The Washington Times On Computers column.(Column)

Byline: Mark Kellner

Jul. 24--IT'S TIME TO REVISE HOW IT FUNCTIONS: Just about every one of us who uses a computer is interconnected. In large business enterprises, in government, in schools and colleges, we're all dependent upon networked systems and those systems must grow.

Alan F. Nugent, chief technical officer of CA Inc., the Islandia, New York-based multibillion-dollar software firm once known as Computer Associates, says CA's goal now is to let companies run their information technology departments "like a business."

That sounds easy, of course, but there are many speed bumps.

Information technology is often most concerned with fixing …