FT.com / Companies / IT - Technology predators on the prowl
Technology predators on the prowl
By Philip Stafford
Published: December 28 2007 01:21 | Last updated: December 28 2007 01:21
KKR’s £600m takeover last week of Northgate Information Solutions was proof that the UK technology sector remains fertile territory for dealmakers.
November was a turbulent month as fears began to bite that the credit crunch would force the financial services industry to curb discretionary technology spending, such as on consultants.
A profit warning from Detica, one of the sector’s largest players, contributed to the FTSE Software and Information Technology sector’s worst month since the dotcom bubble burst in March 2000.
Mild cautionary statements were treated like heavy profit warnings and the long distrust the City has held for technology resurfaced, culminating in early December with the pulled initial public offering of Sophos, the IT security group, despite solid recurring revenues and a 25-year track record.
The coming year is likely to prove a tough one for many, especially those with exposure to financial services. After five years of sequential growth, Gartner, the consultancy, is predicting global growth of 5.5 per cent, down from about 8 per cent in 2007.
Yet beneath the headline fears, investors, bankers and analysts remain optimistic that corporate earnings and activity will not dry up.
The Northgate deal capped a flurry of bid activity in December as predators emerged to sniff out undervalued assets.
They appeared willing to pay chunky premiums.
Northgate was taken out at 40 per cent more than its prevailing share price, while NSB Retail Systems agreed a £160m deal with US-based Epicor at a 60 per cent premium.
Other recent deals include Pace Micro Technology‘s purchase of the set-top box and connectivity business of Dutch group Philips for £68m.
Xploite, the IT managed services group, is in talks with several bidders.
Investors have grown more comfortable with technology stocks as many companies in the sector have matured and proved far more efficient at converting their cash into operating profit.
Furthermore, IT operations are embedded into corporate life as never before.
“In a tougher market, there will be more focus on outsourcing tech activity,” said Mike Tobin, chief executive of Telecity, the data centre hosting company.
FDM, the IT staffing company, actually forecast results would be materially ahead of previous expectations as a shortage of specialist IT skills meant banks could not rely solely on in-house teams.
“Product cycles are typically stronger than the economic cycle – so we are relaxed about the prospects for well-placed product companies like Autonomy, Aveva, Fidessa, Micro Focus and Innovation,” said George O’Connor, an analyst at Panmure Gordon.
Will Wallis, an analyst at Numis Securities, said Northgate’s takeover could boost the share prices of companies that have been subject to takeover rumour or talks with private equity, such as Misys, Intec Telecom and Coda.
He pointed out that Northgate was sold on a prospective multiple of 18 times enterprise value/net operating profit after tax.
“It’s in line with multiples paid by private equity in the UK software sector prior to the credit crunch,” he said.
He also predicted it would boost other local government software companies, such as Civica and Anite.
“This deal opens up the possibility of consolidation in the public sector, led by private equity,” he added. “Both Civica and IBS ... are valued at just half the multiple that KKR is paying for Northgate.”
Yet Northgate could still be the largest deal for some time.
Graham Bird, fund manager at SVG, which invested in Northgate, said: “I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a pick-up in merger and acquisitions activity as many valuations are extreme.”
“Many of these companies are run far better. In the sell-off, there was no distinction between good and bad companies and I think private equity will spot this.”
But he added: “There’s unlikely to be mega-deals while the banks are not open properly.”
Deals concluded are likely to be “without the need to syndicate with other banks,” he said.
Trade buyers flush with cash are also likely to remain interested. Datatec, one of the largest IT services companies on Aim, has a long standing plan for further acquisitions and Jens Montanana, chief executive, remains bullish.
“It will play into the hands of operators and not the private equity players as we have assets to make synergies,” he said.
“We think there is going to be an opportunity for us,” he said. “But it will take time to work its way through. Some sellers still have silly ideas for valuations.”
Nevertheless if the UK and US economies fall into recession, valuations could yet fall further.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008
Friday, December 28, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
FT.com / World - Companies call for centralised e-crime unit
FT.com / World - Companies call for centralised e-crime unit
Companies call for centralised e-crime unit
By Maija Palmer, Technology Correspondent
Published: December 17 2007 01:46 | Last updated: December 17 2007 01:46
Businesses are becoming increasingly frustrated at having no centralised organisation to which they can report instances of computer crime, and are calling on the government to form a central police e-crime unit.
David Roberts, chief executive of the Corporate IT Forum, which represents computer users in about half of the FTSE 100 companies, said his members were left with the feeling that the government did not take cybercrime seriously.
“There is no source to go to to report e-crime, other than the local police station – and they have very little understanding of it. It is a significant problem,” Mr Roberts said.
He said businesses previously had a close relationship with the National High Tech Crime Unit. However, since this was merged with the Serious Organised Crime Agency in April 2006, there has been less frequent contact. Soca does not directly take reports of cybercrime, and follows up only larger cases.
“Whereas I fully supported the need for an agency to concentrate on serious and organised crime, the loss of the NHTCU seems to have reduced the focus on ‘everyday’ computer crime that is relevant to UK business and the general public,” said Paul Simmonds, global information security director of ICI.
The recent loss of the personal details and bank accounts of 25m people by HM Revenue and Customs has brought new urgency to tackling the problem of cybercrime.
A number of high-profile security experts have signed an online petition (at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ecrime) on the Number 10 Downing Street website, which urges the government to create a central e-crime unit. The petition is backed by Infosecurity Europe, organisers of Europe’s biggest annual IT security conference.
The Association of Chief Police Officers has submitted a proposal to the Home Office for a national e-crime unit, but the Home Office says it needs more clarification on detail and costs.
A report by the science and technology committee of the House of Lords into internet security this summer also recommended the formation of such an organisation, but it was quickly dismissed by the government. There is particular concern that there are too few resources for following up smaller computer crimes, such as fraud on the Ebay auction site, or small amounts of money stolen from online bank accounts.
Under new guidelines, individuals must report cases of identity fraud to the banks rather than police, and it is up to the banks to decide which cases to take to the police. Local police forces will record crimes such as Ebay fraud, but one force, which declined to be named, admitted it did not have the resources to pursue many of these.
“There is no one to chase the small stuff, and that is why we need a central co-ordinating unit. Soca is just interested in the big stuff, but it’s the little stuff that really hurts the citizen,” said Lord Erroll, who sits on the Lords committee and is one of the signatories to the petition. “Losing £500 can be quite critical for the average person.”
A survey last year by Get Safe Online, a government-backed initiative to alert consumers to computer crime, suggested 21 per cent of people thought e-crime was the type of crime they were most likely to encounter.
However, specific statistics on the number of computer crimes are not even being collected by the government.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Companies call for centralised e-crime unit
By Maija Palmer, Technology Correspondent
Published: December 17 2007 01:46 | Last updated: December 17 2007 01:46
Businesses are becoming increasingly frustrated at having no centralised organisation to which they can report instances of computer crime, and are calling on the government to form a central police e-crime unit.
David Roberts, chief executive of the Corporate IT Forum, which represents computer users in about half of the FTSE 100 companies, said his members were left with the feeling that the government did not take cybercrime seriously.
“There is no source to go to to report e-crime, other than the local police station – and they have very little understanding of it. It is a significant problem,” Mr Roberts said.
He said businesses previously had a close relationship with the National High Tech Crime Unit. However, since this was merged with the Serious Organised Crime Agency in April 2006, there has been less frequent contact. Soca does not directly take reports of cybercrime, and follows up only larger cases.
“Whereas I fully supported the need for an agency to concentrate on serious and organised crime, the loss of the NHTCU seems to have reduced the focus on ‘everyday’ computer crime that is relevant to UK business and the general public,” said Paul Simmonds, global information security director of ICI.
The recent loss of the personal details and bank accounts of 25m people by HM Revenue and Customs has brought new urgency to tackling the problem of cybercrime.
A number of high-profile security experts have signed an online petition (at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ecrime) on the Number 10 Downing Street website, which urges the government to create a central e-crime unit. The petition is backed by Infosecurity Europe, organisers of Europe’s biggest annual IT security conference.
The Association of Chief Police Officers has submitted a proposal to the Home Office for a national e-crime unit, but the Home Office says it needs more clarification on detail and costs.
A report by the science and technology committee of the House of Lords into internet security this summer also recommended the formation of such an organisation, but it was quickly dismissed by the government. There is particular concern that there are too few resources for following up smaller computer crimes, such as fraud on the Ebay auction site, or small amounts of money stolen from online bank accounts.
Under new guidelines, individuals must report cases of identity fraud to the banks rather than police, and it is up to the banks to decide which cases to take to the police. Local police forces will record crimes such as Ebay fraud, but one force, which declined to be named, admitted it did not have the resources to pursue many of these.
“There is no one to chase the small stuff, and that is why we need a central co-ordinating unit. Soca is just interested in the big stuff, but it’s the little stuff that really hurts the citizen,” said Lord Erroll, who sits on the Lords committee and is one of the signatories to the petition. “Losing £500 can be quite critical for the average person.”
A survey last year by Get Safe Online, a government-backed initiative to alert consumers to computer crime, suggested 21 per cent of people thought e-crime was the type of crime they were most likely to encounter.
However, specific statistics on the number of computer crimes are not even being collected by the government.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
FT.com / In depth - Google in challenge to Wikipedia
FT.com / In depth - Google in challenge to Wikipedia
Google in challenge to Wikipedia
By Richard Waters in San Francisco
Published: December 14 2007 21:41 | Last updated: December 14 2007 21:41
Google has taken direct aim at Wikipedia with a project designed to supplant the collectively produced encyclopedia as the primary source for basic information on the web.
Known as Knol, and currently restricted to a limited test, the service is a highly ambitious attempt to collect and organise “user-generated information” in all fields of knowledge.
The move echoes other Google efforts to transform online behaviour – although some, such as Google Base, designed as an open database to collect items for sale, have failed to catch on widely.
With Google’s service, anyone will eventually be able to write a web page about any topic they want, and have it indexed by Google and other search engines. Authors will also be able to benefit from any advertising placed on the page.
Google gave few details about how it would rank submissions to highlight the most accurate or useful, but the group said user ratings would be important.
“A Knol on a particular topic is meant to be the first thing someone who searches for this topic for the first time will want to read,” Udi Manber, a Google engineer, wrote on a blog post that announced the project.
That role is often taken by Wikipedia entries, which frequently appear high on Google’s and other search engines’ results, making the collective encyclopedia one of the 10 most-visited sites.
The design of the Google project seeks to address some of the fundamental issues that have hampered the controversial Wikipedia. Entries in the encyclopedia are anonymous and often lead to heated “edit wars”, as people with rival opinions compete to change items. By contrast, Google plans to identify its writers and avoid the collective editing process altogether.
“The key idea behind the Knol project is to highlight authors,” Mr Manber said.
He added Google expected rival notes to appear on many topics: “Competition of ideas is a good thing.”
That approach will avoid the “problems of governance that come from trying to run a collaborative community” like Wikipedia, said Larry Sanger, a founder of the website who split with that project over its failure to apply stricter editing policies.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Google in challenge to Wikipedia
By Richard Waters in San Francisco
Published: December 14 2007 21:41 | Last updated: December 14 2007 21:41
Google has taken direct aim at Wikipedia with a project designed to supplant the collectively produced encyclopedia as the primary source for basic information on the web.
Known as Knol, and currently restricted to a limited test, the service is a highly ambitious attempt to collect and organise “user-generated information” in all fields of knowledge.
The move echoes other Google efforts to transform online behaviour – although some, such as Google Base, designed as an open database to collect items for sale, have failed to catch on widely.
With Google’s service, anyone will eventually be able to write a web page about any topic they want, and have it indexed by Google and other search engines. Authors will also be able to benefit from any advertising placed on the page.
Google gave few details about how it would rank submissions to highlight the most accurate or useful, but the group said user ratings would be important.
“A Knol on a particular topic is meant to be the first thing someone who searches for this topic for the first time will want to read,” Udi Manber, a Google engineer, wrote on a blog post that announced the project.
That role is often taken by Wikipedia entries, which frequently appear high on Google’s and other search engines’ results, making the collective encyclopedia one of the 10 most-visited sites.
The design of the Google project seeks to address some of the fundamental issues that have hampered the controversial Wikipedia. Entries in the encyclopedia are anonymous and often lead to heated “edit wars”, as people with rival opinions compete to change items. By contrast, Google plans to identify its writers and avoid the collective editing process altogether.
“The key idea behind the Knol project is to highlight authors,” Mr Manber said.
He added Google expected rival notes to appear on many topics: “Competition of ideas is a good thing.”
That approach will avoid the “problems of governance that come from trying to run a collaborative community” like Wikipedia, said Larry Sanger, a founder of the website who split with that project over its failure to apply stricter editing policies.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
FT.com / Technology - Where do IT vendors think business’s focus should be?
FT.com / Technology - Where do IT vendors think business’s focus should be?
Where do IT vendors think business’s focus should be?
By Alan Cane
Published: December 5 2007 04:40 | Last updated: December 5 2007 04:40
Vendors large and small believe that many – perhaps most – large organisations are capable of making big improvements in their use of IT.
They believe several technologies that had promised much in the past without necessarily delivering have now developed to the point where they can be used, for example, to re-engineer legacy applications or control data centres remotely.
These possibilities could be prejudiced, however, by factors including a deteriorating financial climate, which could place extra pressure on strained budgets, and a tenacious if mistaken belief among some managers that IT represents a cost rather than a source of innovation. These could hamper willingness to invest in new technologies.
In its 2007 global IT survey, however, published today, the consultancy Accenture found a close relationship between IT innovation, execution and productivity. “Those organisations that keep their IT investment steady in good and bad times have progressed most in using IT to transform the way they do business,” it says, arguing that organisations that are most advanced in adopting new mobility, collaboration and insight technologies performed better than their slower contemporaries across a range of benchmarks.
It found, for example, that the majority of what it describes as “high performers” – companies that excel in both innovation and execution – have shed most of their legacy systems and are investigating innovations such as software as a service and service-oriented architectures, which, it suggests, may lead to organisations owning only the software they have developed themselves to seek competitive advantage.
Vendors are aware that the “green agenda” is weighing heavily on CIO’s minds and pockets, although most seem more prepared to pay lip service to reducing their carbon footprint than actually doing anything about it.
A survey carried out by the software giant Symantec concluded that improving sustainability and meeting “green” policies set out at corporate level were not high priorities for IT departments in Europe. CIOs were driven to adopt green policies – improving energy efficiency, cutting cooling costs – in their data centres for operational rather than altruistic goals.
Only one in seven, Symantec found, had successfully implemented a green data centre. European organisations, however, were ahead of the US in adopting green policies.
John Hughman, senior technology analyst at the consultancy Ernst & Young, warns of the consequences of the explosion in IT usage and subsequent growth in data, which has put heavy pressures on the data centre.
The lifecycle costs of running a data centre now exceed the initial capital expenditure and a significant proportion of these costs can be attributed to power use – about half the budget goes on cooling.
Organisations must invest in virtualisation, running several operating systems and/or applications on a single machine, he says, to reduce the number of physical machines, pointing out that most servers only run at about 20 per cent utilisation.
He also calls for the relationship between data centre budgets and the cost of powering them to be made explicit. “It is unusual for CIOs to own this cost and therefore few are incentivised to help reduce it,” he says.
Most vendors think the pressure to “go green” will intensify and force change. Joe Hemming, chief executive of computing services group LogicaCMG, expects to be asked to undertake projects to help companies reduce their carbon footprint: “Whether this is through smart metering of energy use, green supply chains or the outsourcing of functions to low carbon environments such as India, this will characterise the year ahead.”
Mark Pearce, head of product marketing for the US-based networking group Enterasys agrees that top of the list for most CIOs will be managing down operational costs, data centre space and environmental impact.
“All three are going to drive virtualisation up the strategic agenda,” he says, adding the warning: “The CIO must not allow his team to rush into virtualisation without due diligence on key issues such as security. Virtualisation impacts a number of other disciplines and to allow a headlong rush into this area could prove extremely costly if done in isolation.”
Some vendors, however, think the IT department still has to win its corporate spurs on a decidedly difficult battlefield.
Steve Gedney, managing director of Borland’s UK operations sees next year as a tipping point. “Put simply, 2008 is the year when CIOs have to prove IT really can work with the business to transform processes and benefit the organisations they serve.”
“This year has seen new levels of large-scale IT project failure with organisations still working in silos using disconnected business and IT processes. The priority for CIOs in 2008 is to drive change to improve this situation,” he said, arguing for better IT metrics so that performance can be measured and improvements demonstrated.
Cisco, the company whose routers underpin much of the traffic on the internet, has for some years been expanding its presence in videoconferencing, in the belief that collaboration will be high up the CIO agenda.
According to Nick Earle of the company’s European markets division, business video will be the next big thing, as executives seek ways to collaborate without enlarging their carbon footprint.
“Some of the latest virtual conferencing technologies make the meeting experience almost as good as being face-to-face without the hassle of travelling. That is why I believe collaboration, enabled by business video, will top the IT agenda in 2008.”
Better communications are also high on the list for the networking group ntl:Telewest. Stephen Beynon, managing director of its business division, says he expects continued strong demand for ethernet services. “We expect this trend to continue in 2008, especially as users evolve beyond point-to-point and move to virtual private networks (VPNs). Ethernet VPNs are more complicated, which will see more customers seeking increased control over, and visibility of, the performance of their network.”
That, he thinks, is the job of the network provider, with simplicity and transparency the key.
Finding ways to cut costs so as to free resources for innovation is also expected to occupy the CIO’s attention.
Mirapoint of the US provides a simple example of where cost-savings can be madein the realm of e-mail. Commercial offerings are costly and should be limited to knowledge workers. It supplies staff with low collaboration needs with a simple e-mail appliance that cuts costs by half.
According to Alan Elliot, the company’s head of marketing, for every 10,000 employees who are shifted to the Mirapoint systems the company saves $1m a year: “This money can be spent on new technologies instead of an expensive e-mail platform,” he says.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Where do IT vendors think business’s focus should be?
By Alan Cane
Published: December 5 2007 04:40 | Last updated: December 5 2007 04:40
Vendors large and small believe that many – perhaps most – large organisations are capable of making big improvements in their use of IT.
They believe several technologies that had promised much in the past without necessarily delivering have now developed to the point where they can be used, for example, to re-engineer legacy applications or control data centres remotely.
These possibilities could be prejudiced, however, by factors including a deteriorating financial climate, which could place extra pressure on strained budgets, and a tenacious if mistaken belief among some managers that IT represents a cost rather than a source of innovation. These could hamper willingness to invest in new technologies.
In its 2007 global IT survey, however, published today, the consultancy Accenture found a close relationship between IT innovation, execution and productivity. “Those organisations that keep their IT investment steady in good and bad times have progressed most in using IT to transform the way they do business,” it says, arguing that organisations that are most advanced in adopting new mobility, collaboration and insight technologies performed better than their slower contemporaries across a range of benchmarks.
It found, for example, that the majority of what it describes as “high performers” – companies that excel in both innovation and execution – have shed most of their legacy systems and are investigating innovations such as software as a service and service-oriented architectures, which, it suggests, may lead to organisations owning only the software they have developed themselves to seek competitive advantage.
Vendors are aware that the “green agenda” is weighing heavily on CIO’s minds and pockets, although most seem more prepared to pay lip service to reducing their carbon footprint than actually doing anything about it.
A survey carried out by the software giant Symantec concluded that improving sustainability and meeting “green” policies set out at corporate level were not high priorities for IT departments in Europe. CIOs were driven to adopt green policies – improving energy efficiency, cutting cooling costs – in their data centres for operational rather than altruistic goals.
Only one in seven, Symantec found, had successfully implemented a green data centre. European organisations, however, were ahead of the US in adopting green policies.
John Hughman, senior technology analyst at the consultancy Ernst & Young, warns of the consequences of the explosion in IT usage and subsequent growth in data, which has put heavy pressures on the data centre.
The lifecycle costs of running a data centre now exceed the initial capital expenditure and a significant proportion of these costs can be attributed to power use – about half the budget goes on cooling.
Organisations must invest in virtualisation, running several operating systems and/or applications on a single machine, he says, to reduce the number of physical machines, pointing out that most servers only run at about 20 per cent utilisation.
He also calls for the relationship between data centre budgets and the cost of powering them to be made explicit. “It is unusual for CIOs to own this cost and therefore few are incentivised to help reduce it,” he says.
Most vendors think the pressure to “go green” will intensify and force change. Joe Hemming, chief executive of computing services group LogicaCMG, expects to be asked to undertake projects to help companies reduce their carbon footprint: “Whether this is through smart metering of energy use, green supply chains or the outsourcing of functions to low carbon environments such as India, this will characterise the year ahead.”
Mark Pearce, head of product marketing for the US-based networking group Enterasys agrees that top of the list for most CIOs will be managing down operational costs, data centre space and environmental impact.
“All three are going to drive virtualisation up the strategic agenda,” he says, adding the warning: “The CIO must not allow his team to rush into virtualisation without due diligence on key issues such as security. Virtualisation impacts a number of other disciplines and to allow a headlong rush into this area could prove extremely costly if done in isolation.”
Some vendors, however, think the IT department still has to win its corporate spurs on a decidedly difficult battlefield.
Steve Gedney, managing director of Borland’s UK operations sees next year as a tipping point. “Put simply, 2008 is the year when CIOs have to prove IT really can work with the business to transform processes and benefit the organisations they serve.”
“This year has seen new levels of large-scale IT project failure with organisations still working in silos using disconnected business and IT processes. The priority for CIOs in 2008 is to drive change to improve this situation,” he said, arguing for better IT metrics so that performance can be measured and improvements demonstrated.
Cisco, the company whose routers underpin much of the traffic on the internet, has for some years been expanding its presence in videoconferencing, in the belief that collaboration will be high up the CIO agenda.
According to Nick Earle of the company’s European markets division, business video will be the next big thing, as executives seek ways to collaborate without enlarging their carbon footprint.
“Some of the latest virtual conferencing technologies make the meeting experience almost as good as being face-to-face without the hassle of travelling. That is why I believe collaboration, enabled by business video, will top the IT agenda in 2008.”
Better communications are also high on the list for the networking group ntl:Telewest. Stephen Beynon, managing director of its business division, says he expects continued strong demand for ethernet services. “We expect this trend to continue in 2008, especially as users evolve beyond point-to-point and move to virtual private networks (VPNs). Ethernet VPNs are more complicated, which will see more customers seeking increased control over, and visibility of, the performance of their network.”
That, he thinks, is the job of the network provider, with simplicity and transparency the key.
Finding ways to cut costs so as to free resources for innovation is also expected to occupy the CIO’s attention.
Mirapoint of the US provides a simple example of where cost-savings can be madein the realm of e-mail. Commercial offerings are costly and should be limited to knowledge workers. It supplies staff with low collaboration needs with a simple e-mail appliance that cuts costs by half.
According to Alan Elliot, the company’s head of marketing, for every 10,000 employees who are shifted to the Mirapoint systems the company saves $1m a year: “This money can be spent on new technologies instead of an expensive e-mail platform,” he says.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
FT.com / Technology - What’s on CIO wishlists?
FT.com / Technology - What’s on CIO wishlists?
What’s on CIO wishlists?
By Alan Cane
Published: December 5 2007 04:40 | Last updated: December 5 2007 04:40
Aligning technology with the business, while dealing with the pressure on space and power in the data centre and addressing green issues are the priorities for many chief information officers next year.
Security is now so critical that it automatically figures near the top of every agenda. Steven Bandrowczak, CIO for Nortel, the Canadian telecommunications manufacturer, points out that a security contingency plan is there to prevent a breach of security that can badly damage a brand.
A thoroughly unscientific straw poll of CIOs, principally from the US and UK, revealed, nevertheless, that a few other themes come to the fore. Steve Bozzo, CIO of New York based online florist 1-800-Flowers.com, places business alignment at the top of his list.
“For 2008, as always,” he says, “companies will be most successful if IT is strongly aligned with the businesses it supports” going on to point out that companies must migrate to an “agile” architecture if they are to bring products to market that will have a meaningful impact on earnings and revenue: “Migrating to a Services Oriented Architecture will be the only way to accomplish this.”
This is in line with preliminary findings on 2008 priorities by research firm Gartner, which shows CIOs seeking to focus on aligning IT with growth and innovation. “Looking at costs is straightforward but prioritising growth and innovation is much more challenging,” says Dave Aron, a Gartner analyst looking at CIO issues.
Guy Lidbetter, chief technology officer for the big European computing services group Atos Origin, agrees, noting that the CIO agenda is being driven by a need for managed innovation.
He emphasises the importance of demonstrating to managers the value that IT investments bring to the business and ensuring IT is agile enough to support changing business needs. “In the context of infrastructure, standardisation, virtualisation and automation will deliver. In applications, enterprise architecture, service-oriented architecture and – potentially – Web 2.0 and collaboration will deliver.”
Note how quickly methodologies such as “agility” – developing software in a quicker, less formal way – and “service-oriented architecture” – ways of persuading legacy systems to work with the smart, new stuff – have moved from “might have” to “must have”.
Bryan Doerr, chief technology officer of Savvis, a US-managed service group, says, however, that to make the most of virtualisation, businesses need to invest in a secure and robust IT infrastructure. He says: “Both vendors and organisations are embracing new, virtualised technologies to yield more flexible and cost effective solutions. As it continues to mature, I predict it will become less of a differentiator for businesses and more of a commodity.”
Rorie Devine, chief technology officer for the online gambling organisation Betfair, concurs: “Virtualisation is definitely part of the mainstream now.”
Mr Devine’s chief priority next year will be to execute the business plan while helping to shape the business strategy. The processing load will be substantial: “The number of transactions we process will again be more than all the other years of our existence added together.”
Web 2.0 and social networking may be becoming candidates for the mainstream, although some CIOs have their reservations. Bob Worrall, for example, CIO of Sun Microsystems, reckons to have talked to well over 100 of his contemporaries over the past year and believes that social networking represents a new threat. “There is a lot of information out there on blogs and wiki, but there is no easy way to harvest that information and make it available to the organisation” he says.
Sun, however, has created a virtual Californian building in cyberspace and is experimenting with its use as a meeting place for remote staff.
Mr Worrall says that every CIO is struggling with the problem of power and space in the data centre. Sun itself is downsizing from seven corporate data centres to three, aided by a combination of new, more powerful servers based on novel chip technology and virtualisation – running several operating systems and/or applications on the same server.
Brian Jones, a former CIO for both the spirits group Allied Domecq and Scottish Power, says that IT in large companies often grows in an uncontrolled fashion. “There is often a need to remove the complexity that has grown up over time and set a simplification agenda directly linked to the objectives of the business overall,” he says, arguing that this latter aim can often be lost if the transformation is poorly focused.
He expects pressure on IT costs will not ease and that CIOs will be forced to balance the need for innovation against tightening budgets. “One trick that CIOs are going to have to learn, if they have not already, is how to take advantage of the latent value in their suppliers.” Suppliers have often spent millions on research and development which could benefit a company. While at Allied Domecq, for example, he formed a partnership with the telecommunications group that transformed Allied’s messy, “basket case” of a communications network, while reducing costs by £3m a year.
Mr Bandrowczak of Nortel, is using virtualisation and centralisation to get more efficiencies out of the IT assets the company already has and the investments it has already made. “That’s my first big trend. Second is how to integrate all these disparate and separate technologies. One trend I am driving at Nortel is unified messaging, handling voice, text and fax in one mailbox, so it can be retrieved by any device. Moving between applications causes inefficiencies – I call it business latency.”
His ambition is to combine a single log-on with authentication, so that if an individual was on the road and logged on, and another individual in the company wanted to share information with them, the system would indicate he or she was travelling and therefore available only by SMS but that they had the time to discuss that particular issue. “But we’re not there yet,” Mr Bandrowczak says.
RM, the supplier of IT to UK schools, places collaboration and mobility at the top of its list. Chris Clements, the CIO comments: “Our vision for collaboration goes beyond our employees and includes our customers. We have a large candidate list of opportunities to add value to our core systems by providing tools that will enable customers directly to influence product development and enable them to do business at any time of the school day that is convenient to them. One of the biggest challenges is to evaluate Web 2.0 opportunities and select those which will add real value to the business.”
And the green agenda? A study by Symantec (see “Vendors’ View”, Page 4) suggests organisations are not yet successfully rolling out green centres.
But the bandwagon is on the move. The consultancy Quocirca thinks companies will finally make better use of advanced communications capabilities such as web 2.0 and videoconferencing to reduce travel. But it concludes a little wearily that style will defeat substance in some cases. “There will still be those who want to be seen to be green but who do not really take the issue on board and resort to half measures such as carbon off-setting.”
One thing all those questioned agreed on, however, was that it is going to be an interesting year.
CIO priorities, based on Alan Cane’s informal straw poll:
1 Business alignment and strategy
2 Hiring and retaining the best staff
3 IT innovation/new methodologies
4 Security
5 Collaboration technologies
6 Controlling costs
7 Compliance and regulation
8 Virtualisation
9 Customer service
10 Mobility (Green issues came 11th)
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
What’s on CIO wishlists?
By Alan Cane
Published: December 5 2007 04:40 | Last updated: December 5 2007 04:40
Aligning technology with the business, while dealing with the pressure on space and power in the data centre and addressing green issues are the priorities for many chief information officers next year.
Security is now so critical that it automatically figures near the top of every agenda. Steven Bandrowczak, CIO for Nortel, the Canadian telecommunications manufacturer, points out that a security contingency plan is there to prevent a breach of security that can badly damage a brand.
A thoroughly unscientific straw poll of CIOs, principally from the US and UK, revealed, nevertheless, that a few other themes come to the fore. Steve Bozzo, CIO of New York based online florist 1-800-Flowers.com, places business alignment at the top of his list.
“For 2008, as always,” he says, “companies will be most successful if IT is strongly aligned with the businesses it supports” going on to point out that companies must migrate to an “agile” architecture if they are to bring products to market that will have a meaningful impact on earnings and revenue: “Migrating to a Services Oriented Architecture will be the only way to accomplish this.”
This is in line with preliminary findings on 2008 priorities by research firm Gartner, which shows CIOs seeking to focus on aligning IT with growth and innovation. “Looking at costs is straightforward but prioritising growth and innovation is much more challenging,” says Dave Aron, a Gartner analyst looking at CIO issues.
Guy Lidbetter, chief technology officer for the big European computing services group Atos Origin, agrees, noting that the CIO agenda is being driven by a need for managed innovation.
He emphasises the importance of demonstrating to managers the value that IT investments bring to the business and ensuring IT is agile enough to support changing business needs. “In the context of infrastructure, standardisation, virtualisation and automation will deliver. In applications, enterprise architecture, service-oriented architecture and – potentially – Web 2.0 and collaboration will deliver.”
Note how quickly methodologies such as “agility” – developing software in a quicker, less formal way – and “service-oriented architecture” – ways of persuading legacy systems to work with the smart, new stuff – have moved from “might have” to “must have”.
Bryan Doerr, chief technology officer of Savvis, a US-managed service group, says, however, that to make the most of virtualisation, businesses need to invest in a secure and robust IT infrastructure. He says: “Both vendors and organisations are embracing new, virtualised technologies to yield more flexible and cost effective solutions. As it continues to mature, I predict it will become less of a differentiator for businesses and more of a commodity.”
Rorie Devine, chief technology officer for the online gambling organisation Betfair, concurs: “Virtualisation is definitely part of the mainstream now.”
Mr Devine’s chief priority next year will be to execute the business plan while helping to shape the business strategy. The processing load will be substantial: “The number of transactions we process will again be more than all the other years of our existence added together.”
Web 2.0 and social networking may be becoming candidates for the mainstream, although some CIOs have their reservations. Bob Worrall, for example, CIO of Sun Microsystems, reckons to have talked to well over 100 of his contemporaries over the past year and believes that social networking represents a new threat. “There is a lot of information out there on blogs and wiki, but there is no easy way to harvest that information and make it available to the organisation” he says.
Sun, however, has created a virtual Californian building in cyberspace and is experimenting with its use as a meeting place for remote staff.
Mr Worrall says that every CIO is struggling with the problem of power and space in the data centre. Sun itself is downsizing from seven corporate data centres to three, aided by a combination of new, more powerful servers based on novel chip technology and virtualisation – running several operating systems and/or applications on the same server.
Brian Jones, a former CIO for both the spirits group Allied Domecq and Scottish Power, says that IT in large companies often grows in an uncontrolled fashion. “There is often a need to remove the complexity that has grown up over time and set a simplification agenda directly linked to the objectives of the business overall,” he says, arguing that this latter aim can often be lost if the transformation is poorly focused.
He expects pressure on IT costs will not ease and that CIOs will be forced to balance the need for innovation against tightening budgets. “One trick that CIOs are going to have to learn, if they have not already, is how to take advantage of the latent value in their suppliers.” Suppliers have often spent millions on research and development which could benefit a company. While at Allied Domecq, for example, he formed a partnership with the telecommunications group that transformed Allied’s messy, “basket case” of a communications network, while reducing costs by £3m a year.
Mr Bandrowczak of Nortel, is using virtualisation and centralisation to get more efficiencies out of the IT assets the company already has and the investments it has already made. “That’s my first big trend. Second is how to integrate all these disparate and separate technologies. One trend I am driving at Nortel is unified messaging, handling voice, text and fax in one mailbox, so it can be retrieved by any device. Moving between applications causes inefficiencies – I call it business latency.”
His ambition is to combine a single log-on with authentication, so that if an individual was on the road and logged on, and another individual in the company wanted to share information with them, the system would indicate he or she was travelling and therefore available only by SMS but that they had the time to discuss that particular issue. “But we’re not there yet,” Mr Bandrowczak says.
RM, the supplier of IT to UK schools, places collaboration and mobility at the top of its list. Chris Clements, the CIO comments: “Our vision for collaboration goes beyond our employees and includes our customers. We have a large candidate list of opportunities to add value to our core systems by providing tools that will enable customers directly to influence product development and enable them to do business at any time of the school day that is convenient to them. One of the biggest challenges is to evaluate Web 2.0 opportunities and select those which will add real value to the business.”
And the green agenda? A study by Symantec (see “Vendors’ View”, Page 4) suggests organisations are not yet successfully rolling out green centres.
But the bandwagon is on the move. The consultancy Quocirca thinks companies will finally make better use of advanced communications capabilities such as web 2.0 and videoconferencing to reduce travel. But it concludes a little wearily that style will defeat substance in some cases. “There will still be those who want to be seen to be green but who do not really take the issue on board and resort to half measures such as carbon off-setting.”
One thing all those questioned agreed on, however, was that it is going to be an interesting year.
CIO priorities, based on Alan Cane’s informal straw poll:
1 Business alignment and strategy
2 Hiring and retaining the best staff
3 IT innovation/new methodologies
4 Security
5 Collaboration technologies
6 Controlling costs
7 Compliance and regulation
8 Virtualisation
9 Customer service
10 Mobility (Green issues came 11th)
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Friday, December 07, 2007
Die neuen Idiotae Web 0.0 - Computer - sueddeutsche.de
Die neuen Idiotae Web 0.0 - Computer - sueddeutsche.de
Das Internet verkommt zu einem Debattierklub von Anonymen, Ahnungslosen und Denunzianten. Ein Plädoyer für eine Wissensgesellschaft mit Verantwortung.
Von Bernd Graff
Seit fast einem halben Jahrzehnt gibt es das "partizipative Web". Das klingt nach Leistungskurs, meint aber neue Formen der Beteiligung und der Berichterstattung im Internet. Diese Formen werden von engagierten Zeitgenossen genutzt, weil sie - sei es aus Idealismus, sei es, weil sie sonst keine Beschäftigung haben - eine Rolle in der allgemeinen Informationsbildung übernehmen wollen. Man spricht auch schon von "Bürger-Reportern" und "Graswurzeljournalisten".
Eine Art: Vierte Digitalgewalt? Schlaue Menschen werden darauf hinweisen, dass das Internet immer schon ein Beteiligungsnetz war, und dass die Ansätze zu dieser Berichterstattung wesentlich älter sind als fünf Jahre. Leider nun sind jene Schlauen, die wir aus unserem gut gewärmten Mainstreammedia-Bett heraus und hinein in ihr debattenknisterndes Web grüßen: das Problem.
Das Internet verkommt zu einem Debattierklub von Anonymen, Ahnungslosen und Denunzianten. Ein Plädoyer für eine Wissensgesellschaft mit Verantwortung.
Von Bernd Graff
Seit fast einem halben Jahrzehnt gibt es das "partizipative Web". Das klingt nach Leistungskurs, meint aber neue Formen der Beteiligung und der Berichterstattung im Internet. Diese Formen werden von engagierten Zeitgenossen genutzt, weil sie - sei es aus Idealismus, sei es, weil sie sonst keine Beschäftigung haben - eine Rolle in der allgemeinen Informationsbildung übernehmen wollen. Man spricht auch schon von "Bürger-Reportern" und "Graswurzeljournalisten".
Eine Art: Vierte Digitalgewalt? Schlaue Menschen werden darauf hinweisen, dass das Internet immer schon ein Beteiligungsnetz war, und dass die Ansätze zu dieser Berichterstattung wesentlich älter sind als fünf Jahre. Leider nun sind jene Schlauen, die wir aus unserem gut gewärmten Mainstreammedia-Bett heraus und hinein in ihr debattenknisterndes Web grüßen: das Problem.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Alfresco setzt Maßstäbe für Open Source Social Computing
Alfresco setzt Maßstäbe für Open Source Social Computing
Alfresco präsentiert erste Open Source Social Computing-Plattform für Enterprise-Anwendungen
Alfresco Software, Anbieter von Open Source Enterprise Content Management (ECM)-Lösungen, präsentiert die erste Open Source Social Computing-Plattform für Enterprise-Anwendungen. Die neue Lösung integriert die beliebte ECM-Software von Alfresco mit führenden Web 2.0-Tools und Services wie Facebook, iGoogle, Adobe Flex, MediaWiki, TypePad und WordPress.
Alfresco präsentiert erste Open Source Social Computing-Plattform für Enterprise-Anwendungen
Alfresco Software, Anbieter von Open Source Enterprise Content Management (ECM)-Lösungen, präsentiert die erste Open Source Social Computing-Plattform für Enterprise-Anwendungen. Die neue Lösung integriert die beliebte ECM-Software von Alfresco mit führenden Web 2.0-Tools und Services wie Facebook, iGoogle, Adobe Flex, MediaWiki, TypePad und WordPress.
Alfresco setzt Maßstäbe für Open Source Social Computing
Alfresco setzt Maßstäbe für Open Source Social Computing
Alfresco präsentiert erste Open Source Social Computing-Plattform für Enterprise-Anwendungen
Alfresco Software, Anbieter von Open Source Enterprise Content Management (ECM)-Lösungen, präsentiert die erste Open Source Social Computing-Plattform für Enterprise-Anwendungen. Die neue Lösung integriert die beliebte ECM-Software von Alfresco mit führenden Web 2.0-Tools und Services wie Facebook, iGoogle, Adobe Flex, MediaWiki, TypePad und WordPress.
Diese erweiterte Version der Alfresco ECM-Plattform stellt benutzerfreundliche Tools für die Entwicklung der nächsten Generation von Rich Internet Applications (RIAs), für Mash-Up und Präsentation von internem und externem Content und für die Integration von Social Networking in die Arbeitsumgebung zur Verfügung. Dabei kann sich der Anwender einer Reihe erstklassiger Open Source-Tools bedienen und damit die Sicherheit und Kontrolle auf Enterprise-Ebene sicherstellen.
Alfresco präsentiert erste Open Source Social Computing-Plattform für Enterprise-Anwendungen
Alfresco Software, Anbieter von Open Source Enterprise Content Management (ECM)-Lösungen, präsentiert die erste Open Source Social Computing-Plattform für Enterprise-Anwendungen. Die neue Lösung integriert die beliebte ECM-Software von Alfresco mit führenden Web 2.0-Tools und Services wie Facebook, iGoogle, Adobe Flex, MediaWiki, TypePad und WordPress.
Diese erweiterte Version der Alfresco ECM-Plattform stellt benutzerfreundliche Tools für die Entwicklung der nächsten Generation von Rich Internet Applications (RIAs), für Mash-Up und Präsentation von internem und externem Content und für die Integration von Social Networking in die Arbeitsumgebung zur Verfügung. Dabei kann sich der Anwender einer Reihe erstklassiger Open Source-Tools bedienen und damit die Sicherheit und Kontrolle auf Enterprise-Ebene sicherstellen.
FT.com / Technology - Security Matters: Identity theft is all too easy
FT.com / Technology - Security Matters: Identity theft is all too easy
Security Matters: Identity theft is all too easy
By Ken Munro
Published: December 5 2007 04:40 | Last updated: December 5 2007 04:40
Talking to Peter Whitehead, the Digital Business editor recently, I started ranting about social networking as a means of identity theft. He challenged me to prove my point, confident that his real identity would prove hard to crack.
For the purposes of the challenge, I was armed only with his name and occupation, a laptop and a broadband internet connection. Within three hours I had discovered his full name, date of birth, address, home telephone number, route taken to work, the schools and universities he attended, his career history and his long-harboured passion for rock music, golf and tennis.
Perhaps more worryingly I was also able to find out his daughters’ names, ages, dates of birth, the schools they attend, names and pictures of their friends, along with personal information on his wife and other family members.
I began by searching Peter’s own articles. A quick search of FT.com identified an extensive list, including some he had authored in a travel writing capacity. Reading these quickly established he has two daughters, their names, ages and a family interest in winter sports.
He also helpfully described his route into work – from the fact that he commutes into London via train to the same station every day right down to some of the buildings he passes on the way into the office.
It is, of course, true that only a small number of people are likely to have such information published in the media. But millions do so through social networking sites and blogs. Hence my next stop – Facebook, MySpace, etc.
To my disappointment, the target was not accessible on any of the currently popular social networking sites. But a search of Friends Reunited was more successful. There I learned he is married, the town and county where he lives, the schools and university he attended, along with dates he attended them (and therefore his likely year of birth) and publications he worked on prior to joining the FT.
Armed with this information, a few searches on 192.com yielded his full address, home telephone number and the full data from his daughters’ birth certificates including their dates and places of birth.
But it was only the results of a five-mile charity run that allowed me to make the link between Peter and his wife. Also a journalist, she writes under her maiden name but gives away no personal details in her writing.
A travel article on skiing by Peter yielded the fact that one of his daughters uses a shortened version of her full name. I was then able to go back to the social networking sites. A well-populated profile existed on one site which provided the school she attends, her friends’ names and photos and identified a couple of likely cousins.
Her mother and sister, however, proved much more elusive, neither apparently having succumbed to the lure of virtual socialising.
It is scary stuff for three hours’ surfing but what could you do with this information? I used only the tools any other person with a passing interest in genealogy or a curious streak would be aware of and would have access to and spent only the time I could assign in between running a business.
An attacker with malicious intent towards our target would have both time and a wide range of internet sites on the fringes of legality at their disposal which would, for example, very quickly and easily yield a date of birth and banking history. Or they could simply have hung around his house and raided his bins for non-shredded correspondence (even the day his bins are emptied is available on his local council’s website).
I did not find out bank account details, but I could have paid for and downloaded Peter’s credit report from a credit reference agency (this is unlawful, so I did not pursue this avenue, but a fraudster would have no such qualms). I could then open a bank account, take out a loan or mortgage using a correspondence address to cover my tracks and keep extending the credit for years. Or this information could be used to set up bogus social networking sites to incite others to disclose information.
These same methods can also be used to target businesses. By researching a senior executive using the techniques outlined above, an attack could crack system passwords more easily, gaining access to invaluable corporate data.
Passwords continue to be typically comprised of hobbies, loved ones’ names and dates of birth. Targeting a person in a specific role with a specific level of seniority is a fantastically efficient way of ensuring a good return on investment for an attacker.
It is not just individuals who are at risk. Organisations face industrial espionage or confidential information leaks and those responsible – from employees to suppliers to customers – may not even realise they are doing it. Management is often unaware of the risk. The main concern is over-use of the internet and the impact of social networking on productivity, rather than the security risk it poses.
Sensitive corporate information concerning security arrangements or impending merger or acquisition activity is frequently disclosed on blogs or social networking sites. If someone is targeting a specific organisation – for example for potential information to guide stock market decisions – they can decode references to long hours, management changes, upcoming restructures.
Similarly, any organisation involved in industrial action or complex employee or commercial litigation cases is at risk. Indeed, we consider this such a threat that we advise businesses on how to carry out a social networking audit in order to determine just how much information has already leaked.
Just as there are multiple motives for wanting to access information, there are infinite ways of extracting it if someone wants it badly enough. Much of what’s valuable is out there already, free.
Ken Munro is chief executive of SecureTest
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Security Matters: Identity theft is all too easy
By Ken Munro
Published: December 5 2007 04:40 | Last updated: December 5 2007 04:40
Talking to Peter Whitehead, the Digital Business editor recently, I started ranting about social networking as a means of identity theft. He challenged me to prove my point, confident that his real identity would prove hard to crack.
For the purposes of the challenge, I was armed only with his name and occupation, a laptop and a broadband internet connection. Within three hours I had discovered his full name, date of birth, address, home telephone number, route taken to work, the schools and universities he attended, his career history and his long-harboured passion for rock music, golf and tennis.
Perhaps more worryingly I was also able to find out his daughters’ names, ages, dates of birth, the schools they attend, names and pictures of their friends, along with personal information on his wife and other family members.
I began by searching Peter’s own articles. A quick search of FT.com identified an extensive list, including some he had authored in a travel writing capacity. Reading these quickly established he has two daughters, their names, ages and a family interest in winter sports.
He also helpfully described his route into work – from the fact that he commutes into London via train to the same station every day right down to some of the buildings he passes on the way into the office.
It is, of course, true that only a small number of people are likely to have such information published in the media. But millions do so through social networking sites and blogs. Hence my next stop – Facebook, MySpace, etc.
To my disappointment, the target was not accessible on any of the currently popular social networking sites. But a search of Friends Reunited was more successful. There I learned he is married, the town and county where he lives, the schools and university he attended, along with dates he attended them (and therefore his likely year of birth) and publications he worked on prior to joining the FT.
Armed with this information, a few searches on 192.com yielded his full address, home telephone number and the full data from his daughters’ birth certificates including their dates and places of birth.
But it was only the results of a five-mile charity run that allowed me to make the link between Peter and his wife. Also a journalist, she writes under her maiden name but gives away no personal details in her writing.
A travel article on skiing by Peter yielded the fact that one of his daughters uses a shortened version of her full name. I was then able to go back to the social networking sites. A well-populated profile existed on one site which provided the school she attends, her friends’ names and photos and identified a couple of likely cousins.
Her mother and sister, however, proved much more elusive, neither apparently having succumbed to the lure of virtual socialising.
It is scary stuff for three hours’ surfing but what could you do with this information? I used only the tools any other person with a passing interest in genealogy or a curious streak would be aware of and would have access to and spent only the time I could assign in between running a business.
An attacker with malicious intent towards our target would have both time and a wide range of internet sites on the fringes of legality at their disposal which would, for example, very quickly and easily yield a date of birth and banking history. Or they could simply have hung around his house and raided his bins for non-shredded correspondence (even the day his bins are emptied is available on his local council’s website).
I did not find out bank account details, but I could have paid for and downloaded Peter’s credit report from a credit reference agency (this is unlawful, so I did not pursue this avenue, but a fraudster would have no such qualms). I could then open a bank account, take out a loan or mortgage using a correspondence address to cover my tracks and keep extending the credit for years. Or this information could be used to set up bogus social networking sites to incite others to disclose information.
These same methods can also be used to target businesses. By researching a senior executive using the techniques outlined above, an attack could crack system passwords more easily, gaining access to invaluable corporate data.
Passwords continue to be typically comprised of hobbies, loved ones’ names and dates of birth. Targeting a person in a specific role with a specific level of seniority is a fantastically efficient way of ensuring a good return on investment for an attacker.
It is not just individuals who are at risk. Organisations face industrial espionage or confidential information leaks and those responsible – from employees to suppliers to customers – may not even realise they are doing it. Management is often unaware of the risk. The main concern is over-use of the internet and the impact of social networking on productivity, rather than the security risk it poses.
Sensitive corporate information concerning security arrangements or impending merger or acquisition activity is frequently disclosed on blogs or social networking sites. If someone is targeting a specific organisation – for example for potential information to guide stock market decisions – they can decode references to long hours, management changes, upcoming restructures.
Similarly, any organisation involved in industrial action or complex employee or commercial litigation cases is at risk. Indeed, we consider this such a threat that we advise businesses on how to carry out a social networking audit in order to determine just how much information has already leaked.
Just as there are multiple motives for wanting to access information, there are infinite ways of extracting it if someone wants it badly enough. Much of what’s valuable is out there already, free.
Ken Munro is chief executive of SecureTest
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
FT.com / Technology - Doing what comes naturally
FT.com / Technology - Doing what comes naturally
Doing what comes naturally
By Alan Cane
Published: November 20 2007 14:44 | Last updated: November 20 2007 14:44
People collaborate naturally; the internet has simply added a new dimension to this most human of characteristics.
“If collaboration hasn’t happened in the past, it’s mostly because barriers got in the way – geography, time zone, position in the corporate hierarchy, language and so on,” says Graham Oakes, founder and head of the IT consultancy Graham Oakes Ltd. “Most technology does not really help collaboration so much as reduce the effect of barriers.”
These technologies enable individuals and groups to communicate easily across time and space, sharing data and the “same version of the truth”.
Jen Wachtel, senior product marketing manager for Vignette, a collaboration tools developer based in Austin, Texas, says that, to her, collaboration means “allowing people to connect across their organisations where before they were siloed by geography, department or status.
“It enables omnidirectional communication. Products get to market faster because the ‘wisdom of the crowd’ enables you to make quicker and smarter decisions.”
Not everybody agrees, as will become evident later in this article, but there is, nevertheless, a cornucopia of collaboration software tools on offer, ranging from the large and complex to the small and simple, from the heavily professional to the consumer-oriented.
Dassault Systèmes’ Enovia product set represents the top end of the market. It is used by Boeing to co-ordinate the design and production of airliners, most recently, the US aerospace group’s giant 787 Dreamliner.
John Squire, vice-president of Enovia marketing for the French software group, says supporting the development of the 787 is the most complicated commission Dassault has undertaken and “uses everything we have”.
Boeing describes it as a “global collaborative environment”. Mr Squire says it is a way to bring together the 40 partners sharing the risk of creating the 787.
“It’s the people who build the engines, the fuselage components, the avionics and so forth,” he explains. “Three years ago, before the airplane ever existed, Boeing could bring all the parts together in a three-dimensional digital model and ensure they fitted together before they had to worry about manufacturing those parts. They could check for tolerances and conflicts between parts early in the development phase when the cost is much lower.”
Mr Squire says the trick in collaboration is to allow engineers to have access to the parts they are responsible for, allow them to see the parts around it, but deny them access to parts for which they do not have clearance.
“We use 3D as the universal language. Even if you don’t speak the same language as a Japanese engineer, you can share the screen with the guy and point to a problem area. Using a few words of broken English over instant messaging you can communicate what needs to happen.”
Dassault 3D software is used to collaborate in the design of everything from airliners and rocket engines to yoghurt cartons and mobile phones. At the other end of the scale, there is a growing market for simple collaboration tools using nothing more complex than the telephone and a web browser.
MeetingZone, for example, a fast-growing UK-based company, has introduced a high level of automation, and therefore economies of scale, to the simple concept of conferencing by telephone coupled with screen-sharing over the internet.
Tim Duffy, co-founder and chief executive, points to the disadvantages of conventional business meetings: “No one has the time, no one wants to put up with the expense and inconvenience of travel and everybody is looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
“We think good collaboration tools that enable people to do business without travelling are vital requirements for most businesses these days.”
While still small, MeetingZone, Mr Duffy says, has achieved 67 per cent average annual growth for the past three years, suggesting his analysis is accurate.
Sun Microsystems, the US group whose server technology underpins much of the internet, prescribes collaboration and takes its own medicine with a full set of collaboration tools.
According to Heather Garrett, head of human resources for Sun in the UK, the intention was to enable staff to work any time and anywhere. She says the result has been a 30 per cent improvement in productivity with impressive savings on travel, real estate and a lower carbon footprint. Sun staff are in favour of electronic collaboration, she says.
Ten years ago, the company started with a collaboration site, a shared work and information space, and added a collaboration dashboard, a way of tracking progress in projects, so individuals can see what has been achieved and what has yet to be delivered.
Jay Huff, head of Sun’s UK marketing department, says the company has taken to wikis in a big way. A wiki involves software that allows users easily to create, edit and link web pages. According to Wikipedia, the Delphic oracle on all things wiki, they are: “often used to create collaborative websites, power community websites and are increasingly being installed by businesses to provide affordable and effective intranets”.
This is their function at Sun, where Mr Huff says all the company’s engineers and systems architects work in a wiki environment. Wikis are also popular with the marketing people: “Wikis are where we talk about work in progress so we can get feedback quickly,” Mr Huff says.
“The aim is to stop the tremendous amount of e-mails you would normally have associated with one of these projects where everybody responds to everybody else with 20 to 30 e-mails on the same subject.”
E-mail jail is an example of the kind of dangers that lurk in the over-enthusiastic use of technology to promote collaboration. Dr Oakes, the IT consultant, warns that many people are driven to respond to e-mails and instant messages 24 hours a day. “Eventually they will burn out and be lost to collaboration altogether,” he comments.
“This happens because they have not developed ways to control the technology – it is controlling them. Helping people take back this control, perhaps by developing appropriate etiquette within their networks, is probably necessary for most companies to push collaboration to the next level.”
Sun Microsystems is unusual in that its management encourages – but does not mandate – staff to make use of social networking sites such as Facebook, Ning and Twitter where it makes sense to do so – to distribute information before a conference, perhaps, or photographs of attendees.
There are dangers, of course. Global Secure Systems, an IT security consultancy, faced spending several thousands of pounds upgrading its internet access provision until it discovered that about a quarter of its bandwidth was being swallowed up in social networking: “After locking down this traffic, we found we didn’t actually need to upgrade our bandwidth after all,” says David Hobson, GSS managing director.
He now advises his clients to block access to social networking sites. “They are just trouble all round and have no place in the modern business environment, even during legitimate staff breaks,” he said.
However, Scott Petty of Dimension Data, an IT services group based in South Africa, argues that social networking sites, used carefully, are both valid and necessary business tools.
He says: “Our younger engineers straight out of college are much more comfortable with tools such as Second Life and Facebook than senior managers. They would think we were quite a strange company if we didn’t allow
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Doing what comes naturally
By Alan Cane
Published: November 20 2007 14:44 | Last updated: November 20 2007 14:44
People collaborate naturally; the internet has simply added a new dimension to this most human of characteristics.
“If collaboration hasn’t happened in the past, it’s mostly because barriers got in the way – geography, time zone, position in the corporate hierarchy, language and so on,” says Graham Oakes, founder and head of the IT consultancy Graham Oakes Ltd. “Most technology does not really help collaboration so much as reduce the effect of barriers.”
These technologies enable individuals and groups to communicate easily across time and space, sharing data and the “same version of the truth”.
Jen Wachtel, senior product marketing manager for Vignette, a collaboration tools developer based in Austin, Texas, says that, to her, collaboration means “allowing people to connect across their organisations where before they were siloed by geography, department or status.
“It enables omnidirectional communication. Products get to market faster because the ‘wisdom of the crowd’ enables you to make quicker and smarter decisions.”
Not everybody agrees, as will become evident later in this article, but there is, nevertheless, a cornucopia of collaboration software tools on offer, ranging from the large and complex to the small and simple, from the heavily professional to the consumer-oriented.
Dassault Systèmes’ Enovia product set represents the top end of the market. It is used by Boeing to co-ordinate the design and production of airliners, most recently, the US aerospace group’s giant 787 Dreamliner.
John Squire, vice-president of Enovia marketing for the French software group, says supporting the development of the 787 is the most complicated commission Dassault has undertaken and “uses everything we have”.
Boeing describes it as a “global collaborative environment”. Mr Squire says it is a way to bring together the 40 partners sharing the risk of creating the 787.
“It’s the people who build the engines, the fuselage components, the avionics and so forth,” he explains. “Three years ago, before the airplane ever existed, Boeing could bring all the parts together in a three-dimensional digital model and ensure they fitted together before they had to worry about manufacturing those parts. They could check for tolerances and conflicts between parts early in the development phase when the cost is much lower.”
Mr Squire says the trick in collaboration is to allow engineers to have access to the parts they are responsible for, allow them to see the parts around it, but deny them access to parts for which they do not have clearance.
“We use 3D as the universal language. Even if you don’t speak the same language as a Japanese engineer, you can share the screen with the guy and point to a problem area. Using a few words of broken English over instant messaging you can communicate what needs to happen.”
Dassault 3D software is used to collaborate in the design of everything from airliners and rocket engines to yoghurt cartons and mobile phones. At the other end of the scale, there is a growing market for simple collaboration tools using nothing more complex than the telephone and a web browser.
MeetingZone, for example, a fast-growing UK-based company, has introduced a high level of automation, and therefore economies of scale, to the simple concept of conferencing by telephone coupled with screen-sharing over the internet.
Tim Duffy, co-founder and chief executive, points to the disadvantages of conventional business meetings: “No one has the time, no one wants to put up with the expense and inconvenience of travel and everybody is looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
“We think good collaboration tools that enable people to do business without travelling are vital requirements for most businesses these days.”
While still small, MeetingZone, Mr Duffy says, has achieved 67 per cent average annual growth for the past three years, suggesting his analysis is accurate.
Sun Microsystems, the US group whose server technology underpins much of the internet, prescribes collaboration and takes its own medicine with a full set of collaboration tools.
According to Heather Garrett, head of human resources for Sun in the UK, the intention was to enable staff to work any time and anywhere. She says the result has been a 30 per cent improvement in productivity with impressive savings on travel, real estate and a lower carbon footprint. Sun staff are in favour of electronic collaboration, she says.
Ten years ago, the company started with a collaboration site, a shared work and information space, and added a collaboration dashboard, a way of tracking progress in projects, so individuals can see what has been achieved and what has yet to be delivered.
Jay Huff, head of Sun’s UK marketing department, says the company has taken to wikis in a big way. A wiki involves software that allows users easily to create, edit and link web pages. According to Wikipedia, the Delphic oracle on all things wiki, they are: “often used to create collaborative websites, power community websites and are increasingly being installed by businesses to provide affordable and effective intranets”.
This is their function at Sun, where Mr Huff says all the company’s engineers and systems architects work in a wiki environment. Wikis are also popular with the marketing people: “Wikis are where we talk about work in progress so we can get feedback quickly,” Mr Huff says.
“The aim is to stop the tremendous amount of e-mails you would normally have associated with one of these projects where everybody responds to everybody else with 20 to 30 e-mails on the same subject.”
E-mail jail is an example of the kind of dangers that lurk in the over-enthusiastic use of technology to promote collaboration. Dr Oakes, the IT consultant, warns that many people are driven to respond to e-mails and instant messages 24 hours a day. “Eventually they will burn out and be lost to collaboration altogether,” he comments.
“This happens because they have not developed ways to control the technology – it is controlling them. Helping people take back this control, perhaps by developing appropriate etiquette within their networks, is probably necessary for most companies to push collaboration to the next level.”
Sun Microsystems is unusual in that its management encourages – but does not mandate – staff to make use of social networking sites such as Facebook, Ning and Twitter where it makes sense to do so – to distribute information before a conference, perhaps, or photographs of attendees.
There are dangers, of course. Global Secure Systems, an IT security consultancy, faced spending several thousands of pounds upgrading its internet access provision until it discovered that about a quarter of its bandwidth was being swallowed up in social networking: “After locking down this traffic, we found we didn’t actually need to upgrade our bandwidth after all,” says David Hobson, GSS managing director.
He now advises his clients to block access to social networking sites. “They are just trouble all round and have no place in the modern business environment, even during legitimate staff breaks,” he said.
However, Scott Petty of Dimension Data, an IT services group based in South Africa, argues that social networking sites, used carefully, are both valid and necessary business tools.
He says: “Our younger engineers straight out of college are much more comfortable with tools such as Second Life and Facebook than senior managers. They would think we were quite a strange company if we didn’t allow
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Magic Quadrant for Horizontal Portal Products, 2007
Magic Quadrant for Horizontal Portal Products, 2007
The portal product market continues to mature, with most enterprises evaluating the products provided by a core group of commercial enterprise software vendors. Several horizontal portal vendors are leveraging Web 2.0 technologies and concepts to further differentiate their products.
The portal product market continues to mature, with most enterprises evaluating the products provided by a core group of commercial enterprise software vendors. Several horizontal portal vendors are leveraging Web 2.0 technologies and concepts to further differentiate their products.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Knowledge-Management im Zeitalter von Web 2.0 und Open Source
Knowledge-Management im Zeitalter von Web 2.0 und Open Source
Neue und innovative Technologien und Ansätze im Umgang mit unstrukturierten DatenKnowledge-Management muss aufgrund seiner interdisziplinären Natur mit einer Vielzahl von Applikationen im Unternehmen integrieren und koexistieren, sich schnell an neue Bedürfnisse anpassen lassen und gleichzeitig maximalen Nutzen bei minimalem Aufwand für die Benutzer erzeugen. Eine Reihe von neuen Standards, Technologien und Lösungsansätzen helfen beim Bau und Betrieb derartiger Lösungen.
Neue und innovative Technologien und Ansätze im Umgang mit unstrukturierten DatenKnowledge-Management muss aufgrund seiner interdisziplinären Natur mit einer Vielzahl von Applikationen im Unternehmen integrieren und koexistieren, sich schnell an neue Bedürfnisse anpassen lassen und gleichzeitig maximalen Nutzen bei minimalem Aufwand für die Benutzer erzeugen. Eine Reihe von neuen Standards, Technologien und Lösungsansätzen helfen beim Bau und Betrieb derartiger Lösungen.
Knowledge-Management im Zeitalter von Web 2.0 und Open Source
Knowledge-Management im Zeitalter von Web 2.0 und Open Source
Knowledge- und Information-Management ist eine Disziplin, die Informatik-Spezialisten und -Benutzer schon lange beschäftigt, doch erst mit neuen Technologien aus dem Open- Source- und Web-2.0-Umfeld scheinen die schon früh geweckten Hoffnungen erfüllt werden zu können.
Knowledge- und Information-Management ist eine Disziplin, die Informatik-Spezialisten und -Benutzer schon lange beschäftigt, doch erst mit neuen Technologien aus dem Open- Source- und Web-2.0-Umfeld scheinen die schon früh geweckten Hoffnungen erfüllt werden zu können.
Goethe-Institut wählt zur Erstellung von Sprachinhalten für E-Learning das Learning CMS von Eedo
Goethe-Institut wählt zur Erstellung von Sprachinhalten für E-Learning das Learning CMS von Eedo
ForceTen ermöglicht dem Goethe-Institut, über eine komplexe und globale Organisation hinweg, das Verfassen von Inhalten zu dezentralisieren und dabei die Kontrolle über Qualitätsstandards und Best Practices zu bewahren
Eedo Knowledgeware meldete, dass das deutsche Goethe-Institut Eedo ForceTen(TM) als seine Hauptplattform zur Herstellung von auf E-Learning basierender Sprachausbildung gewählt hat. Das Goethe-Institut wählte ForceTen, weil es eine komplexe Reihe von Anforderungen zur Erstellung und Verwaltung von Inhalten unterstützen und auch integriertes Lernen fördern kann.
Das Goethe-Institut ist eine gemeinnützige, deutsche staatliche Organisation, deren Mission die weltweite Förderung der deutschen Sprache und Kultur ist. E-Learning nimmt bei der Initiative, das Angebot an hochwertigen Sprachkursen zu erhalten und auszuweiten, eine zentrale Rolle ein.
"Wir benötigten ein System, dass das Verfassen von Inhalten für E-Learning über eine komplexe und globale Organisation hinweg dezentralisiert und trotzdem die Kontrolle von Qualitätsstandards erlaubt", erklärte Marcus Biechele, Leiter des Multimedia -Entwicklungsteams.
"ForceTen mit seinem Datenbank-basierten, objektorientierten Inhaltsmodell und seiner reichhaltigen Menge an Verwaltungsfunktionen erlaubt uns den Zugriff und die Wiederverwendung von Media Assets, Fragen oder ganzen Modulen, egal wo sie erstellt worden sind. Damit wird es uns ermöglicht, Inhalte schneller und kostengünstiger zu produzieren", fuhr Biechele fort.
Das Goethe-Institut bietet Module für E-Learning als Teil eines integrierten Lernkonzepts an, das zur Erweiterung seines Angebots an Sprachkursen entwickelt wurde. Die Module werden auch zur Förderung langfristiger Kundenbeziehungen über das typische Kursmodell hinaus verwendet werden.
"Das Goethe-Institut hat die anspruchsvolle Aufgabe, die internationale kulturelle Zusammenarbeit zu fördern und benötigt dementsprechend eine verständliche und skalierbare Lösung für das Lehrgebiet Deutsch als Fremdsprache, um seine Ziele zu erreichen", erklärte John Hudson, Präsident und CEO von Eedo Knowledgeware. "Unsere beeindruckende Erfolgsgeschichte in staatlichen und internationalen Organisationen sowie auch unsere Präsenz in Deutschland beweisen, dass wir ein starker und zuverlässiger Partner für solch ein schwieriges Projekt sind."
Im September gab Eedo bekannt, dass das Unternehmen seine deutsche Präsenz ausgebaut und seinen deutschen Hauptsitz nach Berlin verlegt hat. Von Elearnity, Europas führendem unabhängigen Unternehmen für Lernanalyse, wurde Eedo, in einer diesjährigen Studie, als ein etablierter Unternehmer im europäischen Markt bezeichnet. Die Studie, die sich auf den Markt für die Verwaltung von Lerninhalten konzentrierte, bestätigte ForceTen auch als eines der klassenbesten Managementsysteme für Lerninhalte (LCMS - Learning Content Management System).
ForceTen liefert ein effektives Mittel zur Entwicklung, zum Einsatz und zum Erhalt von Bildungs- und Trainingsprogrammen. Die dynamischen Fähigkeiten der Produkte des Unternehmens ermöglichen es Organisationen, Inhalte einfach zu aktualisieren und wieder zu verwenden und dabei flexible Lernprogramme zu liefern, die sich an die individuellen Nutzerwünsche, -anforderungen und -vorlieben anpassen lassen. ForceTen ist eines von mehreren Produkten, die Eedos Wissens- und Learning-Suite verbinden.
28.11.2007, Eedo Knowledgeware
ForceTen ermöglicht dem Goethe-Institut, über eine komplexe und globale Organisation hinweg, das Verfassen von Inhalten zu dezentralisieren und dabei die Kontrolle über Qualitätsstandards und Best Practices zu bewahren
Eedo Knowledgeware meldete, dass das deutsche Goethe-Institut Eedo ForceTen(TM) als seine Hauptplattform zur Herstellung von auf E-Learning basierender Sprachausbildung gewählt hat. Das Goethe-Institut wählte ForceTen, weil es eine komplexe Reihe von Anforderungen zur Erstellung und Verwaltung von Inhalten unterstützen und auch integriertes Lernen fördern kann.
Das Goethe-Institut ist eine gemeinnützige, deutsche staatliche Organisation, deren Mission die weltweite Förderung der deutschen Sprache und Kultur ist. E-Learning nimmt bei der Initiative, das Angebot an hochwertigen Sprachkursen zu erhalten und auszuweiten, eine zentrale Rolle ein.
"Wir benötigten ein System, dass das Verfassen von Inhalten für E-Learning über eine komplexe und globale Organisation hinweg dezentralisiert und trotzdem die Kontrolle von Qualitätsstandards erlaubt", erklärte Marcus Biechele, Leiter des Multimedia -Entwicklungsteams.
"ForceTen mit seinem Datenbank-basierten, objektorientierten Inhaltsmodell und seiner reichhaltigen Menge an Verwaltungsfunktionen erlaubt uns den Zugriff und die Wiederverwendung von Media Assets, Fragen oder ganzen Modulen, egal wo sie erstellt worden sind. Damit wird es uns ermöglicht, Inhalte schneller und kostengünstiger zu produzieren", fuhr Biechele fort.
Das Goethe-Institut bietet Module für E-Learning als Teil eines integrierten Lernkonzepts an, das zur Erweiterung seines Angebots an Sprachkursen entwickelt wurde. Die Module werden auch zur Förderung langfristiger Kundenbeziehungen über das typische Kursmodell hinaus verwendet werden.
"Das Goethe-Institut hat die anspruchsvolle Aufgabe, die internationale kulturelle Zusammenarbeit zu fördern und benötigt dementsprechend eine verständliche und skalierbare Lösung für das Lehrgebiet Deutsch als Fremdsprache, um seine Ziele zu erreichen", erklärte John Hudson, Präsident und CEO von Eedo Knowledgeware. "Unsere beeindruckende Erfolgsgeschichte in staatlichen und internationalen Organisationen sowie auch unsere Präsenz in Deutschland beweisen, dass wir ein starker und zuverlässiger Partner für solch ein schwieriges Projekt sind."
Im September gab Eedo bekannt, dass das Unternehmen seine deutsche Präsenz ausgebaut und seinen deutschen Hauptsitz nach Berlin verlegt hat. Von Elearnity, Europas führendem unabhängigen Unternehmen für Lernanalyse, wurde Eedo, in einer diesjährigen Studie, als ein etablierter Unternehmer im europäischen Markt bezeichnet. Die Studie, die sich auf den Markt für die Verwaltung von Lerninhalten konzentrierte, bestätigte ForceTen auch als eines der klassenbesten Managementsysteme für Lerninhalte (LCMS - Learning Content Management System).
ForceTen liefert ein effektives Mittel zur Entwicklung, zum Einsatz und zum Erhalt von Bildungs- und Trainingsprogrammen. Die dynamischen Fähigkeiten der Produkte des Unternehmens ermöglichen es Organisationen, Inhalte einfach zu aktualisieren und wieder zu verwenden und dabei flexible Lernprogramme zu liefern, die sich an die individuellen Nutzerwünsche, -anforderungen und -vorlieben anpassen lassen. ForceTen ist eines von mehreren Produkten, die Eedos Wissens- und Learning-Suite verbinden.
28.11.2007, Eedo Knowledgeware
Sunday, November 18, 2007
IBM, Microsoft, SAP lag behind on Web 2.0 | InfoWorld | News | 2007-11-08 | By Jon Brodkin, Network World
IBM, Microsoft, SAP lag behind on Web 2.0 | InfoWorld | News | 2007-11-08 | By Jon Brodkin, Network World
Big vendors still lag behind smaller rivals in the market for blog, wiki, and content collaboration tools
Big vendors still lag behind smaller rivals in the market for blog, wiki, and content collaboration tools
Friday, November 09, 2007
Facebook Makes a Large Bet to Reinvent Advertising
Facebook Makes a Large Bet to Reinvent Advertising
Facebook bills its new initiative as the future of advertising. Success is far from certain and depends on subtle implementation details and uncharted areas of consumer behavior.
Facebook bills its new initiative as the future of advertising. Success is far from certain and depends on subtle implementation details and uncharted areas of consumer behavior.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Google Takes First Step in Face-off With Facebook
Google Takes First Step in Face-off With Facebook
The OpenSocial initiative launches Google's long-awaited counterstrike to the Facebook challenge. This limited-scope specification is just an early step in what will be a prolonged battle in the social-platform market.
The OpenSocial initiative launches Google's long-awaited counterstrike to the Facebook challenge. This limited-scope specification is just an early step in what will be a prolonged battle in the social-platform market.
FT.com / By sector - Study urges IT valuation rethink
FT.com / By sector - Study urges IT valuation rethink
Study urges IT valuation rethink
By Pan Kwan Yuk in Paris and Philip Stafford in London
Published: November 4 2007 23:52 | Last updated: November 4 2007 23:52
Companies need to dramatically rethink the way they manage and value their information technology assets if they are to extract better returns from these investments, according to a study published on Monday.
Describing IT hardware and software as the “last remaining hidden corporate asset”, the study, commissioned by Micro Focus, a UK software developer, said core IT assets should be valued with the same rigour and discipline as other corporate assets such as brand and goodwill.
Insead, the Paris-based business school that carried out the research, said that while IT now plays a vital role in driving corporate performance, companies have continued to treat their IT not as assets for value creation but as an expense item to be minimised.
“It’s astounding,” said Soumitra Dutta of Insead.
“While firms have long focused on creating value from physical assets such as factory or store space and intangible assets such as brands, IT assets as a vehicle for value creation have remained largely ignored.”
One problem, according to Prof Dutta, is that even though companies spend billions on IT every year, few boardrooms know the value of their hardware and software and the contributions that they make to their business.
In a study released last month, Micro Focus and Insead found that of the 250 chief information officers and chief finance officers surveyed from companies in the US, UK, France, Germany and Italy, fewer than half had tried to value their IT assets, while 60 per cent did not know the worth of their software.
“When it comes to technology, people tend to get lost in jargon and focus on the new and shiny,” said Stephen Kelly, chief executive of Micro Focus. “Very little thought goes into the benefits that result from the new system and almost none to deriving maximum value from it.”
Yet Prof Dutta said that the potential savings for companies who take the time to analyse the value of their software assets could be huge.
“Think of a house,” he says.
“Would you knock down an entire house when what you need is to update the kitchen? No.
“Yet we see companies spending millions of dollars to build a new IT system every other year when, in many cases, what they needed was just to update the existing one.”
One way Prof Dutta says companies can measure the business value of their core IT assets is through conjoint analysis, a statistical technique used in market research in which people make trade-offs across different attributes.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Study urges IT valuation rethink
By Pan Kwan Yuk in Paris and Philip Stafford in London
Published: November 4 2007 23:52 | Last updated: November 4 2007 23:52
Companies need to dramatically rethink the way they manage and value their information technology assets if they are to extract better returns from these investments, according to a study published on Monday.
Describing IT hardware and software as the “last remaining hidden corporate asset”, the study, commissioned by Micro Focus, a UK software developer, said core IT assets should be valued with the same rigour and discipline as other corporate assets such as brand and goodwill.
Insead, the Paris-based business school that carried out the research, said that while IT now plays a vital role in driving corporate performance, companies have continued to treat their IT not as assets for value creation but as an expense item to be minimised.
“It’s astounding,” said Soumitra Dutta of Insead.
“While firms have long focused on creating value from physical assets such as factory or store space and intangible assets such as brands, IT assets as a vehicle for value creation have remained largely ignored.”
One problem, according to Prof Dutta, is that even though companies spend billions on IT every year, few boardrooms know the value of their hardware and software and the contributions that they make to their business.
In a study released last month, Micro Focus and Insead found that of the 250 chief information officers and chief finance officers surveyed from companies in the US, UK, France, Germany and Italy, fewer than half had tried to value their IT assets, while 60 per cent did not know the worth of their software.
“When it comes to technology, people tend to get lost in jargon and focus on the new and shiny,” said Stephen Kelly, chief executive of Micro Focus. “Very little thought goes into the benefits that result from the new system and almost none to deriving maximum value from it.”
Yet Prof Dutta said that the potential savings for companies who take the time to analyse the value of their software assets could be huge.
“Think of a house,” he says.
“Would you knock down an entire house when what you need is to update the kitchen? No.
“Yet we see companies spending millions of dollars to build a new IT system every other year when, in many cases, what they needed was just to update the existing one.”
One way Prof Dutta says companies can measure the business value of their core IT assets is through conjoint analysis, a statistical technique used in market research in which people make trade-offs across different attributes.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Friday, November 02, 2007
Google hat neuen Spurt-Partner | Wirtschaft | Deutsche Welle | 02.11.2007
Google hat neuen Spurt-Partner | Wirtschaft | Deutsche Welle | 02.11.2007
Zwei wichtige strategische Entscheidungen für die Internet-Ökonomie sind gefallen: Der Internet-Konzern Google wird mit MySpace zusammenarbeiten und ein eigenes Google-Handy auf den Markt bringen.
Zwei wichtige strategische Entscheidungen für die Internet-Ökonomie sind gefallen: Der Internet-Konzern Google wird mit MySpace zusammenarbeiten und ein eigenes Google-Handy auf den Markt bringen.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
FT.com / Companies / Media & internet - Saga gets hip with a zone for silver surfers
FT.com / Companies / Media & internet - Saga gets hip with a zone for silver surfers
Saga gets hip with a zone for silver surfers
By Ben Fenton
Published: October 31 2007 02:27 | Last updated: October 31 2007 02:27
It is not so much a cool internet community as a hip replacement for a social life: today, maturity’s riposte to Facebook comes of age.
If you want to get in with the gin crowd, it seems you should sign up for Saga Zone, which even in its secretive trial stages has enthralled thousands of silver surfers.
On Wednesday night, “zoners” will not be sending each other virtual vampire masks or Hallowe’en superpokes like Facebook friends. They are more likely to be swapping recipes for pumpkin soup.
But that does not mean customers of Saga, the insurance-to-holidays group owned by the Permira, CVC and Charterhouse private equity houses, are the shrinking violets of the web. Alongside the forums discussing topics such as “over-wintering begonias”, there are groups for “mature dating” or debating the relative sexual allure of pouches and thongs. When Zoners discuss “contacting my ex”, they are not proposing a seance.
Already, 13,000 of the 650,000 Saga magazine subscribers have signed up to the trial Zone and this vast database of experience is well ahead of its youthful counterparts in innovation.
“Very early on we had a virtual party,” Rupert Miles, chief executive, publishing, said. “About two dozen zoners arranged to ‘meet’ online. The girls got together first to ‘dress up’. Everyone was allowed a virtual guest – Helen Mirren was popular with the men and George Clooney for the ladies – and just spent a few hours gassing about nothing, as you would at a party.”
The Saga Zone has already had its first “flashmob”, a meeting organised online, but held in real life. It was conducted, however, at a comfortable hotel in Malta.
May Murray, a 64-year-old zoner from Glasgow, said: “It has certainly expanded my social life. I switch it on every single morning. I think my children, who are in their 40s, are quite envious and would like to join, but they can’t because they are too young.”
The generation gap strikes again.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Saga gets hip with a zone for silver surfers
By Ben Fenton
Published: October 31 2007 02:27 | Last updated: October 31 2007 02:27
It is not so much a cool internet community as a hip replacement for a social life: today, maturity’s riposte to Facebook comes of age.
If you want to get in with the gin crowd, it seems you should sign up for Saga Zone, which even in its secretive trial stages has enthralled thousands of silver surfers.
On Wednesday night, “zoners” will not be sending each other virtual vampire masks or Hallowe’en superpokes like Facebook friends. They are more likely to be swapping recipes for pumpkin soup.
But that does not mean customers of Saga, the insurance-to-holidays group owned by the Permira, CVC and Charterhouse private equity houses, are the shrinking violets of the web. Alongside the forums discussing topics such as “over-wintering begonias”, there are groups for “mature dating” or debating the relative sexual allure of pouches and thongs. When Zoners discuss “contacting my ex”, they are not proposing a seance.
Already, 13,000 of the 650,000 Saga magazine subscribers have signed up to the trial Zone and this vast database of experience is well ahead of its youthful counterparts in innovation.
“Very early on we had a virtual party,” Rupert Miles, chief executive, publishing, said. “About two dozen zoners arranged to ‘meet’ online. The girls got together first to ‘dress up’. Everyone was allowed a virtual guest – Helen Mirren was popular with the men and George Clooney for the ladies – and just spent a few hours gassing about nothing, as you would at a party.”
The Saga Zone has already had its first “flashmob”, a meeting organised online, but held in real life. It was conducted, however, at a comfortable hotel in Malta.
May Murray, a 64-year-old zoner from Glasgow, said: “It has certainly expanded my social life. I switch it on every single morning. I think my children, who are in their 40s, are quite envious and would like to join, but they can’t because they are too young.”
The generation gap strikes again.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
FT.com / In depth - Excerpt: Wikinomics, by Don Tapscott and Anthony D Williams
FT.com / In depth - Excerpt: Wikinomics, by Don Tapscott and Anthony D Williams
Excerpt: Wikinomics, by Don Tapscott and Anthony D Williams
Published: October 11 2007 15:01 | Last updated: October 11 2007 15:01
This was one of six books shortlisted for the 2007 FT/Golman Sachs business book of the year award. Read the shortlist, plus synopses, reviews and judges comments. You can also vote on the best business book ever, as selected by top CEOs and other experts.
Call them the “weapons of mass collaboration.” New low-cost collaborative infrastructures—from free Internet telephony to open-source software to global outsourcing platforms—allow thousands upon thousands of individuals and small producers to co-create products, access markets, and delight customers in ways that only large corporations could manage in the past. This is giving rise to new collaborative capabilities and business models that will empower the prepared firm and destroy those that fail to adjust. The upheaval occurring right now in media and entertainment provides an early example of how mass collaboration is turning the economy upside down. Once a bastion of “professionalism,” credentialed knowledge producers share the stage with “amateur” creators who are disrupting every activity they touch. Tens of millions of people share their news, information, and views in the blogosphere, a self-organized network of over 50 million personal commentary sites that are updated every second of the day.2 Some of the largest weblogs (or blogs for short) receive a quarter of a million daily visitors,3 rivaling some daily newspapers. Now audioblogs, podcasts, and mobile photo blogs are adding to a dynamic, up-to-the-minute stream of person-to-person news and information delivered free over the Web.--
Individuals now share knowledge, computing power, bandwidth, and other resources to create a wide array of free and open-source goods and services that anyone can use or modify. What’s more, people can contribute to the “digital commons” at very little cost to themselves, which makes collective action much more attractive. Indeed, peer production is a very social activity. All one needs is a computer, a network connection, and a bright spark of initiative and creativity to join in the economy. These new collaborations will not only serve commercial interests, they will help people do public-spirited things like cure genetic diseases, predict global climate change, and find new planets and stars. Researchers at Olson Laboratory, for example, use a massive supercomputer to evaluate drug candidates that might one day cure AIDS. This is no ordinary supercomputer, however. Their FightAIDS@home initiative is part of the World Community Grid, a global network where millions of individual computer users donate their spare computing power via the Internet to form one of the world’ most powerful computing platforms.
These changes, among others, are ushering us toward a world where knowledge, power, and productive capability will be more dispersed than at any time in our history—a world where value creation will be fast, fluid, and persistently disruptive. A world where only the connected will survive. A power shift is underway, and a tough new business rule is emerging: Harness the new collaboration or perish. Those who fail to grasp this will find themselves ever more isolated—cut off from the networks that are sharing, adapting, and updating knowledge to create value.
This might sound like hyperbole, but it’s not. Consider some additional ways ordinary citizens can now participate in the global body économiqe. Rather than just read a book you can write one. Just log on to Wikipedia—a collaboratively created encyclopedia, owned by no one and authored by tens of thousands of enthusiasts. With five full-time employees, it is ten times bigger than Encyclopedia Britannica and roughly the same in accuracy.4 It runs on a wiki, software that enables users to edit the content of Web pages. Despite the risks inherent in an open encyclopedia in which everyone can add their views, and constant battles with detractors and saboteurs, Wikipedia continues to grow rapidly in scope, quality, and traffic. The English-language version has more than a million entries, and there are ninety-two sister sites in languages ranging from Polish and Japanese to Hebrew and Catalan.
Or perhaps your thing is chemistry. Indeed, if you’re a retired, unemployed, or aspiring chemist, Procter & Gamble needs your help. The pace of innovation has doubled in its industry in the past five years alone, and now its army of 7,500 researchers is no longer enough to sustain its lead. Rather than hire more researchers, CEO A. G. Lafley instructed business unit leaders to source 50 percent of their new product and service ideas from outside the company. Now you can work for P&G without being on their payroll. Just register on the InnoCentive network where you and ninety thousand other scientists around the world can help solve tough R&D problems for a cash reward. InnoCentive is only one of many revolutionary marketplaces matching scientists to R&D challenges presented by companies in search of innovation. P&G and thousands of other companies look to these marketplaces for ideas, inventions, and uniquely qualified minds that can unlock new value in their markets.
Media buffs are similarly empowered. Rather than consume the TV news, you can now create it, along with thousands of independent citizen journalists that are turning the profession upside down. Tired of the familiar old faces and blather on network news? Turn off your TV, pick up a video camera and some cheap editing software, and create a news feature for Current TV, a new national cable and satellite network created almost entirely by amateur contributors. Though the contributors are unpaid volunteers, the content is surprisingly good. Current TV provides online tutorials for camera operation and storytelling techniques, and their guidelines for creating stories help get participants started. Viewers vote on which stories go to air, so only the most engaging material makes prime time.
Finally, a young person in India, China, Brazil, or any one of a number of emerging Eastern European countries can now do what their parents only dreamed of by joining the global economy on an equal footing. You might be in a call center in Bangalore that takes food orders for a drive-through restaurant in Los Angeles. Or you could find yourself working in Foxconn’s new corporate city in the Schenzen province of China, where a decade ago farmers tilled the land with oxen. Today 180,000 people work, live, learn, and play on Foxconn’s massive high-tech campus, designing and building consumer electronics for teenagers around the globe.
For incumbents in every industry this new cornucopia of participation and collaboration is both exhilarating and alarming. As New Paradigm executive David Ticoll argues, “Not all examples of self-organization are benign, or exploitable. Within a single industry the development of opportunities for self-organized collaboration can be beneficial, neutral, or highly competitive to individual firms, or some combination of at least two of these.” Publishers found this out the hard way. Blogs, wikis, chat rooms, search engines, advertising auctions, peer-to-peer downloading, and personal broadcasting represent new ways to entertain, communicate, and transact. In each instance the traditionally passive buyers of editorial and advertising take active, participatory roles in value creation. Some of these grassroots innovations pose dire threats to existing business models.
Publishers of music, literature, movies, software, and television are like canaries in a coal mine—the first casualties of a revolution that is sweeping across all industries. Many enfeebled titans of the industrial economy feel threatened. Despite heroic efforts to change, they remain shackled by command-and-control legacies. Companies have spent the last three decades remolding their operations to compete in a hypercompetitive economy—ripping costs out of their businesses at every opportunity; trying to become more “customer-friendly”; assembling global production networks; and scattering their bricks-and-mortar R&D organizations around the world.
Now, to great chagrin, industrial-era titans are learning that the real revolution is just getting started. Except this time the competition is no longer their arch industry rivals; it’s the uberconnected, amorphous mass of self-organized individuals that is gripping their economic needs firmly in one hand, and their economic destinies in the other. “We the People” is no longer just a political expression—a hopeful ode to the power of “the masses”; it’s also an apt description of how ordinary people, as employees, consumers, community members, and taxpayers now have the power to innovate and to create value on the global stage.
For smart companies, the rising tide of mass collaboration offers vast opportunity. As the Goldcorp story denotes, even the oldest of old economy industries can harness this revolution to create value in unconventional ways. Companies can reach beyond their walls to sow the seeds of innovation and harvest a bountiful crop. Indeed, firms that cultivate nimble, trust-based relationships with external collaborators are positioned to form vibrant business ecosystems that create value more effectively than hierarchically organized businesses.
For individuals and small producers, this may be the birth of a new era, perhaps even a golden one, on par with the Italian renaissance or the rise of Athenian democracy. Mass collaboration across borders, disciplines, and cultures is at once economical and enjoyable. We can peer produce an operating system, an encyclopedia, the media, a mutual fund, and even physical things like a motorcycle. We are becoming an economy unto ourselves—a vast global network of specialized producers that swap and exchange services for entertainment, sustenance, and learning. A new economic democracy is emerging in which we all have a lead role.
............................................................................................................................................
Reproduced by permission of the publisher.
Excerpt: Wikinomics, by Don Tapscott and Anthony D Williams
Published: October 11 2007 15:01 | Last updated: October 11 2007 15:01
This was one of six books shortlisted for the 2007 FT/Golman Sachs business book of the year award. Read the shortlist, plus synopses, reviews and judges comments. You can also vote on the best business book ever, as selected by top CEOs and other experts.
Call them the “weapons of mass collaboration.” New low-cost collaborative infrastructures—from free Internet telephony to open-source software to global outsourcing platforms—allow thousands upon thousands of individuals and small producers to co-create products, access markets, and delight customers in ways that only large corporations could manage in the past. This is giving rise to new collaborative capabilities and business models that will empower the prepared firm and destroy those that fail to adjust. The upheaval occurring right now in media and entertainment provides an early example of how mass collaboration is turning the economy upside down. Once a bastion of “professionalism,” credentialed knowledge producers share the stage with “amateur” creators who are disrupting every activity they touch. Tens of millions of people share their news, information, and views in the blogosphere, a self-organized network of over 50 million personal commentary sites that are updated every second of the day.2 Some of the largest weblogs (or blogs for short) receive a quarter of a million daily visitors,3 rivaling some daily newspapers. Now audioblogs, podcasts, and mobile photo blogs are adding to a dynamic, up-to-the-minute stream of person-to-person news and information delivered free over the Web.--
Individuals now share knowledge, computing power, bandwidth, and other resources to create a wide array of free and open-source goods and services that anyone can use or modify. What’s more, people can contribute to the “digital commons” at very little cost to themselves, which makes collective action much more attractive. Indeed, peer production is a very social activity. All one needs is a computer, a network connection, and a bright spark of initiative and creativity to join in the economy. These new collaborations will not only serve commercial interests, they will help people do public-spirited things like cure genetic diseases, predict global climate change, and find new planets and stars. Researchers at Olson Laboratory, for example, use a massive supercomputer to evaluate drug candidates that might one day cure AIDS. This is no ordinary supercomputer, however. Their FightAIDS@home initiative is part of the World Community Grid, a global network where millions of individual computer users donate their spare computing power via the Internet to form one of the world’ most powerful computing platforms.
These changes, among others, are ushering us toward a world where knowledge, power, and productive capability will be more dispersed than at any time in our history—a world where value creation will be fast, fluid, and persistently disruptive. A world where only the connected will survive. A power shift is underway, and a tough new business rule is emerging: Harness the new collaboration or perish. Those who fail to grasp this will find themselves ever more isolated—cut off from the networks that are sharing, adapting, and updating knowledge to create value.
This might sound like hyperbole, but it’s not. Consider some additional ways ordinary citizens can now participate in the global body économiqe. Rather than just read a book you can write one. Just log on to Wikipedia—a collaboratively created encyclopedia, owned by no one and authored by tens of thousands of enthusiasts. With five full-time employees, it is ten times bigger than Encyclopedia Britannica and roughly the same in accuracy.4 It runs on a wiki, software that enables users to edit the content of Web pages. Despite the risks inherent in an open encyclopedia in which everyone can add their views, and constant battles with detractors and saboteurs, Wikipedia continues to grow rapidly in scope, quality, and traffic. The English-language version has more than a million entries, and there are ninety-two sister sites in languages ranging from Polish and Japanese to Hebrew and Catalan.
Or perhaps your thing is chemistry. Indeed, if you’re a retired, unemployed, or aspiring chemist, Procter & Gamble needs your help. The pace of innovation has doubled in its industry in the past five years alone, and now its army of 7,500 researchers is no longer enough to sustain its lead. Rather than hire more researchers, CEO A. G. Lafley instructed business unit leaders to source 50 percent of their new product and service ideas from outside the company. Now you can work for P&G without being on their payroll. Just register on the InnoCentive network where you and ninety thousand other scientists around the world can help solve tough R&D problems for a cash reward. InnoCentive is only one of many revolutionary marketplaces matching scientists to R&D challenges presented by companies in search of innovation. P&G and thousands of other companies look to these marketplaces for ideas, inventions, and uniquely qualified minds that can unlock new value in their markets.
Media buffs are similarly empowered. Rather than consume the TV news, you can now create it, along with thousands of independent citizen journalists that are turning the profession upside down. Tired of the familiar old faces and blather on network news? Turn off your TV, pick up a video camera and some cheap editing software, and create a news feature for Current TV, a new national cable and satellite network created almost entirely by amateur contributors. Though the contributors are unpaid volunteers, the content is surprisingly good. Current TV provides online tutorials for camera operation and storytelling techniques, and their guidelines for creating stories help get participants started. Viewers vote on which stories go to air, so only the most engaging material makes prime time.
Finally, a young person in India, China, Brazil, or any one of a number of emerging Eastern European countries can now do what their parents only dreamed of by joining the global economy on an equal footing. You might be in a call center in Bangalore that takes food orders for a drive-through restaurant in Los Angeles. Or you could find yourself working in Foxconn’s new corporate city in the Schenzen province of China, where a decade ago farmers tilled the land with oxen. Today 180,000 people work, live, learn, and play on Foxconn’s massive high-tech campus, designing and building consumer electronics for teenagers around the globe.
For incumbents in every industry this new cornucopia of participation and collaboration is both exhilarating and alarming. As New Paradigm executive David Ticoll argues, “Not all examples of self-organization are benign, or exploitable. Within a single industry the development of opportunities for self-organized collaboration can be beneficial, neutral, or highly competitive to individual firms, or some combination of at least two of these.” Publishers found this out the hard way. Blogs, wikis, chat rooms, search engines, advertising auctions, peer-to-peer downloading, and personal broadcasting represent new ways to entertain, communicate, and transact. In each instance the traditionally passive buyers of editorial and advertising take active, participatory roles in value creation. Some of these grassroots innovations pose dire threats to existing business models.
Publishers of music, literature, movies, software, and television are like canaries in a coal mine—the first casualties of a revolution that is sweeping across all industries. Many enfeebled titans of the industrial economy feel threatened. Despite heroic efforts to change, they remain shackled by command-and-control legacies. Companies have spent the last three decades remolding their operations to compete in a hypercompetitive economy—ripping costs out of their businesses at every opportunity; trying to become more “customer-friendly”; assembling global production networks; and scattering their bricks-and-mortar R&D organizations around the world.
Now, to great chagrin, industrial-era titans are learning that the real revolution is just getting started. Except this time the competition is no longer their arch industry rivals; it’s the uberconnected, amorphous mass of self-organized individuals that is gripping their economic needs firmly in one hand, and their economic destinies in the other. “We the People” is no longer just a political expression—a hopeful ode to the power of “the masses”; it’s also an apt description of how ordinary people, as employees, consumers, community members, and taxpayers now have the power to innovate and to create value on the global stage.
For smart companies, the rising tide of mass collaboration offers vast opportunity. As the Goldcorp story denotes, even the oldest of old economy industries can harness this revolution to create value in unconventional ways. Companies can reach beyond their walls to sow the seeds of innovation and harvest a bountiful crop. Indeed, firms that cultivate nimble, trust-based relationships with external collaborators are positioned to form vibrant business ecosystems that create value more effectively than hierarchically organized businesses.
For individuals and small producers, this may be the birth of a new era, perhaps even a golden one, on par with the Italian renaissance or the rise of Athenian democracy. Mass collaboration across borders, disciplines, and cultures is at once economical and enjoyable. We can peer produce an operating system, an encyclopedia, the media, a mutual fund, and even physical things like a motorcycle. We are becoming an economy unto ourselves—a vast global network of specialized producers that swap and exchange services for entertainment, sustenance, and learning. A new economic democracy is emerging in which we all have a lead role.
............................................................................................................................................
Reproduced by permission of the publisher.
Monday, October 29, 2007
sueddeutsche.de Zeitung und Internet Wir brauchen eine Debatte - Kultur
sueddeutsche.de Zeitung und Internet Wir brauchen eine Debatte - Kultur
Nicht das Internet ist der Feind des Journalismus, sondern das Kalkül. Vom Pulsschlag des Textes: Ein Plädoyer für ein Jahrzehnt des Qualitätsjournalismus.
Nicht das Internet ist der Feind des Journalismus, sondern das Kalkül. Vom Pulsschlag des Textes: Ein Plädoyer für ein Jahrzehnt des Qualitätsjournalismus.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Facebook Wins Big as Microsoft Validates Social-Platform Value
Facebook Wins Big as Microsoft Validates Social-Platform Value
The emerging social-platform wars ratcheted up a notch when, in a long-awaited development, Microsoft struck a deal to invest $240 million in Facebook.
The emerging social-platform wars ratcheted up a notch when, in a long-awaited development, Microsoft struck a deal to invest $240 million in Facebook.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
ECM-Anbieter tummeln sich im Sharepoint-Umfeld
ECM-Anbieter tummeln sich im Sharepoint-Umfeld
Microsoft Office Sharepoint 2007, kurz MOSS, ist die neue Version der Portal-Software aus dem Hause Microsoft, die im Vergleich zur Vorgängerversion, die noch unter dem Namen Sharepoint Portal Server lief, erhebliche Fortschritte gemacht hat. Auf Grund der massiven Weiterentwicklung positioniert Microsoft selber den MOSS jetzt als ECM-Plattform.
Nimmt man die Definition zu ECM von AIIM, so stellt man fest, dass der derzeitige MOSS mit den Hauptkomponenten Capture, Output, Delivery, Store und Preserve nichts zu tun hat. Bei den Managementkomponenten deckt er die Bereiche Dokumenten-Management, Records-Management, Web-Content-Management sowie schwerpunktmäßig Collaboration ab.
Der Einsatz von Sharepoint-Lösungen scheint sich auszubreiten, es ist eine deutliche Zunahme der Nachfrage im Markt zu spüren, obwohl die Microsoft Lösung bekanntlich einige Lücken aufweist. Gleichzeitig haben immer mehr ECM-Hersteller Produkte im Angebot, die diese Lücken, zumindest im Bereich der Archivierung, zu schließen versuchen. Dieser Artikel versucht einen Überblick über vorhandene Lösungen, offene Punkte und weitere Möglichkeiten der Integration mit Sharepoint zu geben.
Microsoft Office Sharepoint 2007, kurz MOSS, ist die neue Version der Portal-Software aus dem Hause Microsoft, die im Vergleich zur Vorgängerversion, die noch unter dem Namen Sharepoint Portal Server lief, erhebliche Fortschritte gemacht hat. Auf Grund der massiven Weiterentwicklung positioniert Microsoft selber den MOSS jetzt als ECM-Plattform.
Nimmt man die Definition zu ECM von AIIM, so stellt man fest, dass der derzeitige MOSS mit den Hauptkomponenten Capture, Output, Delivery, Store und Preserve nichts zu tun hat. Bei den Managementkomponenten deckt er die Bereiche Dokumenten-Management, Records-Management, Web-Content-Management sowie schwerpunktmäßig Collaboration ab.
Der Einsatz von Sharepoint-Lösungen scheint sich auszubreiten, es ist eine deutliche Zunahme der Nachfrage im Markt zu spüren, obwohl die Microsoft Lösung bekanntlich einige Lücken aufweist. Gleichzeitig haben immer mehr ECM-Hersteller Produkte im Angebot, die diese Lücken, zumindest im Bereich der Archivierung, zu schließen versuchen. Dieser Artikel versucht einen Überblick über vorhandene Lösungen, offene Punkte und weitere Möglichkeiten der Integration mit Sharepoint zu geben.
FT.com / Companies / IT - Subprime boost for Autonomy
FT.com / Companies / IT - Subprime boost for Autonomy
Subprime boost for Autonomy
By Maija Palmer, Technology Correspondent
Published: October 24 2007 03:16 | Last updated: October 24 2007 03:16
Mike Lynch, chief executive of Autonomy, said the search and archiving company could see a boost to business next year if financial services groups started facing litigation over their exposure to US subprime home loans.
The company provides software that helps companies retrieve e-mails and other electronic records and said its systems were often used by companies preparing for lawsuits. Autonomy increased its exposure to the legal market earlier this year with the $375m acquisition of Zantaz, which supplies nine of the world’s top 10 law firms.
Mr Lynch said the company had won new customers “all along the financial services chain” who were preparing for litigation related to the subprime problems. The company also supplies software to the New York Stock Exchange and the Serious Fraud Office.
“It’s an ill wind that doesn’t blow someone some good,” said Mr Lynch.
However, shares in Autonomy fell 44p to 911p as it reported third-quarter results in line with estimates.
Revenues were up 49 per cent at $89.6m for the three months to the end of September, while pre-tax profits rose 38 per cent to $18.3m.
Roger Phillips, analyst at Evolution Securities, cut the stock from “add” to “reduce” and said: “There were no horrors in this. Autonomy have repeatedly beat expectations and this time they are in line. But the stock is just too expensive – to maintain the valuation you need constant outperformance.”
Autonomy also announced the acquisition of Meridio for £20m ($40m) in cash and shares.
FT Comment
●Autonomy shares have doubled over the past year and trade at 50 times this year’s earnings estimates – well above the rest of the software sector. It is natural for the market to worry about whether this is justified and panic at any sign of weakness. Autonomy’s revenues rely on selling big licences to big companies and this may slow in a downturn, while eventually it may face market saturation. However, there is little sign of that yet and in spite of there being little in the latest results to propel the shares higher, Tuesday’s correction looks overdone.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Subprime boost for Autonomy
By Maija Palmer, Technology Correspondent
Published: October 24 2007 03:16 | Last updated: October 24 2007 03:16
Mike Lynch, chief executive of Autonomy, said the search and archiving company could see a boost to business next year if financial services groups started facing litigation over their exposure to US subprime home loans.
The company provides software that helps companies retrieve e-mails and other electronic records and said its systems were often used by companies preparing for lawsuits. Autonomy increased its exposure to the legal market earlier this year with the $375m acquisition of Zantaz, which supplies nine of the world’s top 10 law firms.
Mr Lynch said the company had won new customers “all along the financial services chain” who were preparing for litigation related to the subprime problems. The company also supplies software to the New York Stock Exchange and the Serious Fraud Office.
“It’s an ill wind that doesn’t blow someone some good,” said Mr Lynch.
However, shares in Autonomy fell 44p to 911p as it reported third-quarter results in line with estimates.
Revenues were up 49 per cent at $89.6m for the three months to the end of September, while pre-tax profits rose 38 per cent to $18.3m.
Roger Phillips, analyst at Evolution Securities, cut the stock from “add” to “reduce” and said: “There were no horrors in this. Autonomy have repeatedly beat expectations and this time they are in line. But the stock is just too expensive – to maintain the valuation you need constant outperformance.”
Autonomy also announced the acquisition of Meridio for £20m ($40m) in cash and shares.
FT Comment
●Autonomy shares have doubled over the past year and trade at 50 times this year’s earnings estimates – well above the rest of the software sector. It is natural for the market to worry about whether this is justified and panic at any sign of weakness. Autonomy’s revenues rely on selling big licences to big companies and this may slow in a downturn, while eventually it may face market saturation. However, there is little sign of that yet and in spite of there being little in the latest results to propel the shares higher, Tuesday’s correction looks overdone.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Interwoven to Boost E-Marketing Capabilities With Optimost
Interwoven to Boost E-Marketing Capabilities With Optimost
Acquiring Optimost will enable Interwoven to add marketing-friendly multivariable testing and Web optimization techniques to its content management offerings.
Acquiring Optimost will enable Interwoven to add marketing-friendly multivariable testing and Web optimization techniques to its content management offerings.
FirstSpirit 4: Neue Version des Content-Management-Systems zeigt Größe
FirstSpirit 4: Neue Version des Content-Management-Systems zeigt Größe
e-Spirit hat mit FirstSpirit 4 die neueste Version seines Content-Management-Systems veröffentlicht. Kern der Entwicklungsarbeit ist die konsequente Ausrichtung auf die wachsenden Anforderungen im Content-Management-Markt...
e-Spirit hat mit FirstSpirit 4 die neueste Version seines Content-Management-Systems veröffentlicht. Kern der Entwicklungsarbeit ist die konsequente Ausrichtung auf die wachsenden Anforderungen im Content-Management-Markt...
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Nuxeo releases version 5.1 of its open source ECM platform with a focus on SOA, scalability and support - Nuxeo open source ECM
Nuxeo releases version 5.1 of its open source ECM platform with a focus on SOA, scalability and support - Nuxeo open source ECM
The updated platform provides a powerful and flexible infrastructure that meets the needs of large scale enterprises investing in SOA, with first implementations in the media, energy and defense sectors.
Paris, 18 October 2007 - Nuxeo, the pioneer and leader of open source ECM (Enterprise Content Management), announces Nuxeo Enterprise Platform 5.1, a new version of its ECM platform. This release is largely distinguished by its service-oriented architecture (SOA), scalability and flexibility. A high level of support is also available - delivering enterprise-grade functional & technical support, certified software patches and updates, and management tools that are available during every stage of the application lifecycle.
The updated platform provides a powerful and flexible infrastructure that meets the needs of large scale enterprises investing in SOA, with first implementations in the media, energy and defense sectors.
Paris, 18 October 2007 - Nuxeo, the pioneer and leader of open source ECM (Enterprise Content Management), announces Nuxeo Enterprise Platform 5.1, a new version of its ECM platform. This release is largely distinguished by its service-oriented architecture (SOA), scalability and flexibility. A high level of support is also available - delivering enterprise-grade functional & technical support, certified software patches and updates, and management tools that are available during every stage of the application lifecycle.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Web 2.0 Goes Mainstream
Web 2.0 Goes Mainstream
NEW YORK
Mainstream Internet users are employing simple tools to personalize their Web experiences, though they are skipping some of the popular totems of Web 2.0, according to a newly released survey.
Avenue A/Razorfish, the digital agency owned by Microsoft, released research that shows some Web 2.0 staples such as video sharing and personalized Web pages have gone mainstream.
NEW YORK
Mainstream Internet users are employing simple tools to personalize their Web experiences, though they are skipping some of the popular totems of Web 2.0, according to a newly released survey.
Avenue A/Razorfish, the digital agency owned by Microsoft, released research that shows some Web 2.0 staples such as video sharing and personalized Web pages have gone mainstream.
The e-Spirit Company GmbH ist jetzt eine Aktiengesellschaft
The e-Spirit Company GmbH ist jetzt eine Aktiengesellschaft
Neue Rechtsform unterstützt Expansion in internationale Märkte / Bilanz 2006: Umsatz steigt um 80 Prozent
The e-Spirit Company GmbH zieht mit einer 80-prozentigen Umsatzsteigerung eine überaus positive Bilanz für 2006 und stellt die Weichen für das kommende Geschäftsjahr: Der Hersteller des Content-Management-Systems FirstSpirit änderte die Rechtsform und firmiert nunmehr als Aktiengesellschaft. Den Vorstand der e-Spirit AG haben Jörn Bodemann und Christoph Junge übernommen.
Mit der Änderung der Rechtsform verfolgt e-Spirit die gesicherte Fortführung des Unternehmenswachstums der vergangenen Jahre. Ebenfalls stützt der Schritt die nachhaltige Produkt- und Geschäftsentwicklung. Das Dortmunder Unternehmen blickt auf ein erfolgreiches Geschäftsjahr 2006 und ein sehr gutes erstes Halbjahr 2007 zurück. In 2006 konnte der Umsatz im Vergleich zum Vorjahr um 80 Prozent gesteigert und die Mitarbeiterzahl um 10 Prozent erhöht werden. Insgesamt haben sich allein in 2006 über 20 namhafte Großunternehmen für FirstSpirit als Content-Management-Plattform entschieden. Eine Fortsetzung dieses Trends zeichnet sich für 2007 bereits ab.
Dazu der Vorstandsvorsitzende der e-Spirit AG Jörn Bodemann: "Der Wechsel der Rechtsform sowie die damit einhergehende Umfirmierung wird dazu beitragen, die für unsere Geschäftsentwicklung nötige finanzielle Flexibilität zu gewährleisten. Neben den nationalen Geschäftsbeziehungen haben sich auch unsere internationalen Aktivitäten im vergangenen Jahr weiterentwickelt. Wir wollen diese Internationalisierung mit den Möglichkeiten einer Aktiengesellschaft noch schneller umsetzen."
Jörn Bodemann ist langjähriger Geschäftsführer des Unternehmens. Der diplomierte Informatiker bleibt weiterhin für die Geschäftsbereiche Unternehmenskommunikation, Vertrieb, Professional Services sowie Produkt- und Geschäftsentwicklung verantwortlich.
Als zweites Vorstandsmitglied ist Christoph Junge für die Geschäftsbereiche Finanzen und Recht zuständig. Er ist damit Mitglied des Vorstands bei der adesso AG und bei der e-Spirit AG.
Als Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats wurde das adesso-Vorstandsmitglied Michael Kenfenheuer berufen.
11.10.2007, e-Spirit AG
Neue Rechtsform unterstützt Expansion in internationale Märkte / Bilanz 2006: Umsatz steigt um 80 Prozent
The e-Spirit Company GmbH zieht mit einer 80-prozentigen Umsatzsteigerung eine überaus positive Bilanz für 2006 und stellt die Weichen für das kommende Geschäftsjahr: Der Hersteller des Content-Management-Systems FirstSpirit änderte die Rechtsform und firmiert nunmehr als Aktiengesellschaft. Den Vorstand der e-Spirit AG haben Jörn Bodemann und Christoph Junge übernommen.
Mit der Änderung der Rechtsform verfolgt e-Spirit die gesicherte Fortführung des Unternehmenswachstums der vergangenen Jahre. Ebenfalls stützt der Schritt die nachhaltige Produkt- und Geschäftsentwicklung. Das Dortmunder Unternehmen blickt auf ein erfolgreiches Geschäftsjahr 2006 und ein sehr gutes erstes Halbjahr 2007 zurück. In 2006 konnte der Umsatz im Vergleich zum Vorjahr um 80 Prozent gesteigert und die Mitarbeiterzahl um 10 Prozent erhöht werden. Insgesamt haben sich allein in 2006 über 20 namhafte Großunternehmen für FirstSpirit als Content-Management-Plattform entschieden. Eine Fortsetzung dieses Trends zeichnet sich für 2007 bereits ab.
Dazu der Vorstandsvorsitzende der e-Spirit AG Jörn Bodemann: "Der Wechsel der Rechtsform sowie die damit einhergehende Umfirmierung wird dazu beitragen, die für unsere Geschäftsentwicklung nötige finanzielle Flexibilität zu gewährleisten. Neben den nationalen Geschäftsbeziehungen haben sich auch unsere internationalen Aktivitäten im vergangenen Jahr weiterentwickelt. Wir wollen diese Internationalisierung mit den Möglichkeiten einer Aktiengesellschaft noch schneller umsetzen."
Jörn Bodemann ist langjähriger Geschäftsführer des Unternehmens. Der diplomierte Informatiker bleibt weiterhin für die Geschäftsbereiche Unternehmenskommunikation, Vertrieb, Professional Services sowie Produkt- und Geschäftsentwicklung verantwortlich.
Als zweites Vorstandsmitglied ist Christoph Junge für die Geschäftsbereiche Finanzen und Recht zuständig. Er ist damit Mitglied des Vorstands bei der adesso AG und bei der e-Spirit AG.
Als Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats wurde das adesso-Vorstandsmitglied Michael Kenfenheuer berufen.
11.10.2007, e-Spirit AG
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
» Gartner’s top 10 technologies for 2008: SOA precursors; fabric computing; Real world Web; WOA | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com
» Gartner’s top 10 technologies for 2008: SOA precursors; fabric computing; Real world Web; WOA | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com
Gartner outlined its top 10 strategic technology areas for 2008 and many roads lead to service oriented architecture.
Gartner outlined its top 10 strategic technology areas for 2008 and many roads lead to service oriented architecture.
Day optimiert SAP-Integration
Day optimiert SAP-Integration
Marktführer für Content-Integration baut Unterstützung für SAP NetWeaver Portal aus
Day Software, ein Anbieter von Global Content Management Software und Content Infrastructure Software, gab heute bekannt, die Content Mangement Plattform Communiqué um eine Integration mit SAP NetWeaver Portal 6.0 erweitert zu haben. Mit der bisher schon verfügbaren Anbindung an SAP R/3 durch den Einsatz von BAPI-Connectoren (Business Application Programming Interface) sowie RFCs (Remote Function Calls) bietet Communiqué eine umfassende Content Management Lösung für die SAP-Umgebung. Mit Days Unterstützung für SAP NetWeaver Portal können Unternehmen ihre geschäftskritischen Inhalte und Funktionalitäten mühelos in die Umgebung ihres SAP NetWeaver Portals integrieren.
SAP NetWeaver Portal ist eine Plattform, die es Unternehmen ermöglicht, umfangreiche Business-Anwendungen zu erstellen. Aufgrund von Offenheit, Flexibilität und Anpassungsfähigkeit vertrauen weltweit führende Unternehmen auf SAP NetWeaver als Grundlage für ihre unternehmensweite, Serviceorientierte Architektur (Enterprise SOA).
Days erweiterte Funktionalitäten bieten Out-of-the-Box-Portlets, die es ermöglichen, verwalteten Content, der dynamisch mit dem SAP NetWeaver Portal verbunden ist, über iViews anzuzeigen. Die Präsentationsfunktionalität wird unterstützt durch den Einsatz von iViews, Themes und External Facing Portals. Darüber hinaus stehen Integration in die Portal-Navigation sowie TREX-Suche zur Verfügung. Day erhöht den Wert des verwalteten Contents durch Unterstützung von Mehrsprachigkeit, Inter-Portlet-Kommunikation, Content Sharing und Personalisierung. Eine nahtlose Integration in das Portal-Framework wird durch die Unterstützung von LDAP und Single Sign-On ermöglicht.
Mit Days Technologie erhalten Unternehmen Zugriff auf ihre wertvollsten Informationen und Dokumente für ihre spezifische Geschäftstätigkeit, ihre Prozesse, Produkte und Kunden, die zuvor in herstellerspezifischen Repositorys lagerten. In Zusammenarbeit mit führenden Unternehmen wie EMC, IBM, SUN und Oracle hat Day den Industriestandard für Content-Zugriff JSR 170 initiiert und vorangetrieben. Unter der Leitung von Days CTO David Nüscheler wurde auch JSR 283 (Version 2.0 des Content Repository für Java Technology API) erfolgreich für den Public Review freigegeben. Diese nächste Version des Standards wird dazu beitragen, die Kompatibilität zwischen Content-Anwendungen und Repositorys zu verbessern.
09.10.2007, Günther Kanzler, Day Software
Marktführer für Content-Integration baut Unterstützung für SAP NetWeaver Portal aus
Day Software, ein Anbieter von Global Content Management Software und Content Infrastructure Software, gab heute bekannt, die Content Mangement Plattform Communiqué um eine Integration mit SAP NetWeaver Portal 6.0 erweitert zu haben. Mit der bisher schon verfügbaren Anbindung an SAP R/3 durch den Einsatz von BAPI-Connectoren (Business Application Programming Interface) sowie RFCs (Remote Function Calls) bietet Communiqué eine umfassende Content Management Lösung für die SAP-Umgebung. Mit Days Unterstützung für SAP NetWeaver Portal können Unternehmen ihre geschäftskritischen Inhalte und Funktionalitäten mühelos in die Umgebung ihres SAP NetWeaver Portals integrieren.
SAP NetWeaver Portal ist eine Plattform, die es Unternehmen ermöglicht, umfangreiche Business-Anwendungen zu erstellen. Aufgrund von Offenheit, Flexibilität und Anpassungsfähigkeit vertrauen weltweit führende Unternehmen auf SAP NetWeaver als Grundlage für ihre unternehmensweite, Serviceorientierte Architektur (Enterprise SOA).
Days erweiterte Funktionalitäten bieten Out-of-the-Box-Portlets, die es ermöglichen, verwalteten Content, der dynamisch mit dem SAP NetWeaver Portal verbunden ist, über iViews anzuzeigen. Die Präsentationsfunktionalität wird unterstützt durch den Einsatz von iViews, Themes und External Facing Portals. Darüber hinaus stehen Integration in die Portal-Navigation sowie TREX-Suche zur Verfügung. Day erhöht den Wert des verwalteten Contents durch Unterstützung von Mehrsprachigkeit, Inter-Portlet-Kommunikation, Content Sharing und Personalisierung. Eine nahtlose Integration in das Portal-Framework wird durch die Unterstützung von LDAP und Single Sign-On ermöglicht.
Mit Days Technologie erhalten Unternehmen Zugriff auf ihre wertvollsten Informationen und Dokumente für ihre spezifische Geschäftstätigkeit, ihre Prozesse, Produkte und Kunden, die zuvor in herstellerspezifischen Repositorys lagerten. In Zusammenarbeit mit führenden Unternehmen wie EMC, IBM, SUN und Oracle hat Day den Industriestandard für Content-Zugriff JSR 170 initiiert und vorangetrieben. Unter der Leitung von Days CTO David Nüscheler wurde auch JSR 283 (Version 2.0 des Content Repository für Java Technology API) erfolgreich für den Public Review freigegeben. Diese nächste Version des Standards wird dazu beitragen, die Kompatibilität zwischen Content-Anwendungen und Repositorys zu verbessern.
09.10.2007, Günther Kanzler, Day Software
Monday, October 08, 2007
Übernahme von Business Objects SAP befeuert Software-Krieg - Wirtschaft - sueddeutsche.de
Übernahme von Business Objects SAP befeuert Software-Krieg - Wirtschaft - sueddeutsche.de
Im Duell mit Konkurrent Oracle rüstet SAP auf: Der deutsche Softwarekonzern stemmt für knapp fünf Milliarden Euro die teuerste Übernahme seiner Geschichte.
Im Duell mit Konkurrent Oracle rüstet SAP auf: Der deutsche Softwarekonzern stemmt für knapp fünf Milliarden Euro die teuerste Übernahme seiner Geschichte.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Google Ups Enterprise E-Mail Stakes With Free Hygiene Services
Google Ups Enterprise E-Mail Stakes With Free Hygiene Services
Postini spam-, virus- and content-filtering services will be available to enterprise Gmail users at no additional cost, demonstrating Google's rapid rate of innovation and willingness to sacrifice revenue for market share.
Postini spam-, virus- and content-filtering services will be available to enterprise Gmail users at no additional cost, demonstrating Google's rapid rate of innovation and willingness to sacrifice revenue for market share.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
SOA-ready: Intrexx Xtreme mit Web Service Modul
SOA-ready: Intrexx Xtreme mit Web Service Modul
Nachdem der Portal und Application Builder im letzten Release schon ein komplettes Prozess Management Modul eingepflanzt bekommen hatte, kommt Intrexx im neuen Release 4.0 nun mit einem Modul zur Orchestrierung von Web Services. Damit lassen sich noch smartere Anwendungen für das Intranet erstellen. 75 fertige Applikationen zur sofortigen Nutzung sind ebenfalls auf DVD enthalten.
Nachdem der Portal und Application Builder im letzten Release schon ein komplettes Prozess Management Modul eingepflanzt bekommen hatte, kommt Intrexx im neuen Release 4.0 nun mit einem Modul zur Orchestrierung von Web Services. Damit lassen sich noch smartere Anwendungen für das Intranet erstellen. 75 fertige Applikationen zur sofortigen Nutzung sind ebenfalls auf DVD enthalten.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Demystifying the Gartner ECM Magic Quadrant | The Intelligent Enterprise Blog
Demystifying the Gartner ECM Magic Quadrant | The Intelligent Enterprise Blog
Demystifying the Gartner ECM Magic Quadrant
Posted by Alan Pelz-Sharpe
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
10:34 AM
Inclusion in the Gartner Magic Quadrant (MQ) is believed by vendors to have a very positive impact on sales. In the 2007 MQ for Enterprise Content Management, published late last month, it's clear that little (in Gartner's view) has changed in the ECM world. Well, we beg to differ: 2007 has been a period of major change! And so rather than harping on perceived weaknesses in this highly influential document, let's point out where the analysis in the CMS Watch ECM Suites Report differs from Gartner's.
1. CMS Watch recognizes that there are valid and increasingly plausible and popular open source options for ECM making an impact on the market as a whole. Alfresco, Nuxeo, Knowledge Tree, Jahia and InfoGrid are all credible options. Yet not even a mention of Alfresco (which has been almost ubiquitous in the press this year) has made the Gartner report.
2. We see regional richness and diversity among ECM suppliers around the globe. Examples include the impact of NewGen in India, Asia and the Middle East, and Saperion in Europe. Neither vendor gets a mention in the MQ.
3. We don't grade vendors on the size of their revenue, rather on their viability and the quality of their products. Many vendors make less than $20 Million a year (a criteria for inclusion in the MQ), yet are profitable, stable and produce very high-quality products.
4. We differentiate vendors by scenarios, i.e., by where its product would be best suited. For example Cimage, Spescom and Formtek (only Cimage is included in the MQ) might all be prime candidates in an Engineering DM situation. Vendors have both domain expertise and products that have been designed to excel in some situations but not others. We think it's important that you know those differences and are able to compare like-for-like products before selecting a shortlist based on vague concepts such as "leadership and vision."
There are other things about this report that baffle us, like why SAP is included in it (when even the report itself states that they do not have an ECM Suite) when others that do sell ECM Suites, such as those we mention above, are excluded. It may seem unfair to pick on another analyst firm — and, for the record, the authors of this particular report are all experts we have great respect for — but the importance of the MQ in the buying process is so huge that it demands a critical assessment and evaluation.
If there is a problem to identify, it is likely a business model that hinges on such charts, and a public's demand for ever simplified information, along with the vendors' addiction to getting the "right" placement in the chart. It is both the beauty and the curse of the MQ that it dramatically simplifies a marketplace. But ECM tools and choices are far from simple. In short, buyers of ECM beware.
Alan Pelz-Sharpe is a principal analyst at CMS Watch. Write him at aps@cmswatch.com
Demystifying the Gartner ECM Magic Quadrant
Posted by Alan Pelz-Sharpe
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
10:34 AM
Inclusion in the Gartner Magic Quadrant (MQ) is believed by vendors to have a very positive impact on sales. In the 2007 MQ for Enterprise Content Management, published late last month, it's clear that little (in Gartner's view) has changed in the ECM world. Well, we beg to differ: 2007 has been a period of major change! And so rather than harping on perceived weaknesses in this highly influential document, let's point out where the analysis in the CMS Watch ECM Suites Report differs from Gartner's.
1. CMS Watch recognizes that there are valid and increasingly plausible and popular open source options for ECM making an impact on the market as a whole. Alfresco, Nuxeo, Knowledge Tree, Jahia and InfoGrid are all credible options. Yet not even a mention of Alfresco (which has been almost ubiquitous in the press this year) has made the Gartner report.
2. We see regional richness and diversity among ECM suppliers around the globe. Examples include the impact of NewGen in India, Asia and the Middle East, and Saperion in Europe. Neither vendor gets a mention in the MQ.
3. We don't grade vendors on the size of their revenue, rather on their viability and the quality of their products. Many vendors make less than $20 Million a year (a criteria for inclusion in the MQ), yet are profitable, stable and produce very high-quality products.
4. We differentiate vendors by scenarios, i.e., by where its product would be best suited. For example Cimage, Spescom and Formtek (only Cimage is included in the MQ) might all be prime candidates in an Engineering DM situation. Vendors have both domain expertise and products that have been designed to excel in some situations but not others. We think it's important that you know those differences and are able to compare like-for-like products before selecting a shortlist based on vague concepts such as "leadership and vision."
There are other things about this report that baffle us, like why SAP is included in it (when even the report itself states that they do not have an ECM Suite) when others that do sell ECM Suites, such as those we mention above, are excluded. It may seem unfair to pick on another analyst firm — and, for the record, the authors of this particular report are all experts we have great respect for — but the importance of the MQ in the buying process is so huge that it demands a critical assessment and evaluation.
If there is a problem to identify, it is likely a business model that hinges on such charts, and a public's demand for ever simplified information, along with the vendors' addiction to getting the "right" placement in the chart. It is both the beauty and the curse of the MQ that it dramatically simplifies a marketplace. But ECM tools and choices are far from simple. In short, buyers of ECM beware.
Alan Pelz-Sharpe is a principal analyst at CMS Watch. Write him at aps@cmswatch.com
Microsoft's Software + Services Offerings Target Google
Microsoft's Software + Services Offerings Target Google
Microsoft's Software + Services enterprise offerings are a response to Google's and others' push toward Web-based office applications.
Microsoft's Software + Services enterprise offerings are a response to Google's and others' push toward Web-based office applications.
Monday, October 01, 2007
FT.com / Home UK / UK - End of an era in Germany as Stoiber steps aside
FT.com / Home UK / UK - End of an era in Germany as Stoiber steps aside
End of an era in Germany as Stoiber steps aside
By Hugh Williamson in Berlin
Published: October 1 2007 03:00 | Last updated: October 1 2007 03:00
An era in German politics ended at the weekend when Edmund Stoiber exited national politics, leaving the future of wealthy Bavaria in the hands of the country's toughest law-and-order -politician.
Mr Stoiber, premier of the southern German state since 1993, was central in building one of Europe's most powerful regional economies, attracting thousands of hi-tech, engineering and media companies and reducing unemployment to half the national average.
Delegates from his Christian Social Union gave him a warm send-off at a weekend congress in Munich even though his departure - first announced in January - was tinged with anger. He was forced to step down earlier than planned after mishandling a scandal and alienating many CSU members.
The 66-year old urged the party to remain the "flag-bearer" in Germany of conservative, pro-family values.
Mr Stoiber - who in national elections in 2002 came within 6,000 votes of toppling former chancellor Gerhard Schröder - is due to take up an unpaid post heading European Union efforts to cut red tape.
He will be replaced as premier by Günther Beckstein, Bavarian interior minister since 1993, who is well known for his regular calls for tougher security laws and tighter controls on -foreigners.
Mr Stoiber handed leadership of the CSU to Erwin Huber, the Bavarian economics minister, who won a rare election run-off for the post, fending off bids from Horst Seehofer, national farming minister, and Gabriele Pauli, whose anti-Stoiber campaign in January triggered his exit.
A smooth political transition in Bavaria is crucial for Angela Merkel, German chancellor, and her Christian Democrats - the CSU's larger sister party - if she is to win re-election in 2009. The CSU regularly gains more than 50 per cent of votes in Bavaria, compared with 30-40 per cent for the CDU, but support dipped this year after the turmoil over Mr Stoiber's departure.
The chancellor praised Mr Stoiber at the CSU congress, but will be relieved that one of her most powerful political irritants has stepped aside.
Mr Beckstein - due to be elected premier on October 9 - promised "continuity" with Mr Stoiber's mix of liberal economic policy and arch-conservative social values.
In the short term any changes will be more in style than substance. Despite his tough image Mr Beckstein has a more genial, inclusive approach than the austere Mr Stoiber, who lacks Bavaria's famous joviality. Mr Huber, a former tax inspector seen as competent but uncharismatic, promised to retain the CSU's absolute majority, in place since 1962, in state elections next year.
In the longer term the two men - rivals until a few months ago - may struggle to maintain Mr Stoiber's impressive record. His decisions in recent years to sell off most of the state's assets and introduce long-term austerity measures leave them with only limited room for manoeuvre. Mr Stoiber's pledge, only days before stepping down, that Bavaria would help build a high-tech rail link from Munich airport to the centre of the regional capital could also prove costly.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
End of an era in Germany as Stoiber steps aside
By Hugh Williamson in Berlin
Published: October 1 2007 03:00 | Last updated: October 1 2007 03:00
An era in German politics ended at the weekend when Edmund Stoiber exited national politics, leaving the future of wealthy Bavaria in the hands of the country's toughest law-and-order -politician.
Mr Stoiber, premier of the southern German state since 1993, was central in building one of Europe's most powerful regional economies, attracting thousands of hi-tech, engineering and media companies and reducing unemployment to half the national average.
Delegates from his Christian Social Union gave him a warm send-off at a weekend congress in Munich even though his departure - first announced in January - was tinged with anger. He was forced to step down earlier than planned after mishandling a scandal and alienating many CSU members.
The 66-year old urged the party to remain the "flag-bearer" in Germany of conservative, pro-family values.
Mr Stoiber - who in national elections in 2002 came within 6,000 votes of toppling former chancellor Gerhard Schröder - is due to take up an unpaid post heading European Union efforts to cut red tape.
He will be replaced as premier by Günther Beckstein, Bavarian interior minister since 1993, who is well known for his regular calls for tougher security laws and tighter controls on -foreigners.
Mr Stoiber handed leadership of the CSU to Erwin Huber, the Bavarian economics minister, who won a rare election run-off for the post, fending off bids from Horst Seehofer, national farming minister, and Gabriele Pauli, whose anti-Stoiber campaign in January triggered his exit.
A smooth political transition in Bavaria is crucial for Angela Merkel, German chancellor, and her Christian Democrats - the CSU's larger sister party - if she is to win re-election in 2009. The CSU regularly gains more than 50 per cent of votes in Bavaria, compared with 30-40 per cent for the CDU, but support dipped this year after the turmoil over Mr Stoiber's departure.
The chancellor praised Mr Stoiber at the CSU congress, but will be relieved that one of her most powerful political irritants has stepped aside.
Mr Beckstein - due to be elected premier on October 9 - promised "continuity" with Mr Stoiber's mix of liberal economic policy and arch-conservative social values.
In the short term any changes will be more in style than substance. Despite his tough image Mr Beckstein has a more genial, inclusive approach than the austere Mr Stoiber, who lacks Bavaria's famous joviality. Mr Huber, a former tax inspector seen as competent but uncharismatic, promised to retain the CSU's absolute majority, in place since 1962, in state elections next year.
In the longer term the two men - rivals until a few months ago - may struggle to maintain Mr Stoiber's impressive record. His decisions in recent years to sell off most of the state's assets and introduce long-term austerity measures leave them with only limited room for manoeuvre. Mr Stoiber's pledge, only days before stepping down, that Bavaria would help build a high-tech rail link from Munich airport to the centre of the regional capital could also prove costly.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
FT.com / Companies / Telecoms - Nokia takes big step into mobile content
FT.com / Companies / Telecoms - Nokia takes big step into mobile content
Nokia takes big step into mobile content
By Robert Anderson in Stockholm and Paul Taylor in New York
Published: October 1 2007 19:44 | Last updated: October 1 2007 23:55
Nokia, the world’s largest mobile telephone manufacturer, is to take a giant step into the fast-growing mobile content and services market by acquiring Navteq, the leading provider of digital map information, for $8.1bn in cash.
Nokia, which is trying both to diversify away from handsets and offer customers more reasons to buy its handsets, will pay $78 in cash for each Navteq share, a 34 per cent premium to the price a month ago when takeover speculation started to push the shares higher.
The deal is the biggest in Nokia’s latest spending spree. In recent months, the Finnish handset maker has announced plans to acquire Loudeye, a digital music company, for $60m, Twango, a social networking community, for a reported $100m, and Enpocket, a mobile marketing company, for an undisclosed sum.
Analysts suggested the price was expensive, given that TomTom, the market leader in car navigation devices, recently agreed to pay €1.8bn ($2.6bn) for Tele Atlas, the number two in the digital map market.
However, they noted that Nokia might have been forced to raise its offer to outbid potential buyers, rumoured to have included both Google and Microsoft.
To justify the price, analysts suggested Nokia would have to work hard to ensure that Navteq retained its customer base.
Nokia believes location and content services will be key in future mobile services, allowing users to find restaurants and locate friends nearby in real time, while providing opportunities for targeted advertising.
US-based Navteq, which was founded 22 years ago and is headed by chief executive Judson Green, has 3,000 employees and reported revenues of $582m last year, creates the digital maps and content that power GPS navigation and location-based devices in cars, on websites, mobile phones, and for governments and businesses.
Nokia will finance half the acquisition, expected to be completed next year, from its €8.3bn cash pile and half from loans.
Nokia’s shares on Monday closed down €1.54 at €26.23.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Nokia takes big step into mobile content
By Robert Anderson in Stockholm and Paul Taylor in New York
Published: October 1 2007 19:44 | Last updated: October 1 2007 23:55
Nokia, the world’s largest mobile telephone manufacturer, is to take a giant step into the fast-growing mobile content and services market by acquiring Navteq, the leading provider of digital map information, for $8.1bn in cash.
Nokia, which is trying both to diversify away from handsets and offer customers more reasons to buy its handsets, will pay $78 in cash for each Navteq share, a 34 per cent premium to the price a month ago when takeover speculation started to push the shares higher.
The deal is the biggest in Nokia’s latest spending spree. In recent months, the Finnish handset maker has announced plans to acquire Loudeye, a digital music company, for $60m, Twango, a social networking community, for a reported $100m, and Enpocket, a mobile marketing company, for an undisclosed sum.
Analysts suggested the price was expensive, given that TomTom, the market leader in car navigation devices, recently agreed to pay €1.8bn ($2.6bn) for Tele Atlas, the number two in the digital map market.
However, they noted that Nokia might have been forced to raise its offer to outbid potential buyers, rumoured to have included both Google and Microsoft.
To justify the price, analysts suggested Nokia would have to work hard to ensure that Navteq retained its customer base.
Nokia believes location and content services will be key in future mobile services, allowing users to find restaurants and locate friends nearby in real time, while providing opportunities for targeted advertising.
US-based Navteq, which was founded 22 years ago and is headed by chief executive Judson Green, has 3,000 employees and reported revenues of $582m last year, creates the digital maps and content that power GPS navigation and location-based devices in cars, on websites, mobile phones, and for governments and businesses.
Nokia will finance half the acquisition, expected to be completed next year, from its €8.3bn cash pile and half from loans.
Nokia’s shares on Monday closed down €1.54 at €26.23.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Recommind
Recommind
Recommind als Top - "Visionär" im Magic Quadrant of Information Access 2007 platziert
Rheinbach/Bonn, 28.09.2007 - Recommind GmbH, einer der weltweit führenden Anbieter intelligenter Suchmaschinentechnologie und Lösungen zur vollautomatischen Indexierung von Dokumenten in Expertenqualität, konnte in diesem Jahr abermals seine Platzierung im „Magic Quadrant of Information Access 2007“ des global anerkannten Analysten Gartner Inc. verbessern und setzt damit seine Erfolgsgeschichte fort.
Das Marktforschungsinstitut Gartner Inc. mit über 45.000 Kunden in 75 Ländern setzt zur Visualisierung der Ergebnisse seiner Marktanalysen sogenannte Magic-Quadrants ein, die verdeutlichen, wie Anbieter sich innerhalb eines Marktes positionieren. Die Einordnung erfolgt in einer der vier Quadranten: Leader, Visionäre, Herausforderer und Nischenakteure.
Recommind hatte neben der neuen Version 5.0 seiner Kernplattform MindServer™ in den letzten Monaten die neuen Produkte Axcelerate eDiscovery™ und Decisiv Email™ vorgestellt, die nach eigenen Angaben Meilensteine im Bereich der rechtssicheren Ablage und der automatisierten Email-Archivierung sind. Daneben konnte Recommind sowohl im europäischen als auch im US-amerikanischen Markt mehrere bedeutende Vertragsabschlüsse erzielen.
Der herstellerunabhängige Gartner-Report bietet eine ganzheitliche Sicht auf den derzeitigen Stand eines Unternehmens hinsichtlich Markt- und Kundenverständnis, der Fähigkeit, komplexe Projekte zu realisieren, der technischen Weitsicht und der zukunftsorientierten Pläne des Managements. Gartner Inc. spricht keine Empfehlungen aus.
Recommind als Top - "Visionär" im Magic Quadrant of Information Access 2007 platziert
Rheinbach/Bonn, 28.09.2007 - Recommind GmbH, einer der weltweit führenden Anbieter intelligenter Suchmaschinentechnologie und Lösungen zur vollautomatischen Indexierung von Dokumenten in Expertenqualität, konnte in diesem Jahr abermals seine Platzierung im „Magic Quadrant of Information Access 2007“ des global anerkannten Analysten Gartner Inc. verbessern und setzt damit seine Erfolgsgeschichte fort.
Das Marktforschungsinstitut Gartner Inc. mit über 45.000 Kunden in 75 Ländern setzt zur Visualisierung der Ergebnisse seiner Marktanalysen sogenannte Magic-Quadrants ein, die verdeutlichen, wie Anbieter sich innerhalb eines Marktes positionieren. Die Einordnung erfolgt in einer der vier Quadranten: Leader, Visionäre, Herausforderer und Nischenakteure.
Recommind hatte neben der neuen Version 5.0 seiner Kernplattform MindServer™ in den letzten Monaten die neuen Produkte Axcelerate eDiscovery™ und Decisiv Email™ vorgestellt, die nach eigenen Angaben Meilensteine im Bereich der rechtssicheren Ablage und der automatisierten Email-Archivierung sind. Daneben konnte Recommind sowohl im europäischen als auch im US-amerikanischen Markt mehrere bedeutende Vertragsabschlüsse erzielen.
Der herstellerunabhängige Gartner-Report bietet eine ganzheitliche Sicht auf den derzeitigen Stand eines Unternehmens hinsichtlich Markt- und Kundenverständnis, der Fähigkeit, komplexe Projekte zu realisieren, der technischen Weitsicht und der zukunftsorientierten Pläne des Managements. Gartner Inc. spricht keine Empfehlungen aus.
Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Content Management, 2007
Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Content Management, 2007
This Magic Quadrant assesses content management vendors and their enterprise content management product suites' completeness, maturity and integration. As firms deploy content infrastructure and some core functions become commoditized, these aspects will be crucial.
This Magic Quadrant assesses content management vendors and their enterprise content management product suites' completeness, maturity and integration. As firms deploy content infrastructure and some core functions become commoditized, these aspects will be crucial.
FT.com / Companies / IT - Microsoft to release search update
FT.com / Companies / IT - Microsoft to release search update
Microsoft to release search update
By Chris Nuttall in San Francisco
Published: September 27 2007 05:21 | Last updated: September 27 2007 05:21
Microsoft, which has the third ranked US web search service, will release on Thursday a major update in an attempt to win market share from Google and Yahoo.
The company said the changes to Live Search represented a significant advancement in its core technology and the consumer experience.
The new version has specialised content in the entertainment, shopping, gealth and local categories. The company said up to 40 per cent of searches fell into these “verticals.”
“Our engineering focus is on the areas that matter most to our 185m consumers who use our service every month,” said Satya Nadella, corporate vice-president of the search and advertising platform group.
“With the core platform in place, we intend to win customers and earn their loyalty one query at a time.”
Google had a 56.5 per cent share of searches in the US in August, up 1.3 percentage points on the previous month, according to comScore.
Yahoo’s share was 23.3 per cent and Microsoft’s was 11.3 per cent, followed by Time Warner, including AOL, and Interactive Corporation’s Ask network, which both took 4.5 per cent.
Microsoft said the index of web pages on the new Live Search was four times larger and more relevant results would be returned. They would be easier to read in a new, cleaner user interface.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Microsoft to release search update
By Chris Nuttall in San Francisco
Published: September 27 2007 05:21 | Last updated: September 27 2007 05:21
Microsoft, which has the third ranked US web search service, will release on Thursday a major update in an attempt to win market share from Google and Yahoo.
The company said the changes to Live Search represented a significant advancement in its core technology and the consumer experience.
The new version has specialised content in the entertainment, shopping, gealth and local categories. The company said up to 40 per cent of searches fell into these “verticals.”
“Our engineering focus is on the areas that matter most to our 185m consumers who use our service every month,” said Satya Nadella, corporate vice-president of the search and advertising platform group.
“With the core platform in place, we intend to win customers and earn their loyalty one query at a time.”
Google had a 56.5 per cent share of searches in the US in August, up 1.3 percentage points on the previous month, according to comScore.
Yahoo’s share was 23.3 per cent and Microsoft’s was 11.3 per cent, followed by Time Warner, including AOL, and Interactive Corporation’s Ask network, which both took 4.5 per cent.
Microsoft said the index of web pages on the new Live Search was four times larger and more relevant results would be returned. They would be easier to read in a new, cleaner user interface.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Wissen und Fachkräfte in einem people_ready business
Wissen und Fachkräfte in einem people_ready business
Als Unternehmen vor Jahren versuchten, die Erfahrungen und Kenntnisse ihrer Mitarbeiter zu nutzen, sammelten sie diese Informationen in großen Datensystemen, wo sie zum Abruf bereitstanden. Doch kaum jemand griff auf das digitalisierte Wissen zu. Zu unhandlich, unstrukturiert und mit überflüssigen Informationen beladen kamen die Datenbanken daher. Zudem fürchteten die Mitarbeiter, überflüssig zu werden, wenn sie ihr persönliches Know-how dem Unternehmen und Kollegen zur Verfügung stellten. So blieb dem sogenannten Knowledge-Management der durchschlagende Erfolg verwehrt.
Als Unternehmen vor Jahren versuchten, die Erfahrungen und Kenntnisse ihrer Mitarbeiter zu nutzen, sammelten sie diese Informationen in großen Datensystemen, wo sie zum Abruf bereitstanden. Doch kaum jemand griff auf das digitalisierte Wissen zu. Zu unhandlich, unstrukturiert und mit überflüssigen Informationen beladen kamen die Datenbanken daher. Zudem fürchteten die Mitarbeiter, überflüssig zu werden, wenn sie ihr persönliches Know-how dem Unternehmen und Kollegen zur Verfügung stellten. So blieb dem sogenannten Knowledge-Management der durchschlagende Erfolg verwehrt.
FTD.de - IT+Telekommunikation - Nachrichten - Google verspricht Tausende neue Jobs
FTD.de - IT+Telekommunikation - Nachrichten - Google verspricht Tausende neue Jobs
Google will seine Forschungs- und Entwicklungsarbeit in Europa kräftig ausbauen und auf US-Niveau bringen. Deshalb will der Internetkonzern europaweit zusätzlich mehrere Tausend Techniker und IT-Entwickler einstellen.
Google will seine Forschungs- und Entwicklungsarbeit in Europa kräftig ausbauen und auf US-Niveau bringen. Deshalb will der Internetkonzern europaweit zusätzlich mehrere Tausend Techniker und IT-Entwickler einstellen.
Magic Quadrant for Horizontal Portal Products, 2007
Magic Quadrant for Horizontal Portal Products, 2007
The portal product market continues to mature, with most enterprises evaluating the products provided by a core group of commercial enterprise software vendors. Several horizontal portal vendors are leveraging Web 2.0 technologies and concepts to further differentiate their products.
The portal product market continues to mature, with most enterprises evaluating the products provided by a core group of commercial enterprise software vendors. Several horizontal portal vendors are leveraging Web 2.0 technologies and concepts to further differentiate their products.
Monday, September 24, 2007
4. abaXX Kompetenzforum: Portale und Business Process Management in der Praxis
4. abaXX Kompetenzforum: Portale und Business Process Management in der Praxis
Zum vierten Mal lädt der Softwareanbieter abaXX Technology AG am 24. Okt. 2007 zu einem Kompetenzforum nach Stuttgart ein. Anwender aus unterschiedlichen Branchen, etwa die BMW Bank AG, berichten über aktuelle Projekte aus dem Bereich Portale und BPM
Zum vierten Mal lädt der Softwareanbieter abaXX Technology AG am 24. Okt. 2007 zu einem Kompetenzforum nach Stuttgart ein. Anwender aus unterschiedlichen Branchen, etwa die BMW Bank AG, berichten über aktuelle Projekte aus dem Bereich Portale und BPM
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
“Folksonomy, Keywords, & Tags: Social & Democratic User Interaction in Enterprise Content Management"
“Folksonomy, Keywords, & Tags: Social & Democratic User Interaction in Enterprise Content Management"
An Oracle Business & Technology White Paper
Updated July 2007
An organization’s production of content is only as effective as its ability to find the right information. Businesses are faced with the challenge of relevance – the ability to provide the right content to the right people at the right time. Many of the tactics that solve the continuing challenge of relevancy include ECM (enterprise content management) technology that incorporates folksonomies and tagging, a fully realized and unified approach that is able to be utilized across the ECM framework.
Is your organization buckling under the growing weight of the information explosion? If so, you're not alone. Read about the state of today’s information relevancy problem and how Oracle Universal Content Management’s folksonomy offering establishes a complete solution.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
MKBnet
MKBnet: "7-09-2007 Tweederde Europese bedrijven zoekt begeleiding voor mondiale samenwerking Tweederde van de Europese bedrijven zoekt begeleiding om de mondiale samenwerking efficiënter te maken. De belangrijkste technologieën om dit mogelijk te maken zijn `enterprise search` en virtuele werkplekken. Dat blijkt uit onderzoek van Coleman Parkes Research. Het onderzoek is uitgevoerd in opdracht van het internationale consultancybureau Avanade. Deze Europese bedrijven willen met een partner naar manieren zoeken om effectiever mensen met elkaar en met informatie te verbinden. De meerderheid van de bedrijven zet reeds e-mail, videoconferenties, intranet en extranet in. Ze willen echter een stap verder gaan en een combinatie van e-mail, stem, tekst en aanwezigheidstechnologie realiseren. Andre Huizing, general manager bij Avanade Nederland bv, stelt dat een volledig geïntegreerde benadering van digitale samenwerking de hoogste prioriteit heeft bij organisaties. Volgens Huizing werd het grootste deel van de projecten betreffende informatiedeling uitgevoerd als testproject op afdelingsniveau. Tegenwoordig wordt 67% van de collaboration technologieprojecten uitgevoerd op het niveau van senior management en bestuur. Hij stelt dat een scheiding tussen communicatie en IT niet meer nodig is, aangezien het gebruik van voip-netwerken naar verwachting groeit met 61%."
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