Computing articles from May 2005

Computing archives from May 2005

News - UK needs knowledge minister. Computing backs calls for a political leader for the knowledge economy.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Sarah Arnott. Computing is supporting calls for a new ministerial post to focus on developing the knowledge economy. Industry trade body Intellect says the incoming government needs to do more if the UK is to maintain its...

News - Staff smartcards to track tube work. Project could use biometrics to authenticate maintenance workers at 300 sites.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Daniel Thomas. London Underground is to issue more than 30,000 staff with smartcards to improve safety and allocate resources more effectively when conducting tube repairs. The project, which could use biometrics to...

News - Physical and IT security must go together.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Businesses must manage physical and IT security together if they are to protect themselves properly against crime, according to the former national crime-reduction co-ordinator at the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU). Security expert...

News - Westminster to extend wireless programme. Control room will share footage from 20 new CCTV cameras.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Daniel Thomas. Westminster City Council expects to cut crime and increase staff productivity by extending wireless internet access across central London. The council plans to reduce crime levels by installing 20 additional...

News - Met Police steps up trial of handheld devices.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Byline: Sarah Arnott. London police officers will pilot handheld devices this year as part of plans for mobile access to systems such as the Police National Computer (PNC). The Metropolitan police has 32,000 officers and represents...

News - Parliament IT security plan.(Palace of Westminster)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Byline: Sarah Arnott. The Palace of Westminster is looking for suppliers to improve IT security at the Houses of Parliament. Plans include installation of improved security software on the Palace network and external testing by a...

News - Financial world.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Microsoft has announced third-quarter revenue of $9.62bn ([pounds sterling]5bn), up five per cent on the same period last year. Net income of $2.56bn ([pounds sterling]1.3bn) increased from $1.32bn ([pounds sterling]690m) last year. The...

News - Energy firm outsources security management. ScottishPower seeks protection against malicious attacks.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Byline: Daniel Thomas. Utility firm ScottishPower has outsourced management of its network security to protect itself against malicious attacks. Supplier VeriSign will protect hundreds of devices, including firewalls, intrusion...

News - Integration is the only way to ensure security. Expert advises organisations to pull all their security functions together.
May 5, 2005... Byline: James Watson. The recent attack on Sumitomo Mitsui Bank in London, where hackers attempted to steal some [pounds sterling]220m, came as a sharp reminder to businesses about the security risks they face. The bank had strong IT...

News - British Waterways charts canal data. Agency links systems to understand river and canal use.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Miya Knights. British Waterways is linking data generated by a recently installed SAP system with mapping technology, to obtain a clearer understanding of its assets and infrastructure. The water authority is extending links...

News - Offshore deal set to halve Akzo Nobel data centre costs.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Byline: James Mortleman. Global chemicals giant Akzo Nobel has awarded offshore outsourcing company Wipro Technologies a three-year, multimillion-euro contract to manage its server infrastructure across Europe and the US. The Indian...

News - UK leads the rest of Europe in RFID trials.(Radio Frequency Identification)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Byline: Miya Knights. The UK is conducting more trials involving radio frequency identity (RFID) tags than any other country in Europe, according to research. Some 10.4 per cent of all European RFID trials are being conducted in the...

News - Quantum physics to fox hackers.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Byline: Daniel Thomas. A scientific breakthrough means quantum cryptography could soon provide hack-proof security for voice-over IP and video communications. Last week, IT researchers from Toshiba Research Europe, QinetiQ and US firm...

News - Backbytes.
May 5, 2005... Over-herd in a meeting 'At our recent project review meeting we went through the usual "congratulations on our success so far, but..." speech,' says a cynical Matt King at Axon Solutions. We suspect some of you can remember him when he...

Enterprise - BT picks eight partners for 21CN project.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Byline: Miya Knights. BT has selected eight vendors to supply the technology underpinning its [pounds sterling]10bn next-generation network infrastructure. The winning bidders beat 300 potential suppliers during a two-year procurement...

Enterprise - TNT extends UK customer system. Freight firm planning global rollout for revamped service.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Miya Knights. Freight company TNT is to expand the rollout of a major customer service IT programme following a successful implementation in the UK. TNT Express UK worked with the firm's Australian operation to bring common...

Enterprise - Clothing maker installs collaboration software. VF Corporation project completes two-year supply chain IT revamp.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Byline: Miya Knights. VF Corporation, the manufacturer of Wrangler and Lee jeans and North Face outdoor clothing, is implementing collaboration software to improve the way it works with suppliers. The company's European arm is midway...

Strategy Paper - Microsoft readies industry for switch to 64-bit systems. Software giant promises an easy transition to faster computing speeds.
May 5, 2005... Byline: James Watson in Seattle. Twenty years after the first Windows product, and 10 years after shifting from 16-bit to 32-bit computing with Windows 95, Microsoft now hopes to take its users to the next level. While 64-bit-enabled...

Conference Call - Symantec and Veritas look to merged future. Computing speaks to Symantec chief executive John Thompson at the Veritas Vision conference.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Emma Nash in San Francisco. The proposed acquisition of Veritas Software by security vendor Symantec has raised more than a few eyebrows in the industry. The companies argue that a united force under the Symantec name and...

Conference Call - Store uses archive software to control emails.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Byline: Emma Nash. Supermarket chain Somerfield is using an email archiving system to adhere to regulatory compliance demands. The company, which is about to start testing version 6 of the Veritas Enterprise Vault product, initially...

Conference Call - Round-up.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Veritas has announced NetBackup 6.0, the latest version of its backup and recovery software. The new release will include the NetBackup Operations Manager, which provides users with access to a centralised web-based view of backup activities,...

Conference Call - Firms call for action on wireless security. Computing reports from the Infosecurity Europe conference in London.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Daniel Thomas. Major companies are calling for wireless product manufacturers to improve security standards and say vendors should not expect users to take on the burden. International user group the Jericho Forum says one of...

Conference Call - Users to push for standards.(encryption)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Byline: Daniel Thomas. IT security user group the Jericho Forum plans to lobby governments to establish global common data encryption standards. The group is pushing for changes to strict anti-encryption rules in countries such as...

Conference Call - ICI steps up monitoring of its web sites. Chemicals company scans hundreds of sites to combat hacking attempts.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Daniel Thomas. ICI has extended its vulnerability scanning programme to monitor outsourcing suppliers and combat a growth in hacking attempts. The chemicals company says it is now scanning more than 400 of its web sites every...

Enterprise - SAP moves to counter Oracle. Application software company takes on rival with a range of new products.
May 5, 2005... Byline: David Neal in Copenhagen. SAP has announced a range of new product and commercial developments to help counter growing competition from its acquisitive rival Oracle. The application software giant last week launched 217...

Enterprise - Your old PCs can change people's lives.(Computer Aid supplies used PCs to third world)
May 5, 2005... Byline: Mark Samuels. That long-promised PC refresh is taking place and here's your opportunity to get rid of those clunky old computers. Naturally, your workers are heaving a collective sigh of relief. As the downturn turned down...

Comment - IT must be on the political agenda.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
May 5, 2005... Whoever is living in 10 Downing Street tomorrow, one thing is for sure. Every interest group will be knocking on the door asking the Prime Minister to back their needs, and the IT industry will certainly be among them. Computing fully...

Networking - How to keep your email systems under control. Email is a vital communications tool, but poor management systems can leave staff struggling to maintain their inboxes. Monica Seeley reports on how to achieve a more effective email policy.
May 5, 2005... Email has become an increasingly addictive business tool, and judging by the way some people use their BlackBerry handheld devices, this trend is only going to increase. But some surveys suggest that organisations of all sizes are losing...

Networking - Broadband boom prompts the return of rich content. High-speed connections means rich media is reappearing on the net, reports Cath Everett.
May 5, 2005... Until recently, incorporating rich, multimedia content into web sites was a rarity. The dot com boom fostered the over-use of Flash animation and gimmicky whirling logos, but organisations soon realised it was a turn-off, not least because it...

Networking - An ultra wide controversy. Pamela Whitby reports on ultra wideband, the new wireless technology that has split expert opinion in Europe and the US.
May 5, 2005... Ultra wideband (UWB) is being hailed by communications experts as the latest technology to transform the wireless landscape. Providing a low-power alternative to short-range wired connections such as USB, UWB promises to eliminate the...

Networking - In search of the perfect user interface. The usability of your web site can make or break your online business. William Knight reports.
May 5, 2005... More than half of the UK's households - some 12.9 million homes - now have internet access, and more than 60 per cent of adults regularly use the web, according to the Office of National Statistics. But despite this success, limitations...

Services - Track your use of information services.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Computing has joined forces with Priory Solutions to offer information professionals a free evaluation of a way to track their online information services. Professional firms that use research services on behalf of clients face the problem...

Services - Diary.(Calendar)
May 5, 2005... IDC Convergence in the Enterprise Network 12 May Radisson SAS Portman Hotel, London Deploying voice, video and data over a single network offers a cost-effective streamlined communications system as well as benefits such as the...

BCS - Diary events.(Calendar)
May 5, 2005... BCS Glasgow Branch 9 May. 6.30pm. 'Freedom of Information Law and its Impact on System Design.' Lord Todd Conference Room, Strathclyde University. Visit: www.bcs.org/branches/glasgow BCS Belfast Branch 10 May. 7.30pm. Annual...

Training - listings.(IT courses and seminars)(Calendar)
May 5, 2005... Information for the courses page should follow our usual format - course category, title of course, venue, date, price, organising company/body, telephone number. Unless the information is presented in this way, we regret that it cannot be...

Careers - Contract rates soar in the public sector. Skills survey reveals a 33 per cent increase in 2004.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Byline: James Mortleman. Public sector IT contract rates soared by 33 per cent in 2004, according to a survey of more than 5,500 IT professionals. The iProfile Skills Survey, conducted by analyst iProfileStats and commissioned by the...

Backbytes - Dodgy usernames, part 94.(unusual signage)
May 5, 2005... We're slowly working our way through the enormous emailbag of submissions, some frankly clearly made up, for our thread on amusing usernames. We bring you the merest flavour this week. 'I fondly remember sending emails to Roy Slicker, now...

News Bulletin - Lenovo closes IBM deal.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Lenovo has completed its purchase of IBM's PC and laptop manufacturing division and appointed a new board. IBM sold the loss-making unit to China's largest PC manufacturer for $1.25bn ([pounds sterling]661m), split between $650m ([pounds...

News Bulletin - HP and Steria work on borders.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... A consortium of HP and Steria has signed a [pounds sterling]25m deal with the European Commission to develop two key border control systems. The second-generation Schengen Information System is required to lift border controls between current...

News Bulletin - Staff are main security risk.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Firms are at risk from internal crime unless IT departments improve practices governing staff authentication and access rights, according to the Metropolitan Police Computer Crime Unit. 'In the vast majority of cases the culprits are current or...

News Bulletin - Met system outlook is bright.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... The Met Office claims its new supercomputer has boosted the accuracy of forecasts. The NEC SX-6 supercomputer went online in March 2004 at the Met Office's computing centre in Exeter. Forecast accuracy has since improved by 11 per cent,...

News Bulletin - Apple releases Tiger.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Apple has launched client and server upgrades to its Mac OS X operating system. Version 10.4, codenamed Tiger, includes a search engine called Spotlight that can quickly search the entire contents of the computer to find files. 'Our competitors...

News Bulletin - NHS implementer resigns.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... David Kwo, the implementation director for the London region of the [pounds sterling]6bn NHS national IT programme Connecting for Health (CfH) has resigned. Kwo was suspended from his post on 15 April. A CfH statement said: 'This suspension was...

News Bulletin - IT heads prioritise ID security.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... More than three-quarters of IT directors consider identity management a priority, and 74 per cent say government regulation is a leading motivator for adoption, according to a survey from RSA Security. But less than half of firms have...

News Bulletin - Sun initiates Retro.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Sun Microsystems has developed a system that allows companies to use Microsoft applications on a SunRay thin client. The vendor unveiled the technology, codenamed Retro, last week. Users can access applications from a dumb terminal, while the...

News Bulletin - Fast issues IT department alert.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... The Federation Against Software Theft (Fast) has warned that IT departments could be leaving their employers open to legal action. In a recent investigation of a UK financial services firm, the organisation found 5,800 illegal digital music...

News Bulletin - Web attacks rise by 36 per cent.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Web site defacements and attacks on web servers rose by 36 per cent last year, according to research by security firm Zone-h. Some 2,500 of 45 million servers were hacked every day last year, with a total of 392,545 attacks recorded. US...

Enterprise Bulletin - Consumer chip sector to double.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... The consumer semiconductor market will more than double between 2004 and 2009, expanding from just over $14bn ([pounds sterling]7.3bn) to almost $30bn ([pounds sterling]15.7bn), says researcher IDC. Some markets, such as digital TV, represent...

Enterprise Bulletin - SP2 downloads hit 180 million.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... Microsoft says more than 180 million computer users have now downloaded Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2). Nick McGrath, Microsoft's head of platform strategy, says almost all computers now come with SP2 bundled, and that downloads of the patch...

Enterprise Bulletin - Wireless security alliance.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... BT, Cisco and Intel have announced an alliance to promote better security for users of wireless networks. The three suppliers are concerned that fears about security will harm the rollout of wide-scale wireless networks, and have produced...

News - Ecommerce post is scrapped. Industry groups concerned as job disappears in post-election reshuffle.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Sarah Arnott. The role of ecommerce minister has disappeared in the reshuffle following last week's General Election, raising concern among industry groups. Alongside the renaming of the Department of Trade and Industry as the...

News - Electronic account could save billions. Former IR chief proposes single account for citizen-government transactions.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Sarah Arnott. The government should provide every citizen with an individual online account to manage their financial transactions with Whitehall departments, says the former chairman of the Inland Revenue. Sir Nicholas...

News - More firms are 'insourcing' IT.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Outsourcing is no longer seen as a cure-all for expensive IT or business process problems, say experts. The Prudential's recent decision to consider bringing some of its IT operations back in-house (Computing, 31 March) follows other...

News - Utility firm links data to cut costs. Intelligence software will help South East Water reduce wastage.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Daniel Thomas. South East Water is planning to use business intelligence software to detect leaks in reservoirs and underground pipes. The utility firm will use the technology to reduce water wastage, having already used it to...

News - Big players dominate as IT market growth slows.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Bryan Glick. The European IT industry is becoming increasingly dominated by the largest suppliers as the market matures, according to research from consultancy Ernst & Young. As growth of the technology sector slows, vendors...

News - [pounds sterling]5m network overhaul for Standard Life.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Daniel Thomas. Financial services firm Standard Life has awarded a [pounds sterling]5m contract to telecoms provider Thus to overhaul its voice and data networks. Thus will install high-speed ISDN data circuits between 10...

News - Financial world.
May 12, 2005... IT services giant EDS reported first-quarter net income of $4m ([pounds sterling]2.1m), compared with a loss of $12m ([pounds sterling]6.4m) in the same period last year. Revenue of $4.94bn ([pounds sterling]2.6bn) was down five per cent. EDS...

News - The Computing 30 Share Index.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Profit warnings from gaming industry giant Electronic Arts (EA) sent ripples across the industry last week, adversely affecting most game developers' share prices. EA says a shortage of consoles and slow consumer demand for games ahead of the...

News - IBM urges universities to go multidisciplinary. Campaign aims to generate skills for service-led economy.
May 12, 2005... Byline: James Watson. IBM is meeting with UK universities this week to campaign for the creation of a multidisciplinary course that includes computer science, engineering, business, and social science. The technology vendor believes...

News - FSA highlights offshore risks.( Financial Services Authority )(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Byline: James Watson. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has warned that offshore outsourcing can damage market confidence and consumer protection and hinder the ability to reduce financial crime. In a report published last week,...

News - Labour outlines goals for business growth. Manifesto commits to increased R&D investment and clear copyright regime.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Sarah Arnott. Labour's business manifesto commits the new government to a revised intellectual property regime and increased focus on the UK's research and development (R&D) environment. According to the plan, the tasks facing...

News - ID cards to reappear on government agenda.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Sarah Arnott. Government plans for national biometric identity cards are likely to go ahead despite the reduction in Labour's parliamentary majority from 167 to 67, say experts. The controversial legislation was dropped when...

News - Train operators to fit WiFi at stations. Passengers can go online while waiting for trains.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Daniel Thomas. Train operators are to install wireless hotspots in 85 stations across south-west England so travellers can access the internet while waiting for their trains. Operators First Great Western (FGW) and First Great...

News - Mobile working needs boost.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Daniel Thomas. Employers must do more to encourage mobile working as an accepted business practice, according to a survey of remote workers across Europe. A report published yesterday (Wednesday) by IBM's Institute for...

News - Reuters delivers security with IM.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Daniel Thomas. News agency Reuters is making new security and compliance technologies available to financial services customers using its instant messaging (IM) service. More than 60,000 finance industry employees, who use the...

News - Backbytes - back_bytes@vnu.co.uk.
May 12, 2005... Extermination by Longhorn Last week, we were musing (entirely uselessly, but what's new) about what wireless networking protocols Daleks would use. 'I don't know exactly which protocols the Doctor uses, but surely they must involve...

Enterprise - University opts for high-speed IP networking.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Byline: James Watson. The University of Dundee is installing a high-bandwidth infrastructure and 3,500 IP telephones across its campus in a [pounds sterling]6m networking initiative. The Netcomms project will be complete by the end of...

Enterprise - Renault on track with IT overhaul. Data project contributes to F1 team's winning streak.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Emma Nash. Renault Formula One (F1) says that an overhaul of its IT infrastructure has contributed to the team's recent race success. The team, which won the first four of this season's Grand Prix, is undertaking a major...

Enterprise - Barclays puts its money on staff training portal. Elearning system aimed at bank staff who deal with wealthiest customers.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Byline: James Mortleman. Barclays is banking on an elearning portal to improve the advice and service provided to some of its wealthiest customers. Barclays Wealth Academy will provide online training to hundreds of staff in the bank's...

Enterprise - Preparations pay off for the most technically advanced election yet. Computing spent election day at the BBC to see how supplier Siemens' coverage technology fared.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Daniel Thomas. When Prime Minister Tony Blair announced the General Election on 5 April, political parties rallied and used every tactical manoeuvre and technology possible to try to increase their votes. But while politicians...

Questions & Answers - The Met places data at the heart of its policing. Computing discusses policy with Met Police director of information Ailsa Beaton.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Sarah Arnott. London's Metropolitan Police employs 47,000 people - including 32,000 police officers - and manages a technology infrastructure spanning 32 boroughs and 25,000 desktops. Metropolitan Police director of information...

Awards for excellence - Will you be an award winner?
May 12, 2005... This year's Computing Awards for Excellence includes three new categories, designed to recognise organisations that make widespread use of technology to improve the way we live and work. These awards seek to reward contributions to the...

BCS - The recipe for a successful IT contract.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Rachel Burnett. 'Think things through, then follow through.' The six-word formula for success of Eddie Rickenbacker, racing car driver and World War I fighter pilot, also sums up how to make best use of IT contracts. But...

Comment - Focus today on the skills of tomorrow.(Brief Article)(Column)
May 12, 2005... Many of the skills required by IT professionals 10 years from now will be very different to those listed in a typical job advert today. Judging by the number of letters Computing receives about recruitment issues and the shift of...

Comment - The right response to a security attack. More and more businesses are becoming targets of cyber crime. Simon Janes looks at the correct action to take.(Column)
May 12, 2005... Businesses have spent billions on IT security to protect their networks and reputations from outside threats such as hackers, virus writers and fraudsters, and even more on constructing disaster recovery and business continuity plans. Yet...

Outsourcing - The insourcing trend is bringing it all back home. This week Computing takes an in-depth look at the outsourcing market. In the first of three features, Mark Samuels reports on why so many companies are moving services back in-house.
May 12, 2005... Outsourcing is no longer the permanent cure for an expensive IT or business process ailment. Having spent the past few years handing over control of troublesome processes to service providers, increasing numbers of technology leaders are...

Outsourcing - Is insourcing the best option for your organisation?
May 12, 2005... With 80 per cent of companies renegotiating their outsourcing contracts, the time might be right to consider insourcing your company's external service provision. Andy Mulholland, chief technology officer at Capgemini, says companies are...

Outsourcing - Getting the best service. Mark Samuels looks at the importance of benchmarking in long-term outsourcing deals.
May 12, 2005... When signing a long-term outsourcing agreement, it pays to be aware that prices and the demands of technology will change. Many companies commit themselves to a supplier for between five and 10 years. But a decade is a long time in IT. ...

Outsourcing - The man from the Pru means business. Bringing some of its IT operations back in-house is one of many initiatives the Prudential is investigating. Mark Samuels spoke to chief information officer John Worth about the financial services company's strategies.
May 12, 2005... Like an increasing number of his counterparts, Prudential's John Worth is a chief information officer (CIO) from a non-IT background. Since assuming the role in January 2004, Worth has been responsible for signing a major outsourcing contract...

Services - Web seminar looks at benefits of grids.
May 12, 2005... Address the ways grid technology can benefit your business by taking part in Computing's live interactive web seminar called Start small, grow big with grid computing, on 18 May at 3pm. Grid computing has moved out of the scientific and...

Services - Diary.(Calendar)
May 12, 2005... IT Works 2005 8-9 June St James' Park, Newcastle The north of England's major IT event is expected to attract a record number of visitors this year. Stands will cover accounting, manufacturing and finance software, ecommerce, IT...

BCS diary events.(Calendar)
May 12, 2005... BCS Nottingham & Derby Branch 16 May. Annual meeting. Visit: www.bcs.org.uk/branches/nottmderby/index.htm BCS Information Risk Management and Audit Specialist Group 17 May. 4pm. 'Computer Audit Basics 3.' London. Visit:...

Training - Listings.(Calendar)
May 12, 2005... Information for the courses page should follow our usual format - course category, title of course, venue, date, price, organising company/body, telephone number. Unless the information is presented in this way, we regret that it cannot be...

Careers - Hull plants Seed for affordable IT skills. Charities and IT graduates to benefit from budget training.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Byline: James Mortleman. Hull University is opening a cut-price software development facility for charities that will also give IT graduates the chance to gain valuable work experience. The Software Engineering Experiential Development...