (Wednesday) issued security technology to all its one million...

Poor security blamed for increase in internal fraud.
March 16, 2006... Byline: DANIEL THOMAS Poor security blamed for increase in internal fraud DANIEL THOMAS z Poor internal security procedures and insufficient employee authentication systems are leaving UK businesses prone to internal fraud and...

News inside.
March 16, 2006... news inside Industry calls for R&D tax credits shake-up z Refining the research and development tax credit system should be on the Treasury's agenda in next week's Budget, say industry groups. Full story, 4 Retail sites fail...

Industry calls for R&D tax credits shake-up.
March 16, 2006... Byline: sarah arnott Industry calls for R&D tax credits shake-up Budget should tighten up research benefits for IT, say experts sarah arnott z Refining the research and development (R&D) tax credit system should be on the...