Computing articles from May 2007

Computing archives from May 2007

A design on the prize.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Mark Samuels A design on the prize Mark Samuels takes a look at the top contenders for this year's prestigious DesignIT awards Microsoft's DesignIT competition aims to highlight the creative contribution IT...

SAP regains momentum.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos SAP regains momentum Firm achieves strong sales after difficult fourth quarter, reports Dave Friedlos z Software giant SAP has reported modest first-quarter growth of six per cent to A[currency]2.2bn ([pounds...

financial world.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos financial world Google z Search giant Google has outperformed rival Yahoo, posting increased first-quarter sales up 63 per cent to $3.6bn ([pounds sterling]1.8bn). Revenue from Google sites rose...

Metrics.(US hosts majority of security attacks)(chief information officers seek greater IT involvement)(Europe resists outsourcing decline)
May 3, 2007... Byline: Computing staff 1 metrics US hosts majority of security attacks 1In March there was a significant decrease in security attacks hosted in the US, falling from 74 per cent of the attacks in February to 55 per cent,...

Pressure on retailers over data compliance.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Pressure on retailers over data compliance Many could struggle to meet new security standard, reports Dave Friedlos z Retailers could be hit with hefty fines if they fail to comply with new data security...

The profit motive could save the world.(Business' enlightened self-interest may make it better placed than government to address green issues)
May 3, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott The profit motive could save the world Business' enlightened self-interest may make it better placed than government to address green issues, says Sarah Arnott z After a somewhat patchy start,...

Insurance company installs SOA to increase online competitiveness.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Insurance company installs SOA to increase online competitiveness Lisa Kelly z Insurance specialist Towergate Underwriting has installed a service-oriented architecture (SOA) to create multiple online...

feedback.(Letter to the editor)
May 3, 2007... feedback A private driving force for forensics OEvery UK police force has a forensic computing section, albeit often with less staff than they need (Digital forensics lack standards, computing.co.uk/2187572). Private sector...

UK needs e-crime consensus.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Tom Young UK needs e-crime consensus Online crime experts believe a single location for reporting offences is essential. Tom Young reports z A House of Lords committee is considering recommending that the government create...

Reporting points.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Reporting points All e-crimes can still officially be reported to local police stations, but several other methods are in place or under consideration: 4Centralised web site A Lords committee may...

Advantage programme.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Computing staff Advantage programme Our awards will recognise your firm's excellence z The Oscars of the IT industry are back, and here is your chance to enter the Computing Awards for Excellence 2007. For the 15th...

Co-op banks on support contract.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Co-op banks on support contract Lisa Kelly z The Co-operative Bank has signed a five-year managed services deal to reduce the number of IT suppliers in its mortgage division. The bank already uses...

Gumball Rally plots mobile course.(Brief article)
May 3, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Gumball Rally plots mobile course Lisa Kelly z Drivers in this year's Gumball Rally that started on Sunday have been equipped with mobile phone-based satellite navigation and tracking systems. The...

Caterer moves to utility model.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Caterer moves to utility model Lisa Kelly z Catering company Elior UK has moved to a utility computing model to improve customer service and meet peaks in demand. The firm caters for more than 1,000...

E.on opts for virtualisation to cut power.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Tom Young E.on opts for virtualisation to cut power Server consolidation helps energy firm reduce power consumption and increase storage capacity Tom Young z Utility firm E.on Energy has reduced its power consumption...

Talking point.(UK National Health Service faces second investigation for)(Employers distrust home working)(Business enterprise investment in security technologies)
May 3, 2007... Talking point On NHS IT NHS IT faces second investigation, computing.co.uk/2188631 z The decision to launch a second investigation into the government's NHS IT reforms comes as no great surprise. Too much energy is being directed...

Dorset Fire Service moves to managed network.(Dorset Fire and Rescue Service)(Brief article)
May 3, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Dorset Fire Service moves to managed network DavE Friedlos z Dorset Fire and Rescue Service is to install a managed wide area network after experiencing problems with the reliability of its unmanaged...

Huge online potential remains, says Google.(changing dynamics mean business opportunities are still rife on the internet)
May 3, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott Huge online potential remains, says Google Changing dynamics mean business opportunities are still rife on the internet Sarah Arnott z The business opportunities of the internet are still wide open for...

Mobile data saves care worker time.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Mobile data saves care worker time Lisa kelly z Middlesbrough Council has given care workers tablet PCs that support electronic data sharing to improve its services. The council's social care department has...

UK must halt e-readiness slide.(electronic crimes)(Brief article)
May 3, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott UK must halt e-readiness slide z If the government needed any more evidence that electronic crime cannot be ignored, the UK's two-place slide down the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) annual global e-readiness...

Security fears over City WiFi.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Security fears over City WiFi Sheer size of network makes it difficult to protect, say experts Tom Young z Technology experts have raised concerns about the security of the City of London's new WiFi network....

UK slips in global e-readiness table.(Economist Intelligence Unit report)(Brief article)
May 3, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott UK slips in global e-readiness table Sarah Arnott z The UK has dropped two places to seventh in the global league of countries' technical readiness for the digital world. Denmark is still top, followed by...

online.
May 3, 2007... online Lords committee to study data collection z The House of Lords Constitution Committee has launched an inquiry into the impact that government surveillance and data collection has on the privacy of citizens and their relationship...

backbytes.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Tim Phillips backbytes Caps lock question reverting to type z Another solution to the cAPS lOCK problem. 'Would it not be easier to simply suggest to Microsoft that it should have an option in Word to reverse the...

Mothercare holds back on IT merger.(Mothercare Ltd. and Early Learning Centre Inc.)(Brief article)
May 3, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Mothercare holds back on IT merger David Friedlos z Retailer Mothercare will wait until after the Christmas sales rush before it thinks about merging its IT systems with those of Early Learning Centre, which...

Businesses may have to foot e-crime unit bill.(Brief article)
May 3, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Businesses may have to foot e-crime unit bill Tom Young z A central e-crime co-ordination unit could be entirely funded by the private sector despite having the backing of all 43 chief constables in England and...

bulletin.
May 3, 2007... bulletin Commissioner wants greater powers z The Information Commissioner has demanded more powers to ensure citizens' personal data is protected from abuse. Addressing the Commons Home Affairs select committee on Tuesday, Richard...

Industry must clean up its act.
May 3, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott and Tom Young Industry must clean up its act But there is potential for a fast turnaround of green IT credentials Computing staff z Technology accounts for two per cent of all carbon emissions,...

Assimilation into the heart of business transforms IT's role.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Dean Burnell Assimilation into the heart of business transforms IT's role The maturing technology sector is now ready to play a central role in business growth, says Dean Burnell z It is hard not to feel disappointed with...

metrics.(Ipswitch report on phishing)(cybersquatting)(UK in top 10 for e-readiness)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Tom Young metrics Financial firms help out compliance sales 1Vendors and service providers specialising in compliance are expected to derive 43 per cent of their revenue from financial services firms this year,...

Back to reality.(Service-oriented architecture is touted as essential technology for business)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Jim Mortleman Back to reality Service-oriented architecture is touted as essential technology for business. Jim Mortleman explores the truth behind the hype Every few years, the IT industry throws its marketing weight...

The steps to SOA success.(service oriented architecture)(Brief article)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Jim Mortleman The steps to SOA success z Neil Ward-Dutton, research director at consultancy Macehiter Ward-Dutton, says there are three steps on the ladder to SOA success, which only fully-committed organisations will climb in...

Key processes.(Lloyds TSB Group PLC has governance committee to aligning and embedding technology with the business)(Brief article)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Key processes z Lloyds TSB has three key committees -- an architectural governance committee, a data governance committee and a platform and processes governance committee -- to make sure it does not stray from its...

Planning ahead.(Gavin Michael of Lloyds TSB Group PLC on IT management)(Interview)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Planning ahead Lloyds TSB IT chief Gavin Michael tells Lisa Kelly how a flexible enterprise architecture can simplify processes and open up opportunities to increase efficiency Gavin Michael took over the...

Retailers stock up on theft analysis tools.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Retailers stock up on theft analysis tools Data mining software tackles loss through internal fraud, says Dave Friedlos z Department store chain House of Fraser is overhauling its data mining tools to improve...

A business backbone.(financial services IT implementation)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Cath Everett A business backbone More and more financial companies are looking at using technology to support business growth, reports Cath Everett As competition in the financial services market heats up, and...

What the experts say about upgrading financial systems.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Cath Everett What the experts say about upgrading financial systems z One of the less visible but very real benefits of replacing our mainframes relates to the human element. Undertaking the migration and proving that they can...

Case study: Skandia UK.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Cath Everett Case study Skandia UK z Skandia UK's aim of adopting an SOA approach to revamp its legacy systems has led to the reorganisation of its IT department, and outsourcing application development, maintenance and...

Case study: Voca.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Cath Everett Case study Voca z Voca's five-year-long migration off the mainframe has slashed running and software licence costs, and allowed the firm to invest the money saved in pursuing new business opportunities in...

Have you created a winning project?(Computing Awards for Excellence in information technology management)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Bryan Glick Have you created a winning project? We want your entries for the Computing Awards for Excellence Project of the Year categories z This year's Computing Awards for Excellence are open for entries -- and, as...

The small wonder of innovation.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Bryan Glick The small wonder of innovation New business ideas are key to keeping small businesses afloat, but where can IT leaders turn for support and advice, asks Bryan Glick z Last year, the government...

Firms unite on green agenda.(new initiative aims to establish a knowledge base of green technology best practice)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Firms unite on green agenda A new initiative aims to establish a knowledge base of green technology best practice. Tom Young reports z An industry-led forum has been created to help UK businesses reduce the...

Environmental efforts.(green IT)(Brief article)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Environmental efforts There are many simple things businesses can do to improve their green IT credentials, while cutting costs and improving efficiency. 1Educate staff Appoint a green champion to encourage...

financial world.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos financial world Capgemini Services giant Capgemini has reported an 18 per cent rise in first-quarter sales to A[currency]2.2bn ([pounds sterling]1.5bn). Outsourcing services saw an 18 per cent growth, partly...

Smartcards get green light in West Midlands.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Smartcards get green light in West Midlands Readers will be installed on all public transport to enable flexible ticketing Dave Friedlos z The authority responsible for public transport in the West...

Steria sees modest growth.(Brief article)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Steria sees modest growth Firm says restructuring will boost long-term sales, reports Dave Friedlos z IT services company Steria has reported modest first-quarter growth of 4.6 per cent, with total sales...

Open University expands e-learning capabilities.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Open University expands e-learning capabilities Tom Young z The Open University (OU) is to extend its e-learning scheme and introduce real-time forums. The university has 200,000 students and already uses...

Advantage programme.(Free access to learning the intricacies of integration)(Brief article)
May 10, 2007... Advantage programme Free access to learning the intricacies of integration z InterSystems, in partnership with Computing, is offering Computing readers free access to an integration technology report. Designed to explain the...

Tote joins race for faster odds.(IT implementation)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Tote joins race for faster odds Bookmaker to overhaul systems and adopt SOA to boost services Dave Friedlos z Government-owned bookmaker The Tote is planning a radical overhaul of its IT systems to...

feedback.(Letter to the editor)
May 10, 2007... feedback A taxing look at public services OI am a bit puzzled by the reluctance of government to fund and establish the means to tackle e-crime (Businesses may have to foot e-crime unit bill, computing. co.uk/2189050). Surely...

talking point.(call centers and customer services)(data security regulations)(financial services and threat of phishing)
May 10, 2007... talking point On customer data Firms brush up on customers, computing.co.uk/2188576 z Data collection to improve sales -- how very yesterday. The most forward-thinking call centres have been doing this for a long time. But for...

Councils unite on e-learning plan.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Councils unite on e-learning plan Lisa Kelly z Youth services departments in four London councils are to deliver e-learning development materials as part of a shared services agreement. The...

Gateway must move on.(Office of Government Commerce regulations for confidential communications)(Brief article)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott Gateway must move on z Another day, another twist in the endless saga over whether or not the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) Gateway project reviews should be published. Two weeks ago we had Treasury...

RBS begins two-factor authentication support.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Tom Young RBS begins two-factor authentication support Bank will give customers card-reading devices to defend against phishing Tom Young z Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is to issue two-factor authentication card...

COI goes on-demand for best practice.(Central Office of Information)(Brief article)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos COI goes on-demand for best practice Dave Friedlos z The Central Office of Information (COI) is using an on-demand service management tool to meet best practice standards that come into effect this month. ...

Bus Group outsources back office.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Bus Group outsources back office Dave Friedlos z London bus operator East London Bus Group has outsourced key back office systems after separating from its parent firm. The company has opted for new...

Gateway privacy under debate.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott Gateway privacy under debate Government may have to publish details of ID card scheme reviews Sarah Arnott z The government may be forced to publish confidential internal reviews of the identity card...

Council cuts costs with virtualisation.(Wandsworth Council signed a deal with Unisys UK Ltd.)(Brief article)
May 10, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Council cuts costs with virtualisation Lisa Kelly z Wandsworth Council is revamping its IT infrastructure and adopting a virtualised model to deliver more efficient and flexible services to citizens. In a...

bulletin.
May 10, 2007... bulletin Outsourcing deals beginning to crumble z Outsourcing deals are hitting the rocks because of many firms' short-term focus on cost reduction, say industry experts. Research by Compass Management Consulting reveals 65 per cent of...

online.(BMW Oracle Racing using financial software)(new virus targeting universal serial bus)(Brief article)
May 10, 2007... online Financial software ensures smooth sailing z Yachting team BMW Oracle Racing has installed financial management software to control spending as it prepares to race in the America's Cup. www.computing.co.uk/2189143 ...

UK shoppers get contactless cards.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos UK shoppers get contactless cards Dave Friedlos z Londoners will be the first UK residents to be issued with contactless credit and debit cards to pay for low-value items, following the banking...

backbytes.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Tim Phillips backbytes Capital solution for cAPS riddle z Sometimes we just put something in to check if you actually did your Microsoft Word training module, and the good news is that at least 100 of you did. Which,...

Public sector IT skills boost.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott Public sector IT skills boost Leeds Council first to use framework to establish IT professionalism Sarah Arnott z Leeds City Council's 345-strong IT department is at the vanguard of plans to establish a...

Delays threaten future of Galileo satellite plan.
May 10, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott Delays threaten future of Galileo satellite plan Sarah Arnott z The future of the proposed European rival to the US global positioning system is hanging in the balance because of delays over politics and...

Advantage programme.(Computing web seminar)(IT innovation can accelerate growth for small businesses)(Brief article)
May 12, 2007... Byline: Bryan Glick Advantage programme Our web seminar will help small businesses to grow z Register now for the forthcoming Computing web seminar, in association with Oracle, titled How IT innovation can accelerate your growth....

A clearer perspective.
May 17, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas A clearer perspective Organisations are looking for new ways to increase efficiency and address the ever-growing issue of content management. Kim Thomas reports Compliance has never been a...

What the experts say about compliance.(government regulations)
May 17, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas What the experts say about compliance z What organisations are finding is that compliance was initially thought of as a tax, but once the organisations went through the processes that needed to be done, they...

Case study: Runnymede Borough Council.(implemented Vignette Access Portal )
May 17, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas Case study Runnymede Borough Council z A number of government mandates have come the way of local councils in recent years: the Freedom of Information Act, the requirement to make local services available...

Staff movements.(demand for human resource management software)
May 17, 2007... Byline: Cath Everett Staff movements Personnel management software can help companies to maximise employee efficiency, writes Cath Everett Five years ago, employee relationship management (ERM) suites were being pushed as the next...

Case study: University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust.
May 17, 2007... Byline: Cath Everett Case study University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust z 'Managing a large number of full- and part-time staff on a variety of shift patterns is very time-consuming, but a workforce management system...

What the experts say about employee relationship management.
May 17, 2007... Byline: Cath Everett What the experts say about employee relationship management z As a manager, the benefits to me of having a workforce management system are high. I can instantly see whether or not an employee is at work, get a...

A creative environment.(entrepreneurs)
May 17, 2007... Byline: David Hall A creative environment Entrepreneurs' talent for recognising and exploiting the business opportunity must be encouraged, says David Hall For many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) their biggest...

Advantage programme.
May 17, 2007... Advantage programme Business benefits of blogs: 10 per cent off forum entry z Many organisations are experimenting with some form of social media to improve communications, but what are the business benefits? The Blogs & Social...

Getting better.
May 17, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Getting better Lisa Kelly reports on a pharmaceutical company using innovative technologies to transform its business processes Despite the strict regulatory environment of the pharmaceutical sector,...

IT innovation in an SME.
May 17, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly IT innovation in an SME z 'You must have a strategy to innovate and experiment that comes from the top down,' says Chris Jones, head of business projects for Napp Pharmaceutical. 'You have to be willing to take...

metrics.
May 17, 2007... Byline: Tom Young metrics Malware infections caused by adware 1Adware, which tracks people's internet activity and uses the data to display personalised adverts, was responsible for 27 per cent of malware infections in April,...

The great leap forward.(Oracle Corp. and Computing conducted a seminar on IT)(Discussion)
May 17, 2007... Byline: Bryan Glick The great leap forward A Computing web seminar looked at how small firms can capitalise on their ability to innovate. Bryan Glick reports For many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the biggest...

The beginning of the green revolution.
May 17, 2007... Byline: Emma Nash The beginning of the green revolution Businesses now have no choice but to abide by environmental standards as going green becomes a 21st-century must, says Emma Nash z Cast your mind back to the 1990s when...

EDS sales take a tumble.(Electronic Data Systems Corp.)(Brief article)
May 17, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos EDS sales take a tumble But experts say downturn may reflect market weakness, writes Dave Friedlos z Outsourcing giant EDS has released disappointing first-quarter figures showing slower growth and fewer...

financial world.
May 17, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos financial world HP z HP expects to announce $1bn ([pounds sterling]502m) more in second-quarter sales than previously predicted. It anticipates revenue of $25.5bn ([pounds sterling]12.8bn), thanks to strong...

BA to take e-freight on board.(British Airways PLC)
May 17, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos BA to take e-freight on board Standardisation of electronic tickets will cut costs, but airline interoperability is key, writes Dave Friedlos z British Airways' (BA) freight division is to take part in the...

Microsoft reaches a turning point online.
May 17, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Microsoft reaches a turning point online But software giant continues to strive for internet success, writes Tom Young z Recent rumours of a Microsoft takeover approach to internet giant Yahoo may be fading,...

Wireless to connect St Helens.(Liverpool University)
May 17, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Wireless to connect St Helens Tom Young z Liverpool University is working with a local school to provide low-cost wireless access for a community in St Helens. The first pilot of Community Grid is being...

Database spreads news more quickly.
May 17, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Database spreads news more quickly Dave Friedlos z The Telegraph Media Group has deployed a content database to speed up development of multimedia news. The newspaper's production team manages the...