Wikis, Blogs Won't Survive (Line56)

Mark Harrison of Kineo makes brave prediction; why it won't play out

Is Microsoft bad for business? (FT)

Microsoft is unquestionably the most influential player in the IT industry. Simply uttering the word Microsoft can trigger emotionally charged – and often stock – outbursts from the most sedate people.

Google’s rise and rise frightens web giants (FT)

Silicon Valley has been rife with speculation about potential mergers among the handful of companies that dominate the internet.

Behind all the talk is the rise of Google, which has used the cash thrown off by its fast-growing search advertising network to finance a push into other online activities ranging from the Froogle comparison shopping site to a new online video store.

Gartner Says Shift IT Mission from Cutting Costs to Creating High Performance Workplaces (Tekrati)

Competitive advantage will come from IT projects that enable business growth by augmenting the behaviour of key knowledge workers, according to Gartner presentations during its Symposium/ITxpo in Barcelona this week. Web 2.0 adoption will play a critical role in improving knowledge worker performance and moving towards a high performance workplace.

Web 2.0: Gemeinsam statt einsam - Gartner Symposium/ITxpo ortet Nachholbedarf für Unternehmen (contentmanager.de)

Web 2.0 als Chance für Unternehmen

Use Beta 2 to Get to Know Windows Vista and 2007 Office System (Gartner)

Microsoft's beta 2 products will give you a chance to learn about new features. If you are standardized on Windows 2000, especially, start working with Windows Vista now.

Key Microsoft products on target (FT)

Microsoft on Tuesday moved to restore faith in its ability to launch key products on schedule, releasing second test versions of its Windows Vista operating system, Office 2007 programs suite and Windows Longhorn Server software.

Stellent untermauert Führungsposition im Multi-site Management mit neuem Release von Site Studio (contentmanager.de)

Stellent stellt auf der AIIM 2006 Konferenz eine neue Version seiner preisgekrönten Multi-site Management-Applikation Stellent® Site Studio vor. Site Studio - eine Applikations-komponente der Stellent ECM-Suite - ist die Infrastruktur für Erstellung, Pflege und Publikation von Multi-Site Web-Projekten, bei denen mehrere interne und externe Websites bei einer optimalen Aufgabenverteilung innerhalb einer Organisation implementiert werden sollen.

Die neue Version von Site Studio gibt Website-Verantwortlichen - oftmals der "Zielgruppenexperte" innerhalb eines Geschäftsbereichs oder einer Abteilung- neue Möglichkeiten bei der "in-context" Erstellung und Gliederung der Website durch den neuen Site Studio Manager. Weitere Verbesserungen in Site Studio sind integrierte Nutzungsanalysen und Statistiken sowie erweiterte Suchfunktionen.

Tridion präsentiert gute finanzielle Ergebnisse über 2005 (contentmanager.de)

Gutes Umsatzwachstum durch fortlaufende Erfolge in Europa und zunehmende Nachfrage in den USA

Tridion, Anbieter von Content Management-Lösungen, hat heute seine hervorragenden Ergebnisse über 2005 bekannt gegeben. Die Verkaufszunahme hat sich seit 2004 fortgesetzt; das Unternehmen hat über das Jahr 2005 einen Rekordgewinn erzielt. Mit einem Nettogewinn von 3,6 Millionen bei einem Umsatz von 18,6 Millionen Euro konnte Tridion eine Netto-Gewinnspanne von 19 % verzeichnen. Die Bilanzen des Unternehmens bleiben mit einem Umlaufvermögen von 9,2 Millionen Euro am Ende des Jahres 2005 weiterhin stabil.

IBM Updates Lotus Notes (Line56)

Support for Open Document Format (ODF) strengthens alternative to Microsoft Office

Yahoo harnesses users’ collective knowledge (FT)

Yahoo will on Wednesday set out plans to harness the collective knowledge and interests of its 400m regular users to develop the next generation of search technology and narrow the gap with internet juggernaut Google.

The vision, to be outlined at the company’s analyst day in San Francisco, comes as Google’s growing lead in search and its steady encroachment in e-commerce and other forms of internet activity have touched off a scramble among rivals.

Terry Semel, Yahoo’s chairman, revealed last week that the company had discussed merging at least part of its search business with Microsoft, though those talks were abandoned.

But in an effort to leap ahead of Google, Yahoo has been experimenting with tapping into the collective wisdom of its users.

read the article

Gates outlines SharePoint strategy, hammers IBM (InfoWorld)

Microsoft anoints SharePoint Server 2007 as key to its collaboration future

Microsoft's Bill Gates Monday opened the first ever SharePoint Conference by anointing SharePoint Server 2007 the key to the company's collaboration future and ripping rival IBM/Lotus.

Content and Learning (Line56)

Easier access to more content complicates, not resolves, the learning problem; someone still has to do the training

ASG stellt vor: Das umfassendste Content-Managementsystem der Welt (contentmanager.de)

Total-Information-Ownership-Konzept vereint Funktionen für Business Intelligence mit dem Management von strukturierten und unstrukturierten Daten sowie von Informationen aus ERP-, CRM- und anderen Unternehmenssystemen

Untersuchungen zufolge verbringen Geschäftsleute bis zu 35 Prozent ihrer Zeit alleine mit der Suche nach den richtigen Informationen. ASG, Anbieter von Unternehmenssoftware für Global 5000-Unternehmen, bringt in Europa eine Lösung auf den Markt, die dieses Schlüsselproblem auf effektivere Weise adressiert: die "Total-Information-Ownership" (TIO)-Suite.

Microsoft joins hunt for next big thing (FT)

Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer of Microsoft, has joined a growing list of technology and media company bosses who have taken to trawling Silicon Valley in person in search of the next hot start-ups.

Softricity Buy Could Serve Microsoft's Strategy in Many Ways (Gartner)

Microsoft plans to buy Softricity and offer its virtualization technology to address application compatibility issues. But the technology could eventually support Windows Live, server virtualization and consumer markets.

The World Wide Web: Going Mobile? - Week of 05/11/2006 (Analyst Views)

The World Wide Web: Going Mobile? - Week of 05/11/2006

That cell phone use is on the rise is obvious; a recent report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, the Associated Press, and AOL shows this in detail. From the report, "For some, the cell phone has become so central to their communications needs that they lose track of the expenses associated with their phones. Some 36 percent of cell owners say that they have been shocked from time to time at the size of their monthly bills." Along with their increased usage the application of cell phones has also expanded; cell phones now interface smoothly with Microsoft Outlook and other productivity products, allow users to send text messages, and provide access to the Internet. This last feature is one that has gotten at least its fair share of press recently, much of it in response the release of a report from Ipsos Insight.

The annual Ipsos Insight report entitled the Face of the Web, has suggested that mobile phones are poised to take over the PC as the medium for accessing the Web. Brian Cruikshank, senior vice president and managing director of Ipsos Insight's Technology and Communications practice says that, "Accessing the Internet on a wireless handheld device is no longer a novelty for consumers in the major global economies. It's becoming a common, everyday occurrence for many people." Though this may be the case on a global scale, according to Forrester Research it is far from true in North America; Forrester reports that most users in North America do not use cell phones willingly or frequently for this purpose.

However, just the fact that such an action is possible, when combined with the shear number of mobile phones in circulation, has major players in both the cell phone service and online content service arenas, sometimes hand in hand, responding. Given the money to be made this is not a surprise; according to eMarketer Inc., Internet related advertising generated $5.1 billion in 2005. The $100 million cell phone advertising in the same period may only be a fraction of the total, but according to a Wall Street Journal article, "The companies contend that even though only a small number of people currently use their phones to search for information online, there is a huge potential market with twice as many cellphones in use globally as PCs." Though mobile phones are now being used more than ever to access the Web may true, Forrester does report that even in North America more people are accessing the Web via their phones, the move from being shocked by a bill to regularly using a phone to access the Web may be more of a leap than a step. What is clear is that the first steps have been taken.

AOL is one of the players trying to position itself for the mobile Web. In July of last year AOL launched mobile search services that were similar to those available on their PC oriented site. Just last month they followed this release up with a "Surf the Web" option which reportedly removes many of the challenges encountered when trying to access the Web on a mobile device. "Surf the Web" not only returns search results formatted for the mobile device, but will perform this action for most web sites. Microsoft is also making moves; they recently purchased Paris-based MotionBridge, a company that provides search services for mobile phones. According to the Wall Street Journal, MotionBridge, "specializes in software that searches within a service provider's own branded cellphone portal." Further, at their Silicon Valley Road Show this month Microsoft unveiled a new technology named "Wild Thing" which limits the number of characters users need to enter in a search when the search is conducted on a mobile device; the software inserts 'wild cards' in an effort to lessen the aggravation of users. Yahoo! and Google are also on board with mobile services; Yahoo! has partnered with Cingular Wireless and Google is working with both Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom. Even with all they are putting into it, getting users to frequent the mobile Web may not be the end-game for the online players involved; they may have other motives for providing the services. The Wall Street Journal article mentions that, "Success on cellphones could potentially translate into increased market share for Internet services accessed from PCs."

The increased use of the mobile Web may have implications beyond just the development of business plans to capitalize on it. For example, of mobile search it has been said that it will pave the way for better search across the board. The limitations encountered when using a mobile device to search, chief among them text entry and results display, require providers to improve their service; these improvements will then be incorporated into the standard product. In addition, with technologies such as AJAX allowing what were once desktop based applications to migrate to the Web, users may be able to access and operate these applications on their phones. A case in point is Microsoft's Windows Live which offers Web-based versions of many of Microsoft's office products; according to Matt Champagne, director of MSN Mobile, "Most mobile services will be on Windows Live."

The mobile Web is here, its use is increasing, the major players are working on its development, and with the amount of money to be had in the market it is unlikely to disappear. Whether it is accessed via a phone or other portable device may not be as important to note as what it suggests, true mobile convergence is well on its way and it will incorporate and change the way information is presented and the technology used to retrieve it.

Google refocuses on search business (FT)

Google has refocused its development activities in an attempt to channel more of its resources into its core search engine, Eric Schmidt, chief executive officer, said on Wednesday.

The move is part of what the Google head described as an effort to introduce a more “systematic” approach to the company’s management as it tries to deal with headlong growth.

The shift in emphasis to put more resources into search follows a period of rapid diversification that has seen Google launch a wide range of initiatives beyond its core business, from the Google Talk instant messaging service to a WiFi service in San Francisco. The company recently carried out its first systematic analysis of its development efforts and discovered that the proportion of work dedicated to search had fallen below its long-running 70 per cent target, according to executives.

It also comes at a time when Microsoft and Yahoo! are redoubling their own efforts to claim a bigger share of the search market.

Google executives denied that the realignment of their development work had not been prompted by the threat of growing competition in their core search business. However, commenting on the Microsoft and Yahoo, Mr Schmidt said: “None of the other competitors are emphasising the 70 per cent, which is search.”

By allowing all of its development staff one day a week to work on their own projects – something known inside the company as “20 per cent cent time” – Google has become a model for other technology companies looking for ways to become more innovative. While saying that they still aimed to give engineers free reign to promote new ideas, however, company executives said that they had shifted the balance somewhat in favour of a more centralised direction.

“We’re now taking the steps to encourage people – not telling them – to focus on the 70 per cent,” Mr Schmidt said.

The realignment was part of a broader initiative to build more coherent processes into Google’s operations as it gets bigger without at the same time burdening it with a new layer of bureaucracy, he added. “The goal this year is to systematise everything at Google,” said Mr Schmidt.

The company’s earlier system of encouraging engineers to develop new products and submit these for review by more senior executives had resulted in a “traffic jam” of projects as the number of initiatives multiplied, he added. As a result, Google has shifted the balance towards a more centralised approach to product development.

“We really did a full re-ordering around not what the engineers were doing but around product investment,” Mr Schmidt said. “It’s a different model and I think it works very well.”

Portal + Database (Line56)

If you're planning an information-rich portal, don't forget the database; the case of the American Osteopathic Association

Maßgeschneiderte Enterprise CMS-Lösungen zu Konfektionspreisen (contentmanager.de)

Mit der "AxCMS.net Express Solution" bietet der Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Axinom als exklusives Angebot für seine Partner die Erstellung kompletter Enterprise CMS-Lösungen nach Kundenanforderungen an - angepasst an das vorgegebene Layout, fertig implementiert, konfiguriert und auf dem Kundenserver für die Weiterbearbeitung oder den produktiven Betrieb installiert.

Open Text ist Gründungsmitglied der SAP® Enterprise Services Community (contentmanager.de)

Open Text (Nasdaq: OTEX, TSX: OTC) ist Gründungsmitglied der neuen Enterprise Services (ES) Community von SAP. Das hat der führende Anbieter von Enterprise Content Management (ECM)-Software auf seiner Kundenkonferenz LiveLinkUp Central Europe 2006 bekannt gegeben, die heute in Köln stattfindet. Das Unternehmen ist damit einer der ersten ECM-Anbieter, die der Community beigetreten sind."

Die Enterprise Services Community ist ein einzigartiges Forum, das Partnern und Kunden die Möglichkeit bietet, Ideen auszutauschen und die Entwicklung von Enterprise Services zu beeinflussen - all dies mit dem Ziel, Unternehmen zu helfen, ihre Profitabilität zu erhöhen", sagt Zia Yusuf, Executive Vice President for SAP’s Platform Ecosystem. "Als Anbieter von ECM-Lösungen und wichtiger SAP-Partner wird Open Text eine Schlüsselrolle spielen, wenn es um die Verbindung der beiden Welten von strukturierten und unstrukturierten Inhalten in den Unternehmen geht."

Die ES Community entwickelt Ideen und Innovationen zu Enterprise Services, mit denen Unternehmen Geschäftsprozesse über einzelne Softwareanwendungen und Infrastrukturprodukte sowie über Unternehmensgrenzen hinweg modellieren können. Die Grundlage bilden die Enterprise Services Architecture (ESA), das SAP-Konzept einer Geschäftsprozesse unterstützenden, serviceorientierten Architektur (SOA), sowie die Business-orientierte, universelle Semantik der Enterprise Services. Dadurch können Softwarelösungen und Infrastrukturprodukte, die auf unterschiedlichen Systemen laufen, innerhalb ESA miteinander reibungslos kommunizieren.

Für allgemein gültige Qualitätsstandards sorgt ein spezielles Zertifizierungsprogramm. Die Community-Mitglieder können an unterschiedlichen Arbeitsgruppen teilnehmen; die so genannten Advisory Groups identifizieren die wichtigen Herausforderungen, denen sich Unternehmen heute gegenüber sehen, während die Definition Groups Enterprise Services und Best-Practice-Geschäftsprozesse festlegen, mit denen sich diese Herausforderungen meistern lassen.

"Durch die Definition von Enterprise Services übernimmt SAP eine Führungsrolle in der IT-Branche. Denn mit diesen Services lassen sich alle Geschäftsprozesse unterstützen, die von der überwiegenden Mehrzahl der Unternehmen auf der Welt angewandt werden", sagte Kirk Roberts, Executive Vice President, Products, Solutions & Marketing bei Open Text.

"Open Text verfügt über jahrelange Erfahrung mit der Bereitstellung von Lösungen, mit denen Unternehmen ihre Informationen so managen können, dass sie Compliance-Anforderungen genügen. Wir sind deshalb hoch erfreut über die Gelegenheit, zusammen mit unseren gemeinsamen Kunden sowie Systemintegratoren und Storage-Partnern SAP bei der Definition von Enterprise Services für ECM unterstützen zu können."

Open Text bietet eine komplette Suite an ECM-Funktionalitäten als Ergänzung der Lösungen von SAP. Mit der "Livelink ECM Suite for SAP® Solutions" von Open Text können Kunden Inhalte aus SAP-Systemen managen und dadurch Schüsselprozesse effizienter gestalten, Compliance-Anforderungen einhalten und IT-Kosten senken. Die Suite enthält Lösungen für die Bearbeitung von Eingangs- und Ausgangsrechnungen, Kundeninformationsmanagement, Dokumentenmanagement und Vertragsmanagement. Mit diesen Lösungen können Unternehmen SAP-Inhalte sicher und langfristig archivieren und damit komplexe Prozess- und Compliance-Anforderungen erfüllen. Die Lösungen erlauben darüber hinaus die Konsolidierung und Archivierung der Inhalte von verschiedenen SAP- und Legacy-Systemen.

Weitere Informationen zur ES Community von SAP sind unter http://esc.sap.com abrufbar.

The Active Network Acquires Content Management Provider IronPoint (DMReview)

The Active Network, Inc., a provider of application services technology and marketing services to community service organizations, has acquired Vancouver, B.C.-based IronPoint Technology, Inc.. The acquisition of IronPoint, a content management software solutions provider, will enable The Active Network to offer an integrated solution for operations management software, content management, marketing services and online technologies. Organizations will also have access to a suite of content tools to efficiently create online channels to improve internal communications, enhance customer service, and drive promotion and awareness of their services.

IronPoint's content management technology helps organizations capture, manage, store, archive and communicate information and documents critical to their operations. IronPoint serves organizations across multiple vertical markets with a government and educational customer base that includes City of San Rafael, California; University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Province of Ontario, Canada; and Loyola Maramount University, Los Angeles, among others.

Pondering the future for Microsoft (FT UK)

It is hardly surprising that Wall Street's heart sank at the end of last week, after the world’s largest software company revealed plans to increase its spending drastically in the coming quarters.

Microsoft takes on Google with targeted ads (FT)

Microsoft on Wednesday outlined a broad new offensive against Google as it laid out plans to insert the targeted advertising generated by its new AdCenter system into a range of digital services beyond internet search.

Windows Vista Unlikely to Ship Before 2Q07 (Gartner)

Microsoft's track record is clear; it consistently misses target dates for major operating system releases. We don't expect broad availability of Windows Vista until at least 2Q07, which is nine to 12 months after Beta 2.