News and analysis to 20th February 2003
Wintel unwired
The Microsoft Intel relationship that has served both
companies so well in the PC arena look set to end, or at least discontinue on a
monogamous basis. According to Intel CEO Craig Barratt its wireless chip
architecture will be ‘operating system agnostic’. In other words they do not
know who will dominate the mobile operating system arena and are trying to buy
time. It may well be the little nudge that Microsoft needs to focus its
attentions on more conquerable markets.
Microsoft –
Nice patchwork!
The smart IT procurers know that you should never be an
early adopter of Microsoft products. Unfortunately that philosophy should now
extend to Microsoft’s security patches. Having detected a security flaw in several
versions of its Internet Explorer browser, the brains behind the Trustworthy
Computing Initiative issued a software security patch to resolve the problem.
Sadly the patch resulted in loss of functionality, specifically in respect of
authentication when users attempted to access certain subscription based
websites. Trust Microsoft!
US Government pushes cybershield
The US Government recognises the threat to national security
posed by cyber terrorists using techniques such as viruses and denial of service
attacks. Falling short of taking control of cyberspace security, the US
Government has drawn up a plan that enables both the public and private sector
to coordinate their efforts in thwarting such threats. The active involvement
of the US Government in the IT industry could well raise the bar in terms of
the quality of software pumped into the marketplace.
EDS gets
Moody treatment
EDS appears to have a follower in the form of ratings agency
Moody’s. Having taken the outsourcing giant down a notch in November, it
appears to have struck again, citing poor cash flow to debt (again). Though it
did acknowledge that EDS was migrating into less capital-intensive deals.
Motorola’s Open phone
Two technologies associated with the open source revolution
(Click Here – The
Open Source Phenomenon) Java and Linux have found their way into Motorola’s
A760 smart phone. It launches in Asia Pacific later this year. Looks like Java
and Linux are about to break free from the technology labs and land straight
into the MTV lexicon.
Microsoft reflects on Linux
Speaking to circa 600 of Microsoft’s Most Valuable
Professionals (MVPS), Bill Gates warned that Linux is an unusual kind of competition
because it’s out there and very pervasive. Bill is possibly trying to warm his
disciples to a ‘sea change’ in terms of Microsoft’s stance on Linux. More
likely he is concerned that they may see Linux and the open source phenomenon
as the natural evolutionary path for software development, and may
disaffectedly run to the open arms of Microsoft’s competitors.
Dell breaks another heart
Puberty is playing havoc with Dell’s hormones. Challenging
the basic tenets on which its success is based, the PC maker has rejected the
love of yet another partner (Click here – Tech sector Review 260902).
This time IBM faces rejection. It looked like a marriage made in commercial
heaven. IBM and Dell signed a deal back in the nineties worth $22bn over 7
years, which involved IBM providing both hardware and maintenance services to
Dell. Having IBM as a partner might well have been an obstacle in Dell’s
ambition to become the next IBM.
Opportunity alert: M2M
We flagged it back in October (Click here - Tech Sector Review – 241002)
and now according to UK research house ARC Group M2M looks set to grow from
$3.5bn in 2002 to $78bn in 2007. Telco box shifters take note.
US Government push cybershaft
According to the Washington Post George W Bush has initiated
a program to develop guidelines for the use of cyber attacks on enemy networks.
Such a move has the benefit of bringing a nation to its knees without damaging
any infrastructure or eliminating any prospective labour. ‘Old Europe’ beware.
