MicroScope articles from May 2003

MicroScope archives from May 2003

HP attacks grey channel: vendor follows in Levi's footsteps with legal action against brokers selling cheap imports.(Hewlett-Packard Co.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Hewlett-Packard is to use European trade mark regulations as the basis for a major initiative against the broker channel, as it attempts to address the rising problem of grey market equipment sales. After admitting the amount of grey...

Customs fraud victory sparks fear for dealers' future.
May 6, 2003... A test case at a Manchester tribunal has highlighted the costs of shifting the burden of missing trader VAT fraud to channel players. A hearing last week found in favour of Customs & Excise, both legally and evidentially, that broker Bond...

Sun shines as GE Access ties knot with tplc.(GE Access secures position)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... GE Access has finally secured a position in the UK Sun channel after completing the acquisition of Warrington-based channel development partner tplc. The deal, exclusively revealed by this magazine two months ago (see MicroScope, 25...

Check Point swings dealer axe in channel quality drive: Dominic Hall and Roanna Avison report from the Infosecurity show. (News).(CheckPOINT slashes jobs)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Check Point is to take an axe to its reseller channel and cut the number of authorised partners in the UK by 40 per cent, in a drive to reduce competition and increase quality. At the same time, the vendor is looking to take on more...

e-crime initiative aims to put clear guidelines in place. (News).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... The growing problem of e-crime has led government and industry groups to form an e-crime policy initiative. The year-long programme will involve a series of workshops with political and industry groups. It will also include a study that...

Walkabout. (News).(this year's Infosecurity exhibition )
May 6, 2003... Visitors to this year's Infosecurity exhibition at Olympia could be forgiven for thinking they had accidentally stumbled into the wrong event, greeted as they were with the imposing neon signage of an enormous NEC stand. Casting an eye...

Wanted: services sales specialists. (News).(for Morse)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Corporate reseller Morse has admitted it is struggling to find sales staff with expertise in selling services. The reseller has frequently touted services as core to its future -- despite a decline in services revenues in the third quarter...

Microsoft schools position faces investigation. (News).(by U.S. Office of Fair Trading)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Microsoft is under investigation by The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) over allegations it has abused its monopolistic position through its licensing agreements with schools. A spokeswoman for the OFT said: "We have launched an investigation...

Trent asset buy gives Tolerant SME role. (News).(Tolerant Systems Ltd. buys Trent Datacomms)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... The assets of Trent Datacomms have been sold to network management and security reseller Tolerant Systems Ltd, giving it a footing in the entry-level market. When the Staffordshire-based dealer became insolvent and went into liquidation on...

Fujitsu returns to profitability. (In Brief).(Fujitsu Services)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Fujitsu Services returned to profit for the first time in five years in the year ended 31 March, recording pre-tax profits of [pounds sterling]30.5m, compared with losses of [pounds sterling]133m in 2002. Turnover fell from [pounds...

Ingram Micro announces positive Q1 results. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Ingram Micro reported a 2.5 per cent drop in revenues to $5.5bn ([pounds sterling]3.7bn) in the first quarter to 29 March. The distributor also revealed a turnaround net income of $10.1 m, compared with net losses of $265.4rn last year....

Big Blue bites back. (In Brief).(IBM and SCO Inc. legal case)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... IBM has denied SCO's allegations that it misappropriated Unix trade secrets in a filing with the US district court. SCO sued IBM in March, claiming Big Blue had moved Unix code into the open source Linux operating system. In its filing, IBM...

CA forges ahead with on-demand computing strategy. (In Brief).(Computer Associates' products enhanced)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Computer Associates has unveiled enhancements to its Unicenter product line that allow companies to make better use of their existing computing resources, including servers and storage devices. The vendor is touting the changes as the way...

Cedilla is subject of MBO. (In Brief).(Cedilla Systems Inc., management buy-out)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Manchester-based reseller and services company Cedilla Systems has been the subject of a management buy-out. Led by managing director Mike Dickinson, the deal will see the Microsoft Business Solutions player embark on "ambitious growth plans".

Veritas revamps and speeds up migration process. (In Brief).(introduces new enhanced service)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Veritas has unveiled its new rapid assessment service, which is designed to help Legato Networker users migrate to Veritas NetBackup software. The rapid assessment service is offered in conjunction with the Veritas Consulting Services back-up...

Serena offers server support. (In Brief).(Serena Software)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Serena Software is to support the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 suite of servers. Serena ChangeMan DS enables development teams to build, manage and deploy high-quality next-generation applications. Serena ChangeMan DS complements the .NET...

Sourcefire partners with Sun. (In Brief).(Sun Microsystems Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Sourcefire has partnered with Sun Microsystems to deliver the Sourcefire Intrusion Management System on the Sun LX50 system. As part of the agreement Sourcefire has joined Sun's iForce partner programme to make all its network sensors and...

Microsoft invests in manageability. (Software).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Microsoft has outlined its plans to help the growth of the SME sector by making computing resources more manageable and simplifying systems for businesses. At a roundtable event last week, Orlando Ayala, Microsoft senior vice president for...

IBM tailors Linux to enterprise use. (Software).
May 6, 2003... IBM increased its commitment to boosting the number of open source enterprise customers with the launch of the Linux Centre of Competence at its South Bank location in London last week. The Centre is targeted at financial services...

Top ten viruses in April 2003. (Software).(computer viruses)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... The Klez worm has maintained its dominance 15 months after it originally appeared. In addition, newcomer Datemake poses a new threat to users. "While Klez refuses to go away, a new entry this month is Datemake, a type of Malware known as a...

SAN partnership blooms. (In Brief).(Cisco partnership with EMC)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Cisco and EMC have formed an agreement that will see an expansion of their partnership in the storage area network market Under the terms of the deal, EMC will resell and support the Cisco MDS 9000 family of multilayer directors and fabric...

Meta predicts 30 per cent annual growth for WLAN. (In Brief).(wireless LAN market to grow at annual rate)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... The wireless LAN market is set to grow at an annual rate of 30 per cent and is currently valued at $1.5bn ([pounds sterling]1 bn), according to research from Meta. The research group used the study to urge users to implement "serious" internal...

Martin charged with sales development at TNS. (In Brief).(TNS names Darren Martin offshore sales director)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Networking services group TNS has appointed Darren Martin as offshore sales director. Martin, who has worked at TNS since 1994, will be responsible for developing sales in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man.

Extreme Networks switch platform due for Q3 release. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Extreme Networks used the Networld+Interop event in the US last week to launch its next-generation switch platform, which it claims is capable of supporting full 10GB links. Currently codenamed Mariner, the product will be available during the...

WiFi products awarded WPA certification. (In Brief).(WiFi Alliance introduces products)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... The WiFi Alliance has unveiled its first certifications of products for compliance with the WiFi protected access specification. The products, including components and systems from Atheros Communications, Broadcom, Cisco, Intel, Intersil and...

KVM over IP switch now available from Avocent. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Avocent has released a new KVM over IP switch. The DSR800 is designed to bring the benefits of IP connectivity to smaller installations with distributed locations. The eight-port KVM switching system supports all major server platforms and...

easynet opts for direct and indirect mix. (Networking).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... easynet has set out its stall as a provider of broadband and IP services through the channel, but has warned potential partners that it has no intention of abandoning its own direct sales strategy. The company said its move to begin selling...

Switch products from Dell signify challenge for Cisco. (Networking).(Dell Computer Corp. steps up direct attack)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Dell has stepped up its direct attack on the networking maket by broadening its portfolio with the US release of three managed network switches. The PowerConnect 5212 gigabit Ethernet switch and 3348 and 33234 fast Ethernet switches mark...

Networking industry results described as 'encouraging'. (Networking).(computer networking results)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... The great and the good of the networking industry gave an indication of the way things are going, following a glut of financial results from US heavyweights. Kicking things off, Foundry Networks maintained its profitable run for the...

Lexmark shows natural progression to SMEs: Paul Kunert reports on the major announcements at the Lexmark Art and Technology conference in Valencia. (Hardware).(Lexmark International Inc.)
May 6, 2003... A year ago, Lexmark was known for its focus on the corporate and consumer markets, but according to Renaud Deschamps, director of SMB for Europe, the vendor played in the small business market almost "by default". Today the situation looks...

Great expectations and big promises for the Web: Christopher Walton reports from the Web Services for Business show, where vendors glorified their online activities. (Services).(Web Services for Business industry show)
May 6, 2003... While being dwarfed by the neighbouring Infosecurity event at London's Olympia, the Web Services for Business show saw vendors in a positive mood about carving out a niche channel with early adopter customers. Repeatedly, the message for...

LogicaCMG holds AGM. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... LogicaCMG held its first AGM last week, with executive chairman Rod Aldridge claiming performance since the merger in December had improved. He predicted "turnover will not be less than [pounds sterling]1,075m for the year to 31 December 2003"....

ServiceTec online monitor. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... ServiceTec has announced an online service management offering to monitor computer repair in real time. Director of infrastructure Phil Cole said clients felt more comfortable following maintenance progress by e-mail than through a helpdesk.

Fujitsu trains for Windows. (In Brief).(Fujitsu Services' computer program)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Fujitsu Services has developed an internal training and consultancy programme for the implementation of Windows Server 2003, claiming the application would cause "minimal disruption to [clients'] employees and businesses".

New Orleans: a city of great food, jazz and a major telecoms show. (US News).
May 6, 2003... One of my most favourite places to go in the US is New Orleans. This southern city is known for its great food, and given the fact that I am a serious foodie, I go to New Orleans at least once a year for its fabulous Jazz Fest and spend the...

No easy answer to the grey channel problem. (Editorial).
May 6, 2003... THE BATTLE BETWEEN LEVI'S and Tesco highlighted the problem manufacturers have in preventing the sale of legitimate goods at lower prices, after they have been imported from cheap foreign sources. The argument put down by those dealing with...

A giant leap: Chris Bidmead fondly remembers his first modem. At the time, it seemed super fast, but by today's standards it reveals the scale of the Internet revolution. (Editorial).
May 6, 2003... Ah, memories. Some time back in the very early 1980s I can remember hooking up my first modem and watching the glowing green characters come up on the screen almost as fast as you could read them. It was amazing -- your own personal computer...

BOScom releases BOSaNOVA. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... BOScom has launched its BOSaN0VA Clara family of IP telephony gateways. The vendor claimed they were the first to be totally secure and provide dynamic switching to PSTN.

OneAccess receives [euro]4.5m of extra financing. (In Brief).(OneAccess Networks financing)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... OneAccess Networks, a developer of broadband access solutions for telecommunications carriers and corporate networks, has completed a second round of financing, receiving [euro]4.5m ([pounds sterling]3m) in funding. The income will support...

Cisco unveils IP phone range. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Cisco has launched a set of phones to extend its P communications system to a wider range of users. The Wireless IP Phone 7920,7912G and 7902G will be introduced alongside improved IP-based hardware and software, according to The vendor.

MEA reports mobile interest rocket. (Margin Makers -- Convergence).
May 6, 2003... Moves to increase awareness about mobile working appear to be gaining momentum with the Mobile Enterprise Alliance reporting a doubling of members and a surge of interest from resellers. The group was launched at CeBIT in March with the aim...

3Com charges ahead with 'two-pronged' channel retraining scheme. (Margin Makers -- Convergence).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... 3 Com has hailed its voice channel overhaul a success as it continues to train its resellers in an attempt to raise skills levels among partners. The vendor first touted the retraining plan in March when it revealed that resellers would...

e92plus reveals latest offerings at InfoSec. (In Brief).(e92plus)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... e92plus used InfoSec to unveil a raft of new product signings, including Reef Edge's wireless network security technology AVStripper, an appliance-based anti-virus system from Ositis, the Dragon range of intrusion detection systems from...

Security Academy to EquIP resellers for accreditation. (In Brief).(EqulP Technology)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... EqulP Technology plans to open a Security Academy at its Basingstoke headquarters, as part of a scheme designed to provide resellers with training programmes that enable them to achieve accredited reseller status for a range of security...

Wick Hill introduces Competitive Upgrade scheme. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Wick Hill launched a Competitive Upgrade programme at InfoSec, which will see the distributor offer customers the ASIC-based RapidStream 11,000 firewall/VPN appliance through the special 35 per cent scheme.

EiP to distribute IdentAlink BioPassport product. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... EiP has signed a distribution agreement with biometrics vendor IdentAlink to handle its BioPassport enterprise server, which provides biometric verification for Internet and intranet security.

ISS launches security product. (In Brief).(Internet Security Systems)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Internet Security Systems has marked its entry into the security appliance market with the introduction of its Proventia family of network protection appliances. The products are designed to offer customers low-cost protection and unified,...

Is Clearswift partner an Ideal match? Dominic Hall and Simon Quicke report from the Infosecurity show at Olympia, London. (Margin Makers -- Security).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Clearswift is close to signing a deal with a non-specialist distributor to take on rights for its volume MIMEsweeper product and widen the range of resellers it sells through away from the specialist security market. The security vendor...

SME demand for Web filtering products on the rise. (Margin Makers -- Security).
May 6, 2003... A combination of legal and productivity issues are creating demand for Web filtering software in small firms. The market has matured from simply being about blocking access to pornographic sites, to offering software to improve employee...

IBM responds to critics. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... IBM has responded to criticism that its 'e-business on demand' strategy was not product driven, by shaking up its storage offerings for the enterprise and mid-market. TotalStorage SAN volume controller and the TotalStorage SAN integration...

Tectonic partners Clarity. (In Brief).(Clarity Technology)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Sun reseller Tectonic has joined forces with distributor Clarity Technology to promote Sun Microsystems storage in a direct baffle against offerings from EMC. The Leicester-based dealer will promote Sun's StorEdge product as a part of Clarity's...

Keeping an eye on optical expansion. (Interview).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Optical storage specialist Plasmon has admitted that optical products in the IT world remain niche, but insists that customers are seeing the benefits of CDs as a storage tool due to legislative requirements. Speaking to MicroScope,...

Dealers warned to evaluate sales models to ease user TCO concerns. (Margin Makers -- Storage).
May 6, 2003... The number one concern for customers buying storage is total cost of ownership, as businesses look to cope with the amount of data they generate. In a survey of storage users by the Storage Networking Industry Association Europe (Snia-E),...

The Linux effect: as support for Linux goes from strength to strength, is it possible the operating system could gain enough backing to knock Microsoft off its perch?
May 6, 2003... "One of the things that attracted me to Linux was that it was conceived, developed and espoused by people who believed in the benefits this sort of thing could bring to the industry at large, as opposed to a blind commercialism that had a...

Shop to the system: SAP dealer Novasoft has kept its head well above the choppy waters of recession, building on its strong foundation of retail expertise. (Meet the Reseller).(Company Profile)
May 6, 2003... Breaking boundaries is something that Roy Tomlinson has had to become quite accomplished at over the years. From establishing the UK arm of SAP reseller Novasoft and convincing the retail sector of the benefits of an SAP system, to influencing...

Hindsights.
May 6, 2003... From MicroScope May 1989 "I want to use my skills before I lose them" Johnnie Johnson on quitting his Pegasus managing director slot. "Amstrad may have finally turned the corner" Share comment, 3 May, on Amstrad pulling back to...

Soap.(odd sights at Infosecurity trade show )
May 6, 2003... Infosecurity had its normal mix of the unusual, outrageous and disappointing, and like all good trade shows there was more of the interesting and outrageous than the disappointing. One of the oddest sights was the Allasso Advantage Bar,...

Imation/Jordan grand prix competition: win a pair of tickets to Silverstone test day.
May 6, 2003... To celebrate 50 years of storage innovation, Imation, the data storage specialist and official technology partner of the Jordan Ford outfit, has teamed up with MicroScope to give you the chance to win the experience of a lifetime at the Jordan...

10 years ago.(price war among Hewlett-Packard distributors; Manchester United wins Footbal League trophy)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... Talk of a price war breaks out among Hewlett-Packard distributors with rivals pointing the finger at Frontline as the main offender. The distributor's sales director Allan Mack dismisses the suggestions, claiming the complaints are "sour...

15 years ago.(IBM planned to cut prices; Nancy Reagan relies on astrology)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... IBM plans to cut prices across its PS/2 range by up to 20 per cent. The cost savings come as a result of a licensing deal for the 386 from Intel. It emerges that Nancy Reagan relies on astrology when helping husband Ronald to run America.

20 years ago.(WH Smith started a price war; Hitler's diaries turn out to be fake)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2003... WH Smith starts a price war by cutting the price of the ZX81 by [pounds sterling]10. The move is followed by other major computer retailers Boots, Laskys and Greens. Hitler's diaries are examined and turn out to be fake. Meanwhile, US...

Resellers voice concern over revised IBM Ts&Cs: distributors told to offer more value add in Big Blue SME push.
May 13, 2003... Resellers have warned that the revamped Ts&Cs for IBM software distributors, designed to force them to adopt a greater value-added offering, could cause conflict in the channel. The changes mean Big Blue distributors will have to invest in...

One year on channel wishes HP a mostly happy birthday.(Hewlett-Packard Co. merger deal)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... One year after closing the largest merger deal in the history of the IT industry, Hewlett-Packard's distributors and resellers are pleased with progress, although they are still being kept in the dark over future franchise rights. Choosing...

Gamma Global opposes HP anti-grey tactic.(Hewlett-Packard Co.)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... Independent distributor and broker Gamma Global has hit back at Hewlett-Packard's plans to use European trademark laws to stem the flow of grey market product, claiming second sources play an essential role in the channel, wdtes Dominic Hall....

Where do resellers fit into HP adaptive enterprise strategy? (Analysis).(Hewlett-Packard )
May 13, 2003... When Hewlett-Packard launched its enterprise vision last week, it was hard to find any mention from the assembled executives of the role resellers would play. HP's top executives gathered together in San Jose to explain the firm's adaptive...

Ingram Micro and IBM Global Services get closer in US. (News).(trial distribution program in US)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... Ingram Micro and IBM Global Services are set to trial a distribution programme in the US allowing resellers to have a formal alliance with the vendor. The partnership was revealed to resellers at Ingram Micro's VentureTech Network event in...

Date for green shoots pushed back. (News).(personal computer sales trends)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... Corporate players have suggested there is little prospect of a rebound in PC sales in the second half of 2003, and investment banks have downgraded their unit shipments and revenues for the year. The IT market has been in the doldrums for...

Epcot lines up the writs over Learn Direct sales. (News).(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... West London-based reseller Epcot Solutions is threatening to take legal action against the government's e-learning programme Learn Direct. Epcot is preparing to issue a [pounds sterling]37m writ on 2 June for lost sales because it claims...

Trend-bucking Kelido reports big profit jump. (News).(in 2002)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... Westcoast parent company Kelido has filed a positive set of accounts for 2002, showing impressive hikes in turnover and pre-tax profits. For the year to 31 December 2002, the Reading-based volume distributor saw pre-tax profits increase 66...

ISA defends its financial status. (News).(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... Consumables distributor ISA has promised that the filing by the US subsidiary of parent Daisytek International Corporation for Chapter 11 will not impact its operations. Daisytek interim president and CEO Dale Booth said it had exhausted...

States appeal Microsoft ruling. (In Brief).(antitrust)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... Two US states have asked a federal appeals court to overturn last year's Microsoft antitrust settlement, suggesting it failed to restore competition to the software business or hold the company accountable for past misdeeds. Massachusetts and...

A classic returns. (In Brief).(Atari Corp. returns)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... A gaming name from the past, Atari, will be reappearing in stores imminently after French publisher Infogrames chose the classic brand to promote its game supporting film sequel Matrix: Reloaded which is released soon.

Parity double-checks results. (In Brief).(Parity PLC investigating marketplace)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... Parity is internally investigating the possible overstatement of revenue in the financial services unit of its Dutch subsidiary. The overstatement could total [pounds sterling]1.6m in debtor balances. Parity chief executive Ian Miller said:...

Tenon abandons MBS. (In Brief).(Tenon Group sells Microsoft Business Solutions to Touchstone)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... AIM-listed Tenon Group has sold its Microsoft Business Solutions arm to services group Touchstone for [pounds sterling]750,000 with a deferred element of [pounds sterling]325,000 payable after two years. Tenon will refocus on core services.

OpenPSL buys Clearwater-IT. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... OpenPSL has acquired service management firm Clearwater-IT. The acquisition adds to the distributor's consultancy and managed services.

Users say they want storage, dealers say they can't have it. (In Brief).(information technology sector finances)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... Lack of communication in the IT channel could cost billions of pounds in lost storage revenues, according to research by Zycko. 74 per cent of users predicted storage as a growth area, but 65 per cent had no idea about the options available to...

HP sets its sights on ambitious software target: Karen Gomm reports on the developments at the Hewlett-Packard Software Business Perspectives 2003 event in Malta. (Software).(Hewlett-Packard Co. management and planning)
May 13, 2003... Hewlett-Packard outlined plans to double its share of the enterprise management software space and become market leader at its Software Business Perspectives event in Malta last week. The vendor warned rivals that as far as the software...

MCI tries to distance itself from recent history. (Networking).(MCI WorldCom's head of third-party sales to target value-added resellers)
May 13, 2003... Andrew Lowe, head of third-party sales at telecoms group MCI WorldCom, has perhaps the least enviable job in the channel -- he's attempting to recruit and convert resellers to the benefits of a company battling against massive public image...

Sony bids to shift high street success to pro space. (Interview).
May 13, 2003... Sony products are firmly entrenched in the consumer market, but the Japanese giant has never scaled similarly heady heights in the professional space. But that will soon change if Paul McKeever, channel marketing manager at Sony Europe, is...

Foundation Systems uses consultancy-led approach. (Interview).
May 13, 2003... Customers are taking a "make do and mend approach" with their IT, according to Foundation Systems managing director Hugh Scantlebury. As a result consultancy plays a major role in the reseller's approach to doing business. "Knowing our...

Informatics could ditch UK arm following record losses. (Services).(Brief Article)
May 13, 2003... The UK arm of multinational training specialist Informatics could be sold or closed after posting disastrous results that led its parent to a near 50 per cent drop in profits. Informatics CEO Ong Boon Kheng told investors that the...

C&E VAT rules could put dealers out of business. (Finance).
May 13, 2003... The market waited with baited breath for the decision at the recent tribunal between Customs & Excise and Bond House Systems Ltd because the outcome had devastating potential. The result of the test case, which many in the UK had eagerly...

Getting caught up in an old channel cliche. (Editorial).(value-added reseellers and level playing field)(Editorial)
May 13, 2003... IT'S A CLICHE THAT'S AS old as the hills (there's another one) that is spouted by vendors and resellers all at some point in their corporate histories, that they either wish to produce or compete on a level playing field. In principle it...

Mug shot: Steve Shipside says plans to deal us state-of-the-art microchip passports are all well and good, but it's a bit pointless when the old paper ones will still be needed. (Editorial).(Column)
May 13, 2003... His nose wrinkled in disgust, a barely suppressed shudder subsided into his shoulders, and the immigration official held up my passport in much the same way as you would inspect a pair of underpants you had just discovered on the floor and...