Computer Weekly articles from July 2005

Computer Weekly archives from July 2005

British computer society ; Complexity of patient records poses huge challenge for data integration programme.(information management of National Health Service Connecting for Health programme)
July 5, 2005... Debate questions Connecting for Health programme directionl IT specialists often underestimate the complexity of records John Kavanagh computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Slow progress in computerising patient records has been highlighted...

Compliance Basel 2 regulations are likely to have a knock-on effect across the financial sector and its technology suppliers. IT directors need to act now to stay ahead of the game; Basel 2 set to change the face of financial IT.
July 5, 2005... The potential Impact of Basel 2 on the financial sector has so far only been viewed as a regulatory compliance issue. However, when you dig deeper, it could have as much of an impact on IT systems in the financial sector as the Y2K problem did....

byte night; Help children's charity at IT's annual sleep-out.(financing of National Children's Home)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Computer Weekly readers are invited to join 200 senior IT professionals at a sleep-out on London's Embankment near Tower Bridge on Friday 23 September. The aim is to raise more than [pounds sterling]250,000 for disadvantaged children. ...

Application development Giving developers the time to improve software quality at the development stage is more cost-effective than fixing bugs during the testing phase ; False economies of beat-the-clock coding.
July 5, 2005... Week in, week out we hear stories about problems with new IT applications. Only recently there were news reports about testing delaying NHS IT projects. Obviously, testing work has to be carried out to ensure that applications are only...

Women in IT; Employers back IT clubs for girls.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk Employers have pledged time, money and resources worth [pounds sterling]22m to support the national roll-out of a scheme to encourage more young women to take up careers in IT. The Computer...

Government IT; Forces resist adopting national police systems.(technology use by police departments)
July 5, 2005... system was abandoned, and fewer than 10 forces have adopted Command and Control. The key technologies for speeding up criminal justice, Case and Custody, now combined, have gone live in about 12 forces. A Pito spokesman said a further 12...

User groups; Government IT heads join CIO Connect.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Thirty members of the government's CIO Council have joined IT directors group CIO Connect to share IT strategies with the private sector. The CIO Council is chaired by government CIO Ian...

Service oriented architecture; Pru finds SOA a business winner.(service oriented architecture)(information management of Prudential PLC)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Lindsay Clark computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Using a service oriented architecture does not reduce costs in the IT department, according to John Worth, chief information officer at financial services firm Prudential. The main advantage...

Women in it Government and industry should act to address the gender imbalance in IT; Why retention is just as vital as attraction.
July 5, 2005... Since the IT sector became established in the 1970s we have witnessed the highs and lows that follow every industry: growth, greed, explosion and implosion. However, one thing has remained static in this industry - the lack of women. ...

SMARt projects Secure form filling from home frees social workers for client contact; Swindon uses wireless tablets to boost efficiency and free up its social workers.(information management of Swindon Borough Council)
July 5, 2005... Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Swindon Borough Council is running a pilot project in which social workers use wireless tablet PCs to input data remotely. The aim is to improve security of data and reduce the amount of overtime...

Women in it Working in IT is not just about being a "techie" - by increasing your exposure to the whole of the business it can open doors to wider career opportunities; Women shouldn't be put off by techie label.
July 5, 2005... As a woman in IT I have never come up against any kind of discrimination. I have never been treated badly because I was a woman, or held back, or been turned down for a job. And I have never seen any reason why women cannot make it in IT. ...

Security; Outlook flaw 'a risk to all users'.(Microsoft Outlook Express)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk A bug in Microsoft Outlook Express could allow hackers to take control of a machine even when its user does not use the e-mail program. Microsoft has issued a patch to stop hackers taking...

Mobile; Java to speed up 3G apps.(Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson's collaboration with Sun Microsystems Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Ericsson and Sun are developing a multi-tasking Java-based platform to speed up 3G mobile users' access to content and applications. The system is based on Sun's Connected Limited Device...

Identity management; ID suite focuses on integration.(product launch by BMC Software Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Enterprise management software provider BMC Software has introduced an identity management suite to facilitate on-demand computing. The software enables the allocation and management of identities...

Web services; Web services are maturing in face of obstacles to interoperability.
July 5, 2005... Conferences focus on building interoperability into web servicesl Companies move to use web services to extend the functionality of apps Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Web services are maturing, both as a means of speeding...

Web services; Java to offer improved support for XML.(details of Sun Java Enterprise Edition 5.0 and Sun Java Standard Edition 6.0)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Java is being improved to provide better support for web services and XML and offer a user interface borrowing features from the Longhorn version of Windows. The upcoming Java Enterprise...

Open source; Sun releases more Java code to developers.(Sun Microsystems Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Sun Microsystems has released key Java enterprise technologies to the open source community. Code for Java System Application Server Platform Edition 9.0 and the Java System Enterprise...

case study; Scotia Gas looks to cut costs with AppSense thin client manager.(Scotia Gas Networks uses AppSense Performance Suite)
July 5, 2005... Software manages 1,500 Citrix thin client usersl Automatic protection against zero-day viruses l Usage restrictions based on user identities Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Utility company Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) has gone...

case study; Wincanton overhauls Unix code to boost warehouse automation.
July 5, 2005... Customisation is key to warehouse systemsl Application lifecycle management aids projectl Clients' businesses not interrupted by change Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Logistics supplier Wincanton has begun to overhaul the...

Software; Novell rolls out beta of Groupwise 7.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Novell has released a beta version of its Groupwise 7 collaboration platform, which promises to offer better functionality, greater integration with rival products and pre-bundled Linux...

Security; Airline eliminates worms with intrusion detection.(El Al Israel Airlines uses V-Secure)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Hardware devices used to protect El Al networksl System foils major denial of service attackl Existing website users not blocked by system Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk El Al claims to have eliminated worm infections from its...

Government IT Analysis of two national IT programmes facing major challenges; What national police IT fiasco has to teach us for the NHS modernisation programme.(information management of United Kingdom. National Health Service and Pito)
July 5, 2005... Tony Collins tony.collins@rbi.co.uk With his trademark straight-faced humour, Richard Granger, director general of NHS IT, lamented the delivery on time of a system to enable patients and doctors to book hospital appointments...

government IT; Government is dodging ID card issues, says LSE.
July 5, 2005... ID card debate failed to address management and IT issues, say LSE experts l Home secretary dismisses information commissioner's advice Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk The government has resorted to personal attacks rather...

Outsourcing; IBM and Capita in the frame at Birmingham.(Birmingham City Council's partnership with Capita Group PLC and International Business Machines Corp.)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Birmingham City Council has shortlisted Capita and IBM as potential strategic partners for a major business transformation and IT services outsourcing project. Rival bidders EDS and...

Web services; Sun chief aims for service oriented future.(beliefs of Scott McNealy of Sun Microsystems Inc.)
July 5, 2005... Java Sun marked Java's 10th birthday with the release of more code to open source and a pledge to improve interoperability at last week's JavaOne conference in San Francisco Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Sun Microsystems...

developers conference; Microsoft lights way to Longhorn.
July 5, 2005... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Microsoft is expected to unveil further details of Longhorn, the next version of Windows at its Tech Ed developers conference in Amsterdam this week. The company will be running technical sessions...

Middleware; Sun boosts Java with SeeBeyond.(Sun Microsystems Inc. acquires SeeBeyond Technology Corp)
July 5, 2005... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Sun is acquiring middleware integration supplier SeeBeyond for [pounds sterling]216m in a bid to bolster its products for supporting service oriented architectures. Sun chairman Scott McNealy said...

Support; Tesco uses CA for standardisation.(contract with Computer Associates International Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Tesco is working with Computer Associates to provide a centralised IT service management framework. The retailer is using CA to support its operations in the UK and 11 other countries in Europe...

MPs back publication of Gateway reports.(reports of United Kingdom. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Public Accounts)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Tony Collins tony.collins@rbi.co.uk The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee is expected to recommend that Gateway reviews of risky government projects are published - in direct opposition to the Office of Government Commerce....

Contracts; Brewing giant chooses BT for global comms.(InBev S.A.'s contract with BT Global Services)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Global brewer InBev has awarded BT Global Services a [pounds sterling]122m, seven-year contract to manage its worldwide communications infrastructure. The brewer of Stella Artois, Beck's,...

Some forces reject national systems in favour of "more innovative" IT; Police systems shunned despite [pounds sterling]100m giveaway.(technology use by police departments)
July 5, 2005... Tony Collins tony.collins@rbi.co.uk The Home Office is meeting some strong resistance to its plan to persuade all police forces to install its "mission-critical" criminal justice systems although it is giving away more than [pounds...

a clearer view from the pru.(information management of Prudential PLC)
July 5, 2005... Data quality was the key to Prudential's radical overhaul of its customer information systems. The results have been lower costs, greater efficiency and improved customer service, writes Helen Beckett The Prudential built its reputation and...

Hot skills Microsoft ISA can be the basis of specialised security apps; ISA can offer a route into security for those with Microsoft skills.(Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server)
July 5, 2005... Nick Langley computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk What is it? Despite the name, Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server is not exactly a server, but part of the Microsoft network infrastructure. It is best regarded as a firewall with...

Project management; Business managers get more involved with IT.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Lindsay Clark computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Business managers are becoming more closely involved in managing IT projects, according to CIO Connect. Just over 70% of CIOs said senior business managers get involved in major IT projects...

Compliance; Cranfield experts to tackle Sarbanes-Oxley.(conference of Cranfield University. Cranfield School of Management)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... On 15 July Cranfield University School of Management will bring together experts from a range of organisations to identify business benefits from compliance with the US Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and how to cascade them throughout the organisation....

Technology; CIOs fail to see benefit of using open source.(survey)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2005... Lindsay Clark computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Open source software was not popular with the IT leaders surveyed by CIOConnect. Despite publicity about lower licensing costs and improved reliability, less than 10% thought the technology was...

A new approach is needed to avert public sector failure ; When IT should come last.
July 5, 2005... Public sector IT-based projects have been given a hard time recently - the failures have won banner headlines but the successes have been largely ignored. However, the failures have usually been serious for the people - both government...

Stop bluster over IT for ID cards.(United Kingdom. Department of Work and Pensions)
July 5, 2005... The home secretary was clearly struggling in the ID Cards Bill debate last week. His attempt to show that the government has a strong track record in running large-scale IT projects backfired badly. The examples chosen by Clarke smacked of...

training; Firms drive down ITtraining costs.(Brief Article)
July 10, 2005... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk IT departments are taking advantage of a training market oversupply to drive some hard bargains for training their workforce. Companies boosted spending on training IT staff by 6% last year, as...

education; Peer mentoring scheme.(Weston Spirit's partnership with O2 Ltd.)(Brief Article)
July 10, 2005... Lindsay Clark computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Youth charity Weston Spirit and mobile communications provider O2 have formed a partnership to develop peer mentoring in secondary schools. Just Ask Me is a peer mentoring project that...

LEGACY PLATFORMS With many experts in legacy systems approaching retirement age, users must retain IT know-how and identify which skills need to be handed on; Time to bridge the great legacy skills gap.
July 10, 2005... It has often been suggested that there is an impending skills crisis as the staff needed to maintain ageing legacy systems are themselves approaching retirement. The first thing to consider is precisely which skills are at risk. Only after...

NHS IT A London hospital trust has successfully introduced electronic patient records ; Direct communication between trust chief and supplier CEO is key to project success.(information management of United Kingdom. National Health Service)
July 10, 2005... Lindsay Clark computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk The [pounds sterling]6.2bn NHS IT national programme reached a milestone last month. The first implementation of IDX's Carecast, the software favoured by the programme in London, went live...

VIRTUALISATION; Hypervisor promises [pounds sterling]3bn cost savings on hardware, says Butler.(Andy Butler)
July 10, 2005... Applications can be pooled across fewer physical serversl Virtualisation software could cut hardware costs by [pounds sterling]3bn by 2008 Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Within the next three years IT directors could be...

LINUX; Fujitsu adds SuSE to all its top servers.(agreement with Novell Inc.)(SuSE Linux Enterprise Server)(Brief Article)
July 10, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Fujitsu is to sell Novell's SuSE Linux Enterprise Server on both its high-end Primequest and Primergy server lines. Kiyoshi Sensui, Fujitsu general manager for the Linux software development...

servers; Dell launches dual-cores for SMEs.(small and medium sized companies)(Dell PowerEdge SC430)(Brief Article)
July 10, 2005... Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Dell has released one of the first business servers based on Intel's dual-core Pentium D processor, introduced earlier this year. The servers, aimed at small and medium-sized firms, feature...

software; MS data back-up without the tape.(Microsoft System Centre Data Protection Manager to be launched)(Brief Article)
July 10, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Microsoft is planning to ship System Centre Data Protection Manager, its continuous data back-up software, in the next 30 days. DPM, which is already available in beta form, allows companies...

consolidation; Cost is key in choice of open source or Windows.(Microsoft Windows)
July 10, 2005... Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Simplifying infrastructure via server consolidation is still high on the IT directors' list of priorities this year - whether on Linux, Unix or Windows servers, substantial savings can be...

government; Isle of Man government consolidates on Windows platform.(use of Microsoft Windows 2003 Server Datacenter Edition)(Brief Article)
July 10, 2005... Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk The Isle of Man Government (IoMG) went from having a highly diverse IT infrastructure in 2002 to standardising on Microsoft's software platform, and recently told Computer Weekly it will soon...

insurance; Lloyd's cuts operating costs with Microsoft.(Lloyd's Register uses Microsoft Exchange Server 2003)(Brief Article)
July 10, 2005... Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Lloyd's Register is in the process of migrating to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, so that it can support its mobile and remote workers better and eliminate 20 Unix servers. The organisation,...

business intelligence Culture and process are pillars for success; Businesses struggle to turn data mountain into practical knowledge.
July 10, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Knowledge management products are now the most important strategic technologies for large companies, according to a survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The survey of 122...

education; University sees savings in Linux.(information management of De Montfort University)(Brief Article)
July 10, 2005... Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk De Montfort University is anticipating major cost savings and service efficiencies from using open source Linux as well as Novell's identity management software. The university is...

OUTSOURCING; Waste firm outsources IT to Digica.(contract by Shanks Waste Management)(Brief Article)
July 10, 2005... Frank Gorringe computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Waste management company Shanks Waste Management has awarded a [pounds sterling]3.4m outsourcing deal to IT services provider Digica. Digica will provide IT support, management and hosting...

continuity; London's business continuity plans pass the test as City wakes up to terrorist threat.
July 10, 2005... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk London's businesses coped well in the wake of the terrorist bomb attacks two weeks ago. The number of organisations directly affected was small, but it included important institutions such as...

telecoms; Mobile phones of little use in crisis.(analysis of companies' business continuity plans)(Brief Article)
July 10, 2005... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk The London bombing highlighted important gaps in business continuity plans, according to security experts. Many firms discovered, to their cost, that their business continuity plans relied on...

The value of mergers or acquisitions can be reduced if data migration is not sorted out before completion; The devil is in the data.
July 10, 2005... A number of recent mergers and acquisitions have hit the news headlines because of the complexity of the accompanying data migration. Many financial analysts have voiced their concerns that such migrations may affect the value of the deal -...

Business continuity plans kick in.(customer service of SunGard Data Systems Inc., Globalswitch and NDR)(Brief Article)
July 10, 2005... Businesses throughout London put disaster recovery suppliers on standby as the full scale of the bombing incidents began to unfold. Thirteen firms, mainly large insurance companies and underwriters, and one major retailer contacted disaster...

Are you prepared?(human resource management of Business enterprises)(Brief Article)
July 10, 2005... Ask how your firm would fare if significant numbers of employees were unable to get to work Set up procedures to identify staff who might be affected by such an event Ensure you can communicate through multiple channels with your...

Chance to have a say on licensing.(company forecasts of Microsoft Corp.)
July 10, 2005... Microsoft's planned revamp of its Software Assurance subscription licensing programme in September will fuel debate among IT directors across public and private sector organisations. Does it suit your organisation in terms of the frequency of...

British computer society ; Algorithms take a back seat as the machine learns to thrive in the age of uncertainty.(presentation of Christopher Bishop on machine learning)
July 12, 2005... Move away from trying to program complex tasks opens up new applications Machine learning being applied in games, medical research and graphics tool John Kavanagh computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk New approaches to machine learning...

Downtime.(management of Microsoft Corp.'s executive)(intellectual property management of Microsoft Corp.)(Hasbro Interactive Inc. formed Monopoly Live)
July 12, 2005... Error-ogenous way to keep delegates awake A Microsoft presenter at last week's Tech Ed conference in Amsterdam had a trick up his sleeve when he noticed his Powerpoint slides were sending delegates off to sleep. Watching the eyes droop as...

security Setting up automated systems that respond to events can improve adaptability; Model-based automation can help users keep pace with changing security demands.
July 12, 2005... The IT industry is under pressure to be more responsive to business needs. At the same time there are pressures to reduce costs, even as new technologies increase the complexity that chief information officers and company staff have to deal...

qualifications ; BCS gives free membership to ECDL experts.(European computer driving licence)(services of British Computer Society)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Those who pass the European computer driving licence advanced qualification are being granted free membership of the British Computer Society. The ECDL expert certificate is awarded to people...

staff retention ; IT companies offer more bonuses in attempt to retain staff.
July 12, 2005... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk IT software and services companies are offering annual bonuses to more senior IT staff in an attempt to hold on to them as the jobs market picks up, research from professional body the Chartered...

recruitment; Recruiter warns employers to screen for 'cowboy' contractors.(reports of Parity Resources)
July 12, 2005... Danger of job hopping to boost rates l Investigator warns of information theft dangerl Employers advised to improve reference checks Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Employers need to use more prudent checks and controls to...

flexible working ; Few IT SMEs allow flexible working.(small and medium sized companies)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Most small and medium-sized IT companies do not allow their staff to work flexible hours or work from home, a survey of 418 human resources managers has found. The inability of managers to...

telecoms; BT to trial its national IP network in Cardiff.(Internet protocol, British Telecommunications PLC)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk BT has chosen Cardiff and the surrounding area to build and test the first portion of its [pounds sterling]10bn UK-wide 21st Century Network (21CN). The next-generation network will rely on...

microsoft QUALIFICATIONS; MS details architects' certificate.(Microsoft certified architect programme)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk Microsoft has released further details of its forthcoming certificate programme for high-level systems architects. The new qualification will allow architects with 10 to 15 years' experience to...

SMARt projects Suppliers bid for local authority contracts over the internet in real time ; London boroughs join forces to slash their stationery costs through online auction.
July 12, 2005... Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk An online auction held at Hammersmith Town Hall in June has cut an estimated [pounds sterling]2m off the cost of stationery for the London councils that took part. The Office of Government...

sql server; SQL Server update promises high-end performance boost.(Microsoft SQL Server 2005)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Microsoft is putting the finishing touches to the update of its SQL Server relational database, due out in November. It said that after the five-year wait since SQL Server 2000, the new offering will...

exchange; Delegates given sneak preview of Exchange 12 e-mail server.(details of Microsoft Exchange Server 12.0)
July 12, 2005... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Corporate governance, mobile access for end-users and lowering the cost of e-mail administration will be the primary focus of Exchange 12, Microsoft's e-mail server which is due for release in 2006/07....

service oriented architecture; Microsoft outlines SOA strategy to make it easier to link systems.
July 12, 2005... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Microsoft promised to reduce complexity in IT departments at its annual European developers conference in Amsterdam last week. Addressing 6,000 delegates, Andrew Lees, Microsoft's corporate...

communications; Selfridges uses public mobile network to keep managers in touch on the sales floor.(contract with O2 Ltd.)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Store finds O2 network cheaper than installing cordless phone systeml Supplier boosted coverge in order to win contract Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Selfridges is using the public mobile wireless network for internal...

office; MS Office gets Visual Studio tools.(development of Microsoft Visual Studio 2005)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Microsoft has developed a version of Visual Studio 2005 that will allow users to deploy interactive forms with Office 12, the next version of the MS Office suite. The tool, called Visual Studio...

New system lets Transco more accurately match supply and demand ; [pounds sterling]70m gas IT system takes control of half UK energy.(National Grid Transco)
July 12, 2005... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk National Grid Transco has completed the roll-out of a [pounds sterling]70m computer system that will allow the firm to control gas transmission across the UK more efficiently by accurately matching...

analysis Accounts committee report contains lessons for supporters of ID card scheme and calls for a revision of the Office of Government Commerce's review policy; Government departments failing to realise benefits of Gateway reviews, say MPs.
July 12, 2005... Mike Simons mike.simons@rbi.co.uk Ministers and senior Whitehall officials determined to press ahead with the national identity cards scheme would do well to study a report by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee that was...

outsourcing In its deal with IBM and Serco, Bradford Council negotiates an option for staff that could redefine the way employees are treated in outsourcing contracts; Council offers IT staff choice in IBM deal.
July 12, 2005... Lindsay Clark computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Bradford City Council last month signed an outsourcing deal that could redefine the parameters of public and private sector IT outsourcing. IBM in partnership with Serco Solutions was...

software licensing; Mobile kit complicates licensing.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk The proliferation of mobile devices is making it harder for companies to stop employees using illegal or counterfeit software, according to a survey of 500 business managers. Of those...

OUTSOURCING; Law Society farms out IT to aid compliance.(contract with LogicaCMG PLC)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk The Law Society has outsourced its IT services to LogicaCMG as part of a five-year, [pounds sterling]9m contract. Designed to help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the...

supply chain; Philips migrates to SQL Server reporting to improve supply chain management.(Philips Consumer Electronics Co.'s contract with Panorama)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Daily updates provided drawing on a company's existing SAP systeml Panorama provides easy to access front-end reporting Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Philips Consumer Electronics is installing software based on Microsoft SQL...

networks; Reuters rolls out VoIP system for 3,000 staff at Canary Wharf HQ.(voice over Internet protocol, headquarters)(Affiniti's contract with Reuters Group PLC)(Deutsche Bank AG's contract with Getronics N.V.)(technology use by Trafford Council)
July 12, 2005... Staff can make IP calls while roaming in officesl System integrates voice and e-mail messagesl Roll-out is template for future global deployments Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Reuters has installed an IP network in its...

technology ; Servers crash Abbey Business site.(information management of Abbey National PLC)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Abbey business customers were unable to carry out online transactions for most of 4 July, after the servers behind the company's business banking website were brought down by a "technical error"...

Nasa astronauts get virtual assistant.(technology use by National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Nasa and Xerox are taking speech recognition technology into space with the development of a "voice operated virtual crew assistant" for astronauts. A robot system called Clarissa has been developed to enable astronauts to be more...

government IT; Parliament looks set for Revenue systems debate.(information management of HM Revenue and Customs of United Kingdom)(Microsoft Office 12.0)(European Software Directive)
July 12, 2005... Tony Collins tony.collins@rbi.co.uk The government is likely to face a parliamentary debate later this year on the state of the administration and management of HM Revenue and Customs, including recent disclosures in Computer Weekly...

Office 12 security may hamper integration.(enhancement of Microsoft Office 12.0)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Microsoft is planning fundamental changes to its Office 12 desktop productivity suite that could prevent easy integration with many applications built in VBA (Visual Basic for Applications). ...