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News and Observations
Friday, October 11, 2002Maintaining that "someone" is subsidizing the actual cost of low-cost PCs ($199 at Wal-Mart) running the LindowsOS, Microsot's Steve Ballmer insists Microsoft won't cut costs to be competitive. Ballmer: Windows prices are firm [ZDNet Tech News]
Software Assurance: "Protection Money"
Unhappiness over Microsoft licensing program remains.
Microsoft Licensing: Still A Sticking Point For Some Enterprises [TechWeb]
Sell To LOB Managers
The discussion of how cost-justification duties are increasingly falling to line-of-business managers overlooks the larger trend - that LOB managers are increasingly driving all aspects of IT acquisitions. It's no longer adequate - arguably, it never was - to simply target the IT organization in sales and marketing efforts.
Business units inherit more IT cost-justification duties [Computerworld]
Wednesday, October 9, 2002Sony to Put $20 Million Into Palm Software. SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Sony Corp. agreed to invest $20 million Tuesday in Palm Inc.'s software division, which the handheld computer maker plans to spin off next year. By The Associated Press. [New York Times: Technology]
Upside Shuts Down, Red Herring Retrenches
The NYT reports that Upside has followed Forbes ASAP into publishing oblivion by ceasing publication. Also, Red Herring has been sold to an investor and has seen staff shrink from 400 to less than 50. Data specific to Upside isn't at hand, but the entire tech publishing sector has seen ad pages - and consequently revenue - disappear. Pages for Red Herring are down nearly 70% year over year.
Barrett: Clap Really Hard If You Believe
Intel chief talks up tech rebound. Craig Barrett, boss of semiconductor giant Intel, says the long awaited technology sector recovery is just around the corner. [BBC News | TECHNOLOGY]
Fear Of Spam Impacts Newsletter Effectiveness
"Legitimate e-mail is at war with spam, and spam may be the ultimate winner," said Nielsen Norman Group's Jakob Nielsen.
E-mail makes surfers emotional. E-mail marketing works[cedilla] say internet experts[cedilla] but spam could undermine their effectiveness. [BBC News | TECHNOLOGY]
Happy Birthday ThinkPad
IBM's ThinkPad turns 10. The computer maker's notebook design set a standard for other designers to follow. Where does it go from here? [CNET News.com]
NetIQ Snaps Up Pentasafe
Leaves the clock ticking for other smaller security vendors who need to be acquired, or risk being out-marketed by larger, more market-savvy competitors.
NetIQ to purchase PentaSafe for $255 million. Deal is latest example of consolidation in security software industry [InfoWorld: Top News]
Marketers Must Work To Ban Spam
With the amount of spam increasing exponentially - now representing 38% of all e-mail traffic, up from 8% last year - marketers who hope to continue to use email to communicate with customers need to act to help shape and define laws to control the deluge. You're going to get laws - if you don't get involved, you may not like the results.
Needed Now: Laws to Can Spam [Business Week: Technology]
Ballmer: Don't Need No Services...
MS chief Ballmer rules out services buys. No consulting arm? Shurely shome... [The Register]
Selling Security: Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt
This is all a bit like the movies in driver's ed where teachers attempt to scare young drivers into responsible behavior. Doesn't work any better when applied to security.
Tech Managers Say They Still Struggle To Show Value Of Security [TechWeb]
Tech Marketers Need To Embrace Branding
Futurist: Technology And Branding No Longer Strangers [TechWeb]
Tuesday, October 8, 2002Computerworld and InformationWeek report that IT analyst firm Hurwitz Group Inc. closed its doors and has gone out of business.
Friday, September 20, 2002Combine an economy in disarry and ongoing concerns over the safety and convenience of travel, and the only surprise is that it's taken this long for major shows to start going under the knife. In one interesting development, TechTarget has begun promoting shows where attendance is free and hotel rooms are comped for qualified attendees.
Tech trade shows face axe. The dot.com collapse has finally brought down a series of trade fairs which once attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors. [BBC News | TECHNOLOGY]
EDS Earnings Fall Off Cliff
The concern, obviously, is whether the halt in spending is a harbinger of a larger trend.
EDS sees services cash "virtually stop" [ZDNet Tech News]
Physician, Heal Thyself?
Ex-Palm developer creates tools to track product development.
Start-up software moves products [ZDNet Tech News]
The Network Is The Computer?
StarOffice, it seems, will set you free. It turns out that Sun's strategy isn't all that new and different after all, just a retread of the network computing model with Linux as the starring player.
Sun's punts cheap PCs at blue collar workers. Our hairball is cheaper than their hairball [The Register]
Watch Me Pull A Rabbitt Out Of My Hat
General Magic, once the hottest property in the tech market, throws in the towel. A high profile and good technology seemingly weren't enough to establish momentum in any market.
General Magic calls its quits. The formerly hot Silicon Valley company once enjoyed investments from Apple and Microsoft and let rabbits wander free around its offices to inspire creativity. [CNET News.com]
Wednesday, September 18, 2002You know you're off to a bad start when the media start to refer to your plan as a "Frankenstein-like" strategy. Of course, if the shoe fits... Perhaps all will be clear after the official announcement, but at the moment, there doesn't seem to be much reason to buy into this, unless of course, you really hate Microsoft. But even there, with all the frustration expressed with Microsoft few people appear to have taken the step of kicking them out. IDC data reveal that the penetration of Linux on the desktop has increased for six straight years - but it still rests at only a 1.7 percent share of the client market.
Sun to shed light on desktop Linux plans. Linux play to be spelled out at SunNetwork conference [InfoWorld: Top News]
Linux: A Rising Tide?
Linux continues to gain in viability at the corporate level.
I.B.M. Agrees to Expand Its Use of the Linux Operating System. I.B.M. and the software company Red Hat plan to announce a multiyear alliance to greatly expand the range of I.B.M. computers and software products that run Linux. By Barnaby J. Feder. [New York Times: Business]
UCITA Update - Going Nowhere, Fast?
A review of the situation surrounding the adoption (or lack of) of UCITA. Morass is the word I think we're looking for...
A Battle Over Software Licensing. The battle lines are drawn in the struggle for a uniform standard in software licensing for all 50 states. By Laurie J. Flynn. [New York Times: Technology]
Expect Further 3G Delays
Rally round the lawyers as IP issues slow adoption of the standard.
Analysis: Patent disputes could further complicate 3G. Intellectual property issues threaten to hamper 3G adoption [InfoWorld: Top News]
Thursday, September 12, 2002Few Software Surprises Ahead [Business Week: Technology]
IDC Cuts PC Sales Forecasts
As recently as June, IDC projected growth of 4.7 percent in PC sales for 2002, and 11.1 percent for 2003. Now, the research firm sees total shipments of only 135.5 million in 2002, an increase of 1.1 percent. The projection for 2003 was cut to growth of 8.4.
Researcher Cuts Sales Forecast for Computers Through 2003. Citing growing fears of the effect of a prolonged economic malaise, International Data is scaling back its forecast on personal computer sales for 2002 and 2003. By John Markoff. [New York Times: Business]
Cybersecurity: All Hat, No Cattle?
Concerns over IT security have so far failed to translate into increased spending on products and services.
Year After 9/11, Cyberspace Door Is Still Ajar. Despite heightened fears of online security that followed Sept. 11, few have responded with new measures to safeguard their computing systems. By John Schwartz. [New York Times: Business]
Windows: Dare To Dream?
Microsoft takes the long view with Windows.
Microsoft's Allchin touts future of Windows server platform. Exec exhorts DevCon attendees to build systems to last for decades [InfoWorld: Top News]
.NET Server: Dessert Topping and Floor Wax?
Microsoft pitches 'no separate app server' approach. Windows .Net Server 2003 will be all you need, exec says [InfoWorld: Top News]
Monday, September 9, 2002An Alternative to Microsoft Gains Support in High Places. Governments around the world, afraid that Microsoft has become too powerful in critical software markets, have begun working to ensure an "open source" alternative. By Steve Lohr. [New York Times: Technology]
New Life For LANDesk?
Technology Briefing: Software. INTEL TO SELL MOST OF SOFTWARE UNIT; NEW VERSION OF WINDOWS MEDIA INTRODUCED;. [New York Times: Technology]
IBM Moves Into Access Management Marketplace
And a lucrative market it is. TechWeb cites IDC figures indicating a 30% compound annual growth rate for the identity management market.
IBM To Acquire Identity-Management Company Access360 [TechWeb]
The Channel Is Conflict
The challenge is managing it to everyone's gain.
To Joel, on Platforms '...conflict must be present in ALL successful platform businesses. As an astute investor once told me, "no conflict, no interest." If it's not an issue in the short term, it will be an issue in the long term. This is fundamental to the platform business model; failure to recognize this represents a failure to recognize the difference between a "platform" (e.g. Linux) and a "platform business" (e.g. OS X).' Ray Ozzie's Weblog
The Line For The Bandwagon Forms Here
Over 50 vendors are looking to join the web services security organization at their meeting this week.
OASIS fuels security agenda. Coalition ranks swell to address corporate concerns over Web services adoption [InfoWorld: Top News]
Mac On x86 Rumors Arise Again
In this case, the people talking about at least have a clue about what's going on...
August 30, 2002, Apple Keeps x86 Torch Lit with Marklar
By Matthew Rothenberg, and Nick dePlume, Think Secret
As Apple Computer Inc. draws up its game plan for the CPUs that will power its future generations of Mac hardware, the company is holding an ace in the hole: a feature-complete version of Mac OS X running atop the x86 architecture. According to sources, the Cupertino, Calif., Mac maker has been working steadily on maintaining current, PC-compatible builds of its Unix-based OS. The project (code-named Marklar, a reference to the race of aliens on the "South Park" cartoons) has been ongoing inside Apple since the early days of its transition to the Unix-based Mac OS X in the late '90s."
Apple Carves Out Rack Mount Server Niche
Users cite Unix base with Mac ease-of-use.
Apple's Xserve appeals to new breed. Server sales gather speed [InfoWorld: Top News]
$250 Million Goes Poof at Peregrine
Peregrine finds $250 million in irregularities. Restatements follow CEO, CFO exit [InfoWorld: Top News]