Computing articles from November 2008

Computing archives from November 2008

Come together.
November 6, 2008... Byline: Lisa Kelly Come together Converged communications offered the business-enhancing potential to make the merger of two water utilities viable and beneficial. Lisa Kelly reports ( Mergers are always a time of huge...

Every cloud has a silver lining.
November 6, 2008... Byline: Gareth Morgan Every cloud has a silver lining In tough economic times, it is the unprepared that often suffer most. Reason, then, for some technology leaders to remain cheerful (As the latest economic reports confirm,...

Iti?1/2s time to pull the plug on PowerPoint.
November 6, 2008... Byline: Steve Hipwell It's time to pull the plug on PowerPoint Not only are presentations dreary affairs, they can also be bad for a company's health (In the era of the podcast and myriad other pervasive, rich media,...

Multi-sourcing does not spell the end for big deals.
November 6, 2008... Byline: Phil Morris Multi-sourcing does not spell the end for big deals Getting value from outsourcing deals does not necessarily mean the use of multiple suppliers, says Phil Morris There is rumour of a new solution in town called...

Are best practices overrated?
November 6, 2008... Byline: David Neal Are best practices overrated? Are best practice frameworks such as ITIL the basis for a sound IT strategy or do they give IT leaders undue confidence? David Neal investigates (For its advocates, the...

Banking on progress through IT.(information technology)(Interview)
November 6, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Banking on progress through IT Tom Young talks to Ken Harvey, chief technology and services officer at HSBC, about the bank's scheme to transfer all its systems to one platform (HSBC recently united the roles of...

Windows 7 means business.
November 6, 2008... Byline: Daniel Robinson Windows 7 means business Expectations for the new Windows operating system are high, reports Daniel Robinson in Los Angeles (Windows 7, the next version of Microsoft's flagship product, is still at least a...

Microsoft places its bet on lucky seven.
November 6, 2008... Byline: Computing Microsoft places its bet on lucky seven (Microsoft simply has to get things right this time. The early buzz around Windows 7, the next version of the software giant's most important product, seems to have been...

Is the online retail boom slowing?
November 6, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Is the online retail boom slowing? Figures from the government suggest fewer people are using the internet to make purchases than two years ago, writes Tom Young ( The latest official internet use statistics from...

Procter & Gamble moves to invest in IT innovation.
November 6, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Procter & Gamble moves to invest in IT innovation Angelica Mari Consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) is moving its datacentres out of its own sites and into supplier HP's facilities to reduce costs and...

Analytic tools boost WWF fundraising.(World Wildlife Fund )(Brief article)
November 6, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Analytic tools boost WWF fundraising Angelica Mari in North Carolina The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is extending the use of business intelligence (BI) tools and implementing more web innovation to better use...

Training seen as key to stemming e-crime tide.
November 12, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Training seen as key to stemming e-crime tide The head of the Met's e-crime unit wants all police officers to be more IT-savvy, writes Tom Young (E-crime must become part of standard police training if law...

Taking back IT reins pays off.(information technology)
November 12, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Taking back IT reins pays off Schroders' award-winning IT restructure was a massive undertaking, but as the bank's global head of IT tells Angelica Mari, the firm is now in better shape to face the future...

The IT industry can revive the economy.
November 13, 2008... Byline: John Higgins The IT industry can revive the economy IT has untapped potential that could be of huge benefit in a recession (Last week at the Computing Awards for Excellence, I was honoured to receive the Editor's Award...

Broadcasting calls the shots.
November 13, 2008... Byline: David Neal Broadcasting calls the shots The growing importance of rich media content in business communications means advances in broadcasting technology have an increasing bearing on enterprise IT, writes ...

Offering job flexibility is good business sense.
November 13, 2008... Offering job flexibility is good business sense Employers would attract more women if they were better at managing career breaks, writes Jan Peters Credit crunch or not, IT leaders are still predicting skills shortages. To me this...

Stay connected.(Company overview)
November 13, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney Stay connected A growing number of firms are driving up productivity and creating new business opportunities by using IP-based technologies to break down communication barriers, writes Martin Courtney (The...

Technology can help avoid human error.
November 13, 2008... Byline: Urversh Lakhani Technology can help avoid human error Reducing the burden on IT support staff can ensure they have time for urgent problems, says Urvesh Lakhani The most common IT pain points are human, not...

Outlook for NHS IT is far from healthy.
November 13, 2008... Byline: Rosalie Marshall Outlook for NHS IT is far from healthy Visiting a flagship hospital fails to inspire confidence in the health service's new patient record systems (Having something wrong with you and visiting the...

Charity puts relief work on the map.
November 13, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Charity puts relief work on the map MapAction is using the latest in geographic information technology to bring speedy relief to disaster victims, writes Tom Young (UK charity MapAction is a small and innovative...

Cisco gears up for the future.(Interview)
November 13, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey Cisco gears up for the future The networking giant's new UK supremo, Phil Smith, talks to Dave Bailey about the impact collaborative tools and rich media content are having on the internet, and explains how new...

Will poor integration derail smart tickets?
November 13, 2008... Will poor integration derail smart tickets? Next year could prove to be make or break for plans to have a nationwide smart ticketing scheme in place in time for the 2012 Games, writes Angelica Mari (Integration issues are threatening...

Which system will be just the ticket for tomorrowi?1/2s travellers?
November 13, 2008... Which system will be just the ticket for tomorrow's travellers? The convergence of different technologies is a challenging aspect of the delivery of an interoperable smartcard platform to businesses and local authorities. The...

Taylors peps up supply chain IT.
November 13, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Taylors peps up supply chain IT Angelica Mari Tea and coffee manufacturer Taylors of Harrogate is implementing a series of enhancements to its supply chain systems to improve production and project...

Whitehall set to follow Defrai?1/2s green IT blueprint.
November 13, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Whitehall set to follow Defra's green IT blueprint Tom Young The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has completed a green IT refresh that will become the template for all government...

SAP seeks to defuse support fee row.
November 13, 2008... Byline: Rosalie Marshall SAP seeks to defuse support fee row Rosalie Marshall & phil muncaster Software giant SAP has met representatives of 12 user groups to counter criticism of changes to its support offering, which resulted in...

DNS creator says flaws in protocol put firms at risk.(Paul Mockapetris)(Domain Name System)(Brief article)
November 13, 2008... Byline: Ian Williams DNS creator says flaws in protocol put firms at risk Ian Williams Businesses will face ever greater threats to their security unless flaws in some of the building blocks of the internet are rectified,...

A quantum leap in computing.
November 13, 2008... Byline: Bryan Glick in Geneva A quantum leap in computing Bryan Glick investigates the extraordinary computer systems that are supporting Cern's efforts to unlock the secrets of the universe ( When scientists at Cern, the nuclear...

New ways of working.
November 20, 2008... Byline: Albert Sprokholt New ways of working IT chiefs need to adapt their management style if they are to flourish in an outsourcing environment, says Albert Sprokholt It is no surprise that outsourcing changes the role of...

Rules of convergence.
November 20, 2008... Byline: Jon Fell Rules of convergence While moving to a converged communications platform can bring greater efficiency and flexibility to business dealings, there are also potential legal complications related such matters as data...

How to ensure a smooth transition.
November 20, 2008... Byline: Josie Sephton How to ensure a smooth transition Convergence strategies must be planned carefully, implemented gradually, and follow a clear business plan, writes Josie Sephton ( Converged communications describes the...

Cutting-edge IT delivers the goods.(Company overview)
November 20, 2008... Byline: Jay Bregman Cutting-edge IT delivers the goods Chief technology officer Jay Bregman explains how constant innovation is part and parcel of his strategy for delivering competitive advantage at eCourier (Courier company...

Clouds darken outlook for Vistai?1/2s successor.
November 20, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey Clouds darken outlook for Vista's successor Windows 7 looks like being an improvement on Vista, but economic and environmental concerns may mean few enterprises will rush to adopt it (How many times have...

Have lessons of last yeari?1/2s HMRC fiasco sunk in?
November 20, 2008... Byline: Nigel Jones Have lessons of last year's HMRC fiasco sunk in? Safeguarding privacy requires a good understanding of both technology and human psychology, says Nigel Jones This month marks the anniversary of the loss of more...

Time to hone your sourcing skills.
November 20, 2008... Byline: Euan Davis Time to hone your sourcing skills IT leaders can turn the recession to their advantage by flexing their bargaining muscle (Making sourcing decisions against a background of economic crisis should be easier A-...

EU police in the dock over data sharing.(European Union)
November 20, 2008... Byline: Tom Young EU police in the dock over data sharing Poor integration and lax practices are jeopardising EU efforts to fight international crime, reports Tom Young (The House of Lords' European Union Select Committee last week...

ITi?1/2s stock is soaring at the LSE.(London Stock Exchange )(Interview)
November 20, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari IT's stock is soaring at the LSE London Stock Exchange IT chief David Lester explains to Angelica Mari how the integration of Borsa Italiana is keeping his team busy, despite the worsening economy (Executives...

Firms turn to IT to boost revenues.(information technology)
November 20, 2008... Byline: Ian Williams Firms turn to IT to boost revenues Ian Williams reports on how businesses are looking to new technology and data handling practices to improve sales forecasting and streamline supply chain operations (Some of...

Capita lands NHS Choices contract.
November 20, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Capita lands NHS Choices contract The IT services firm has been tasked with turning the NHS Choices web site into the new "front door" for patient contact, writes Tom Young (The NHS is looking to improve...

Cotton Traders tightens credit card protections.
November 20, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Cotton Traders tightens credit card protections Angelica Mari Clothing manufacturer Cotton Traders has increased customer payment data security to become compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security...

CA launches SaaS products.(software-as-a-service )
November 20, 2008... Byline: Madeline Bennet in Las Vegas CA launches SaaS products Madeline Bennett in Las Vegas CA has burst onto the software-as-a-service (SaaS) scene with the announcement of three on-demand products. At its user event in Las...

Keeping IT on track.(information technology)
November 20, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Keeping IT on track Catherine Doran, winner of Computing's IT Leader of the Year award, tells Angelica Mari of her determination to drive on with technology-led transformation at Network Rail despite uncertainty...

Hard times increase the need for vigilance.
November 27, 2008... Hard times increase the need for vigilance The economic downturn will place extra strain on companies' IT security systems, warns Rob Rowlingson As we know, security is a process A- but what sort of process? In the good times it...

Play IT safe.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Linda More Play IT safe With a good business continuity plan in place, enterprises can overcome all manner of blows, writes Linda More (With global financial markets in meltdown, it is easy for business leaders to...

Project leaders must know their limits.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Martin Butler Project leaders must know their limits An overconfident attitude to costs and timing can undermine an IT project from the outset (Overconfidence is an epidemic in corporate life, and it has been understood...

How not to sell more laptops.
November 27, 2008... Byline: martin Courtney How not to sell more laptops Instead of gearing up to shift as much kit as possible over the festive period, chip maker AMD seems to be doing its utmost to alienate users (You have to wonder what AMD...

Hot Seat.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Computing What was your first job and how did you get into IT? When I first left school I worked for an insurance company, then a friend took me to one of those new-fangled computer clubs, and I was hooked. I went back to...

Guns for hire.
November 27, 2008... Byline: David Neal Guns for hire David Neal explores the world of interim CIOs and discovers why more firms are turning to them to spur on IT-led change (Riding in, with little fanfare, and on a mission to clean up the town, the...

How best to prepare for the worst.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Ri 1/2diger Krojnewski IT disaster recovery (DR) plans are mighty and complex by nature. As elements of the overall risk management, which is demanded by regulators and laws, they deliver more than tricky technology. So how can IT...

CA changes tack to ride out storm.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Madeline Bennett CA changes tack to ride out storm CA president and chief operating officer Michael Christenson tells Madeline Bennett about the firm's increasing focus on in-house development and its growing commitment to the...

DWP taken to task for IT record.(Department of Work and Pensions)(information technology)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tom Young DWP taken to task for IT record The Work and Pensions' select committee has lambasted the DWP over its string of failed and poorly planned IT projects, reports Tom Young (The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)...

Whitehall bungling undermines ID plans.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Computing Whitehall bungling undermines ID plans (For those unfamiliar with the UK and its pleasant pastures seen, the changes being introduced this week will pass unnoticed. Indeed, for the vast majority of Britons, the fact...

First ID cards are dealt out.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tom Young First ID cards are dealt out Tom Young The government's controversial [pounds sterling]5.4bn National Identity Scheme got underway this week with the first identity cards issued to foreign nationals applying to...

NHS contract wranglings continue.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tom Young NHS contract wranglings continue Tom Young BT last week submitted another bid to Connecting for Health to run the Southern region of the [pounds sterling]12.7bn National Programme for IT (NPfIT), according to...

Standard Life learns from past offshoring mistakes.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Standard Life learns from past offshoring mistakes Insurer has put a tight management regime in place to ensure its overseas partner delivers, says Angelica Mari (Insurance group Standard Life is reviving its...