Computer Weekly articles from August 2003

Computer Weekly archives from August 2003

BCS votes in two vice-presidents.(British Computer Society)(Brief Article)
August 5, 2003... John Kavanagh computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Two senior IT industry people have been elected to top BCS volunteer posts. Brian Collins has become BCS vice-president of external relations. He is a director of Europim Consulting and...

NEXT MOVE.
August 5, 2003... The question What can I do to move up the IT ladder? Soon after my graduation I started my career with an NHS trust. I have been working there as a software developer for nearly one year, but my aim is to be an IT professional in...

Cosmic-FFP offers an alternative to function point analysis method.(developed by Common Software Measurement International Consortium )
August 5, 2003... John Kavanagh computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk A standard method for measuring software size to estimate project resources and schedules has progressed from an idea to an international standard in a record four years. Users of methods...

Web Cad tools will be a big draw.
August 5, 2003... hot skills Computer-aided design is 61st in the SSL/CW skills list Nick Langley computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk What is it? Computer-aided design has not completely replaced the drawing board and pen. Many creative professionals...

Determined techies climb every mountain.
August 5, 2003... Three peaks challenge IT staff hike Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon for charity Antony Adshead antony.adshead@rbi.co.uk This year's Vanco Three Peaks Challenge saw 29 teams of IT professionals climb the highest mountains in...

"Good morning, Pakistan" - Computer Weekly goes global.
August 5, 2003... This week sees an exotic addition to the Computer Weekly portfolio with the launch of Computer Weekly Pakistan at a gala event in Karachi. Computer Weekly Pakistan is the first regional edition of the newspaper to be published. Some 40,000...

Revenue tells staff: no peeking.(could face disciplinary action)
August 5, 2003... Tony Collins tony.collins@rbi.co.uk The Inland Revenue has warned its staff, who are waiting for their own tax credits to be paid, not to check their records on the department's computer systems, or risk disciplinary action. ...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
August 5, 2003... IT should promote its skills to the business Len Palmer Managing director SharpOWL Software International As Karl Cushing rightly points out, the fact that 40% of workers with IT-related degrees are not presently working in...

Don't let storage become a bottomless pit.(use of storage resource management software suggested)
August 5, 2003... Hardware prices are falling but the total cost of ownership for storage is rising. Savvy IT chiefs are using storage resource management to rein in spiralling costs Julia Vowler computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk The price of discs may be...

workplace; Bosses introduce love contracts as 70% admit having office affairs.
August 5, 2003... Ross Bentley ross.bentley@rbi.co.uk A survey by AOL of 10,052 people found that 71% of UK adults have had a love affair with a colleague. More than 25% of respondents are still in relationships with partners from office romances,...

Users left in the dark as SCO remains tight-lipped about evidence for Linux lawsuits.
August 5, 2003... linux Questions about its plans to sue users are likely to dominate SCO's annual forum Karl Cushing karl.cushing@rbi.co.uk In two-weeks' time thousands of SCO users and Linux backers will converge on Las Vegas for the annual SCO...

FT to save [pounds sterling]1m through new server strategy.(Financial Times using Fujitsu Siemens' servers)(Brief Article)
August 5, 2003... James Rogers james.rogers@rbi.co.uk The Financial Times has added servers from Fujitsu Siemens to its existing Sun infrastructure in a move that is designed to save the company more than [pounds sterling]1m over the next three years...

ICI Paints gives its managers the ability to update website content.(with Percussion's Rhythymyx software)
August 5, 2003... l Content management system lets business users manage firm's websites l Process will reduce IT costs and provide better service to customers Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk ICI Paints is deploying content management software...

Mid-size shops can't meet chip and Pin target.(Industry Overview)
August 5, 2003... Daniel Thomas daniel.thomas@rbi.co.uk Thousands of medium-sized retailers will be forced to rent chip and Pin-enabled terminals from banks because they cannot meet next year's deadline for updating point-of-sale systems, industry...

Companies' poor security policies hamper police investigations into computer crime.
August 5, 2003... l Computer Crime Unit blames weak management for shelved inquiriesl Security policies fail to set out best practice clearly for employees Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk Police forces are having to abandon investigations into...

Online catalogue enables small firms to reap SAP benefits.
August 5, 2003... Karl Cushing karl.cushing@rbi.co.uk British Pepper and Spice, one of the UK's oldest companies, has streamlined its accounting processes by using software modules downloaded from an online SAP catalogue. SAP, once seen as only...

Timms: public sector to bulk buy broadband.(Brief Article)
August 5, 2003... James Rogers james.rogers@rbi.co.uk E-commerce minister Stephen Timms has announced the establishment of nine regional bodies which will co-ordinate the purchase of broadband technology for the public sector. From October, the...

ITNet [pounds sterling]83m datacentre contract.(Brief Article)
August 5, 2003... James Rogers james.rogers@rbi.co.uk The Cabinet Office has awarded an [pounds sterling]83m datacentre hosting contract to Birmingham-based supplier ITNet. Work will now begin on transferring the Government Gateway, which is...

Mirror group to centralise IT in bid to slash costs.(Brief Article)
August 5, 2003... Daniel Thomas daniel.thomas@rbi.co.uk Newspaper group Trinity Mirror is planning to centralise its disparate IT operations, as part of a plan to cut its annual costs by [pounds sterling]25m by 2005. The company, which publishes...

Sun chief predicts 90% of IT jobs will go as firms outsource systems.(Industry Overview)
August 5, 2003... l McNealy says firms should only run systems that give competitive edgel Most IT has become interchangeable and offers no market gain Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Companies will have to lay off up to 90% of their IT staff and...

Retailers show how to make loyalty cards pay.(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
August 5, 2003... Daniel Thomas daniel.thomas@rbi.co.uk Leading retailers in Europe and the US are finally starting to make good use of the mass of customer data yielded by their loyalty card schemes, according to a report from analyst firm GartnerG2....

In-house mobile phone networks could bring 20% telecoms savings.
August 5, 2003... l Nokia says firms could build their own mobile phone networks in offices l Technology could cut costs and overcome WLan roaming problems Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Companies could make significant savings by creating mobile...

Revenue warns staff not to check their records.(future superworm alert)(Brief Article)
August 5, 2003... Users beware superworm of the future Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk A future generation of computer worm could spread across the internet in a matter of seconds, a security expert has warned. Speaking at the Defcon security...

Take part in our storage survey and win a trip to Bruges.
August 5, 2003... Computer Weekly, in conjunction with EMC and the Storage Expo show, is offering readers the chance to win one of two weekends in Bruges by completing our online storage survey. With demand for corporate data storage predicted to double this...

British Airways will not cut back IT projects despite strike losses.(Brief Article)
August 5, 2003... James Rogers james.rogers@rbi.co.uk British Airways has denied that the recent wildcat strike by check-in staff at Heathrow Airport will affect its long-term IT strategy, despite costing the company up to [pounds sterling]40m. BA...

IT workers at risk from child pornography laws.
August 5, 2003... l IT staff have no legal protection if they find porn on corporate systeml ISPs want change in the law to protect staff who encounter illegal files Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk The government is under pressure to close a...

Angry users ready to take on SCO over Linux licence.
August 5, 2003... Industry bodies call on SCO to prove Linux 2.4 kernel breaches copyright SCO demands Linux users pay licence fee or face prosecutionl Legal threat could harm the future of open source development Karl Cushing & James Rogers ...

Watch out for: ; Superworms -; the next big threat; from hackers.(Brief Article)
August 5, 2003... Brace yourself for the next generation of security threat: "superworms" that can spread across the internet within seconds. The potential threat of future worms unleashed by hackers was the one of the hot topics on the agenda at the Defcon...

Non-fee directors' club offers support to former IT chiefs.
August 5, 2003... IT directors undergoing the pain of redundancy can hold their heads up high and be assured of a warm welcome from the IT Directors' Network, a new independent user group. The recently launched 200-strong group is a non-fee, not-for-profit,...

IT managers get benefits of top CIOs' experience.(with IT-Connect)
August 5, 2003... Chief information officer-level directors will regularly address junior IT directors in a new, broader-based offshoot of the exclusive user club CIO-Connect. IT-Connect is targeted at the next management level down from CIO-Connect...

Downtime.
August 5, 2003... Survey shows PCs damage your health It's official - IT is bad for you. A new report commissioned by retailer PC World found that 50% of PC users have experienced health-related problems from extended use of their computer. Common ailments...

IT professionals should revert to child's play for better inventions.
August 19, 2003... John Kavanagh computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk IT staff should be given the time and space to return to a childhood approach to creativity as this will benefit their organisation and themselves, according to a senior BCS member. Arjan...

Will the net improve democracy?
August 19, 2003... John Kavanagh computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Issues surrounding the impact of the internet on democracy are being considered for research by the BCS Sociotechnical Specialist Group. A study of e-democracy by the group is likely to go...

What price experience? Tackling IT ageism.
August 19, 2003... Many older IT professionals are finding that employers favour youth over experience and wisdom. However, new laws could force them to change their ways Ross Bentley ross.bentley@rbi.co.uk "Recruiting companies seem wrapped up in...

Rewarding customer satisfaction.
August 19, 2003... The finalists in the Business Analyst and IT Service Manager of the Year categories of the BCS IT Professional Awards Continuing our series of articles profiling the finalists in the BCS IT Professional Awards, this week we feature the...

Whitehall spending watchdog examines [pounds sterling]2.3bn NHS IT plan.(National Audit Office)
August 19, 2003... The National Audit Office wants to know how the Department of Health will manage risks Tony Collins tony.collins@rbi.co.uk The Department of Health's [pounds sterling]2.3bn national programme for IT is under scrutiny by government...

Pilots prove project value.(Editorial)
August 19, 2003... Boards need evidence before giving the go-ahead BYLINE: Paul Tarttelin Opinion In these times of sensible spending, before any new IT project gets the green light, the true value of the project needs to be proven to the board. The...

Eyes don't have it for ID.
August 19, 2003... UKID cards with biometric technology is overkill BYLINE: Bart VansevenantOpinion A leaked Home Office document has revealed plans to roll out national ID cards in the UK. It proposes introducing the cards gradually over a 13-year...

The value of mapping your IT landscape.(Tussaud's uses Intuit's Track-it)
August 19, 2003... When Tussaud's audited its hardware and software, the savings it discovered it could make paid for the process and led to group-wide efficiencies Julia Vowler computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk August is always a quiet time for companies,...

linux rises to ; every challenge.
August 19, 2003... Despite the high-profile problems Linux has faced recently, it is still the fastest-growing operating system. What is it that makes users flock to use it when they are threatened by costly licencing measures and doubts over security standards?...

Don't look forward to the next big thing.
August 19, 2003... Many of those in the IT industry who have been buffeted, bounced and bumped along the bottom of the worst growth downturn we have had, look to analysts and visionaries to predict a rosier future. But that future does not have a lot to do...

Thames Water's India deal leads way to offshore future for utilities.(Industry Overview)
August 19, 2003... l Indian staff handle customer billing remotelyl Backlog cleared and service levels exceededl Analysts predict more offshore BPO deals Karl Cushing karl.cushing@rbi.co.uk Outsourcing experts have predicted there will be a sharp...

Anti-monopoly fine could hit Microsoft software quality.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Karl Cushing karl.cushing@rbi.co.uk Users could be faced with poorer quality software if the EC fines Microsoft up to [pounds sterling]2bn for anti-competitive behaviour and forces it to open up its source code, according to industry...

mobile ; Injuries trial proves value of MMS.(Scottish emergency services)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Karl Cushing karl.cushing@rbi.co.uk Analysts predict a sharp uptake in photo messaging in the public and private sectors following the launch of a trial by Scottish emergency services. In a six-month trial, officers at the Fife...

SCO will not refund Linux licence fees.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Karl Cushing karl.cushing@rbi.co.uk SCO Group claimed its Linux licensing programme is "on track" and played down the legal action taken against it by IBM and Red Hat ahead of this week's SCO Forum event in Las Vegas. The company also...

In-house staff to manage [pounds sterling]850m Defra deal.(Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs )
August 19, 2003... l Defra to outsource its IT function next yearl New IT chief recruited from industryl In-house team will now oversee IT strategy James Rogers james.rogers@rbi.co.uk The Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is to...

Victory for campaigners as government agrees to update the Computer Misuse Act.
August 19, 2003... e-crime Home Office agrees to change the law following Computer Weekly campaign Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk After 18 months of campaigning by Computer Weekly, politicians, and leading IT industry bodies, the Home Office...

IT spending boom for small firms.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Ross Bentley ross.bentley@rbi.co.uk The growth in spending on IT products and services by small and medium-sized companies is almost double that of large enterprises, according to figures from the latest Computer Weekly/Kew Associates...

Royal Marines get advanced electronic warfare systems.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... The Army and the Royal Marines are to be kitted out with the world's most advanced electronic warfare equipment as part of the [pounds sterling]140m Soothsayer project. The Soothsayer system, which is fitted to vehicles, intercepts and...

Skipton move shaves [pounds sterling]3m off annual data costs.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Nick Huber nick.huber@rbi.co.uk Skipton Building Society has cut its IT costs by [pounds sterling]3m a year by moving its main data processing systems to Windows Datacentre technology. The building society said the move to...

IBM financial package clinches Lego upgrade.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk An attractive financial package was the deciding factor in toy maker Lego's decision to migrate from Hewlett-Packard to IBM, as it looked to replace its legacy Tru64 and NT 4.0 systems. Lego...

On-demand desktop offers savings.(myCOE from EDS)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Karl Cushing karl.cushing@rbi.co.uk IT services firm EDS has claimed its new on-demand offering for desktop management, myCOE, can save users between 10% and 20% on the cost of managing their desktops internally. Dirk Bulcke,...

Customs extends PFI contract.(Private Finance Initiative contract with Fujitsu Services)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... James Rogers james.rogers@rbi.co.uk Customs & Excise is to pay an extra [pounds sterling]249m to Fujitsu Services in an extension of a Private Finance Initiative contract signed in 1999. Last month a Treasury report said the...

Lawyers first with Exchange 2003.(Wragge & Co.)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Law firm Wragge & Co has become the UK's first user of Microsoft Exchange 2003. It will use the software to provide integrated messaging. A key driver for Wragge & Co in selecting Exchange 2003...

DoH reveals contenders' shortlist for NHS IT.
August 19, 2003... Mike Simons mike.simons@rbi.co.uk The Department of Health last week unveiled the shortlist of contractors for the [pounds sterling]2.3bn IT modernisation of the NHS. BT, IBM Lockheed will fight it out for the contract to provide a...

Barclays shows cost wins override outsource fears.(for Build Services)
August 19, 2003... l Barclays considers outsourcing application development offshorel Move shows businesses are now willing to put out the "crown jewels" of IT Nick Huber nick.huber@rbi.co.uk The news that Barclays is considering outsourcing its...

Bugs on Microsoft patch site left users vulnerable to Blaster worm.
August 19, 2003... l Microsoft changed the way its Windows Update site functions last weekl Change meant users wrongly thought they had applied software patch Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Microsoft added to the problems caused by last week's...

Twelve-year-old passes ; ITA-level.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk A 12-year-old has become one of the youngest students to pass a computing A-level, after completing the two-year course in just nine months. Jonathon Prior of New Malden, Surrey gained a grade D...

Watchdog probes national IT plan.
August 19, 2003... IN BRIEF Government Secure Intranet gets overhaul Telecoms firm Energis has been awarded a [pounds sterling]40m, five-year contract to overhaul the Government Secure Intranet. Energis replaces incumbent supplier Cable & Wireless in...

Lessons of 9/11 helped US cope with power cut.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Cliff Saran & Karl Cushing cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Last Thursday's power cuts across the east coast of North America were the first test of the billions of dollars spent on business continuity plans since the 11 September terror attacks....

Downtime.
August 19, 2003... If you're not on the list, you're not coming in Criminals can't get banged up for love or money these days, and it's all thanks to those pesky computers. Burglar Martin O'Neill escaped from a jail for young offenders in March to visit...

Has IT sector peaked?
August 19, 2003... The question of how much steam is left in the IT revolution will be the theme of the IT debate of the year on 30 September at London's National Liberal Club. The concern-tinged but fun debate, organised by the Real Time Club, the Institute...

Demand for Cobol skills on the rise.
August 19, 2003... At a recent gathering of IT leaders, one IT director from a well-known insurance firm confessed he was facing a team skills crisis. Although he needed people who knew legacy systems, he found that his team of web developers and Java...

How Computer Weekly's campaign spurred the Home Office to action.
August 19, 2003... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk Computer Weekly began its Lock Down the Law Campaign in February last year, when senior police officers raised concerns about their ability to bring prosecutions against denial of service attackers...

Challenge-response systems could beat spam.
August 19, 2003... Spam is increasing dramatically and the volume may well become unbearable in another year, or maybe two. What can be done about it? It would help if all the world's governments took a hostile attitude to spam, but there is no chance of...

The case for inclusion.
August 19, 2003... The technology to transform the way that disabled people can be included in the business environment is already here. But how to introduce the inclusive policies and practices needed to release this potential is a core concern of a select...

Data protection: IT chiefs' growing burden.
August 19, 2003... New legislation in the US and a string of security breaches could see companies start to change the way they keep their customers' data private and secure The importance of data privacy is growing. In the past, it was possible to maintain...

NCC adds Institute for ITTraining to its portfolio.(National Computing Centre )
August 19, 2003... The National Computing Centre is on the acquisition trail in its mission to improve users' return on investment by championing quality and professionalism in IT. This month it bought the Institute of IT Training for an undisclosed sum,...

IBM countersues SCO over Linux.
August 19, 2003... l SCO unveils its Intellectual Property Licence for Linuxl IBM and Red Hat contest supplier's copyright claims Karl Cushing karl.cushing@rbi.co.uk Last week saw significant developments in the row over whether the latest versions...

in brief.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... in brief EMC outlines open software strategy Storage giant EMC has outlined its strategy for the coming year at its annual financial analyst meeting in New York. EMC executive vice-president Mark Lewis said the company's open software...