Around The World LinkfestWe bid a fond farewell to Q1, with links from Eastern Europe to Antarctica, for your weekend enjoyment. Heather Clancy asks if companies must simply give in and let their employees participate in the Web 2.0 world of collaborative content and social networking. Yes, they must: "Clearswift's agenda in presenting this research is to open the eyes of businesses to the potential security risks this access poses. Those risks are twofold: inappropriate disclosure of corporate information and exposure to worms, viruses and social-engineering scams. Heather also spoke to vendors and solution providers doing business in Eastern Europe to assess the state of trans-oceanic business: "For Level Platforms, the [XChange Eastern Europe] experience encouraged the company to hire a person solely dedicated to international channel and business development." At The Big Picture, Barry Ritholtz breaks down this weeks's (twice revised) GDP numbers to evaluate the strength of the economy. Sorry to be a downer, but he doesn't love it: "The overall trend of GDP, corporate profits, durable goods and CapEX spending is downward... I don't see how these issues get any better any time soon." Earlier this week, I discussed the cost of interruptions in the workplace. At 43Folders, the guru of "Getting Things Done," David Allen, talks about handling interruptions and how to turn them to your advantage. (Hat Tip: LifeHacker) Meanwhile, at Network Computing, wireless expert Peter Rysavy suggests disconnecting from time to time, to regain your peace of mind: "I've turned off automatic delivery of e-mail to my inbox. Now I find that I can concentrate on work I'm doing, such as writing columns in intense and highly productive sessions." Right here at ChannelWeb, our research report links from the past year got a bit scrambled when we rearranged the sites earlier this month. They're now unscattered now on our Research Reports page. How much of business success is pure happenstance? Well, a bunch. But you can act in ways that enhance your chances of getting lucky, according to the folks at Adaptive Path. Looking to get away from it all? Simon Coggins, who wrote the amazing 75 Degrees South blog during his first stint at a research base in Antartica, is at it again, blogging for the British Antarctic Survey group at the Halley VI station in Antarctica. Don't miss the webcam. And finally, I wasn't familiar with the Pa^2 Patois blog, but anyone who picks up on my cleverness is okay with me! Have a good weekend! Posted by Joe Caponi at 02:49 PM, March 30, 2007 Q1 Stock Moves For Tech LeadersEd Moltzen sizes up the stock performance of nine tech leaders in Q1. What jumped out at me was Ed's take on Sun: "Think IBM 10 years ago." Posted by Joe Caponi at 10:48 AM, March 29, 2007 CRNTech Caught LiveStacy Cowley reports from the first CRNTech Live, held today in New York: "Vendors, solution providers and CRN editors gathered to kick the tires of new products and chat about evolving business areas, like the growing market for disaster recovery and business continuity services." Future CRNTech Live events will be held in California and Texas, and registration is free for solution providers. Register now! Posted by Joe Caponi at 08:21 PM, March 28, 2007 Seeing The Future In Channel DemographicsRobert Faletra's column from earlier this month is worth revisiting, as it lays out a number of significant channel trends we'll keep an eye on this year: vendor consolidation (of course); private equity assembling services businesess out of smaller solution providers; VAR owners heading for retirement and looking to cash out; and vendors embracing "partner enablement" and recruiting the next generation of partners: "Big doesn't always mean good. Just think of all the multibillion-dollar channel players we had in the 1990s that are all gone now... Informed solution providers, and smart vendors, stand the best chance of coming out on top. Posted by Joe Caponi at 04:06 PM, March 28, 2007 Saving The Interruped WorkerContext switching--moving effectively from one task to another--is a challenge in computer programming. It's a bigger challenge for humans trying to get work accomplished. Sunday's New York Times reports on recent research on the productivity-sapping effects of interruptions: "'Multitasking is going to slow you down, increasing the chances of mistakes,' said David E. Meyer, a cognitive scientist and director of the Brain, Cognition and Action Laboratory at the University of Michigan. 'Disruptions and interruptions are a bad deal from the standpoint of our ability to process information.'" Humans inherently can't move smoothly among tasks: "In a recent study, a group of Microsoft workers took, on average, 15 minutes to return to serious mental tasks, like writing reports or computer code, after responding to incoming e-mail or instant message." Fifteen minutes. Every time. I've held off on using IM, and try to quit e-mail when I can. I use a Mac widget called 3-2-1 Countdown to set time limits--10 minutes, 20 minutes--when I'll do nothing but X. It's still a constant battle. How do you cope, and how do you keep your organization on track? (Hat Tip: 43 Folders) Posted by Joe Caponi at 11:32 AM, March 27, 2007 When I Grow UpIt was all the rage at our XChange Solution Provider show this month, and it's been the biggest hit on Laughs aside, Larry Hooper sees some bigger implications for solution provider and channel hiring: "Because for all the talk I hear of solution providers having trouble hiring people, I hear very little about what is being done to develop young talent and steer it into channel-related careers. Indeed. I often tell our colleagues over at EETimes how I envy their built-in audience. Their readers are people whose high school guidance counselors suggested they become electronic engineers; they studied electronic engineering in college; got their degrees in electronic engineering; found jobs in electronic engineering. What web site do you think they might visit? It's not as easy for VARs, solution providers, integrators, consultants... whatever. But at least there's ChannelWeb. Posted by Joe Caponi at 05:26 PM, March 26, 2007 The Next Step In Security: Reputational AnalysisLawrence Walsh sits down with Trend Micro CEO Eva Chen and examines the company's vision for the future of internet security: "The next stage in the antivirus evolution, according to Chen, is "reputational analysis." The newly released OfficeScan 8.0 will include endpoint security features that will block access to Web sites that have a reputation as sources for malicious activity... It's security software that will automagically tell you that you're in a bad neighborhood of the Internet." There are plenty of potential problems (particularly if you run a web site that you think's been unfairly blacklisted) but the approach could provde a way to get out in front of hackers, rather than waiting for an attack. Posted by Joe Caponi at 04:13 PM, March 26, 2007 The Case Against VistaAppalachian Computer Systems' David Gilbert says thanks but no thanks to Microsoft Vista in today's TechBuilder recipe: "A large-scale roll-out of Vista systems by a small system builder—especially if attempted without adequate planning—could be a profit-eating monster. Not just once, but repeatedly over time as new issues are potentially uncovered by customers' usage habits." Posted by Joe Caponi at 10:24 AM, March 26, 2007 Public Eye On E-VotingYou'd think that after more than a couple centuries of work, we'd have the mechanics of the voting process worked out, but that's not the case. In New York, we still have the mechanical lever machines I watched my parents vote on when I was a child. They're due to be phased out, but there's no consensus on which new approach best achieves security, accuracy, and (critically) trust. Jill Aitoro is weighing her choices: "A whole other crop of responses asserted that e-voting machines in any form introduce the risk of hacking; elections are one example of when technology is not necessarily the answer for that reason, some said." Posted by Joe Caponi at 12:22 PM, March 22, 2007 VARBusiness 500 and GovernemntVAR 100: Apply TodaySolution Providers--time is fast running out to apply for the VARBusines 500 and GovernmentVAR 100. These directories identify the industry's elite--the largest solution provider organizations in North America--and could provide valuable visibility for your organization. Apply for both listings at one url: www.survey99.com/surveys/cm36.htm. Applications are free, but the deadline for the GovernmentVAR 100 is tomorrow, and for the VARBusiness 500 it's March 31. Posted by Joe Caponi at 11:14 AM, March 22, 2007 Partner Programs Guide 2007Choosing the right vendors to help achieve your business and technology goals is one of the most critical decisions solution providers make. To help out, VARBusiness has published it's annual Partner Programs Guide for 2007. This comprehensive report looks at the state of partner enablement; introduces the top vendor channel executives, along with some up-and-coming channel stars; provides a database of 226 partner programs, along with 87 government partner programs; and reveals the Five-Star vendor programs among both general and public sector companies; and, of course, much more. Start here. Posted by Joe Caponi at 10:39 AM, March 22, 2007 Use Wikis To Connect To CustomersWhen working on large projects, involving numerous members of your own staff and your customers, what's the best way to--literally--keep everyone on the same page? Many tech companies are turning to wikis. These web sites feature content that can be edited online by any reader. Instead of chaos, you can build a system that documents your project, helps troubleshoot problems and provides user training all at the same time. The newest TechBuilder recipe, Wikis for System Builders, demonstrates how-to use Seedwiki to deploy a wiki solution that can benefit any channel organization. "A wiki (from the Hawaiian word for "quick") can be thought of an online encyclopedia that is created through group collaboration. The central feature of a wiki is the grouping of Web pages under a single title—the wiki." Posted by Joe Caponi at 10:46 AM, March 19, 2007 Pre-Installed Linux: Chicken and Eggs EverywhereVocal end-users clamor for Linux-PCs. Vendors ask if the market will be big enough to be worthwhile. What happens next? While Dell and HP both more closer to offering pre-installed versions of Linux on their PC's, one Linux luminary says the Linux community can take some steps to ease the path. Ed Moltzen reports: "Mark Shuttleworth, founder of the Ubuntu Linux distribution, responded to the groundswell of interest in pre-installed Linux on PCs by suggesting the Open Source community take it easier on computer makers who would try to give the people what they want." With Dell, in particular, facing slipping demand, a dramatic move here might be arriving very soon. Posted by Joe Caponi at 10:24 AM, March 15, 2007 Google Looks To VARs To Open Federal DoorsOver on Public Eye, Jill Aitoro has word on Google's recent sales meeting with 200 federal contractors: "The size cand omplexity of the government market alone could lead Google to solution providers and systems integrators. Perhaps Google will take its cue from Dell, limiting support of the channel in the commercial space, but engaging partners in its efforts to win government contracts. Or, perhaps channel support in the government market will trickle into its commercial strategy." Posted by Joe Caponi at 08:50 PM, March 14, 2007 Vista Dissed By NIST"The influential National Institute of Standards and Technology has banned the software maker's Windows Vista operating system from its internal computing networks... Vista's fortunes will rise and fall in large measure on the strength of it's security features. This does not bode well. Posted by Joe Caponi at 09:54 AM, March 13, 2007 Staffing Problems? Look In The MirrorAt Information Week, Rob Preston doesn't want to hear IT employers carp about visa limits or an aging workforce or problems with the educational system. While those issues are real, he says most high tech companies in the US have done a terrible job attracting, training and motivating the employees they've already got: Continue reading "Staffing Problems? Look In The Mirror" Posted by Joe Caponi at 01:10 PM, March 12, 2007 A Gamer With Room To GrowWith Vista ratcheting up the demands on PC throughput and graphics, what's a gamer to do to get a high-performance machine without a CEO budget? That's the question Chuck Miller tackles over on TechBuilder, in Build a Budget Gaming PC. He puts the focus on building a solid system with room for upgrades that won't make your existing investment obsolete: "To meet this goal, you will need to invest in a quality case, power supply, motherboard and video card. That way, you put the lion's share of capital into components that don't require near-term replacement. A faster processor, additional hard drives, quality audio card and second SLI-capable video card can be added later to enhance the user's game experience." Posted by Joe Caponi at 11:04 AM, March 12, 2007 Channel Chatter: The New ForumsAs I've mentioned, our upgraded Forums are one of my favorite elements of the site redesign. At the beginning of this week, though, they did feature mostly our own test postings and a couple spam messages. But now, real readers are weighing in on real issues. Check out threads on: "It's great to see the box vendors giving pre-installed GNU+Linux another try after some early false starts. Vista's created an opportunity there, but the window won't be open for long." 10 Things Partners Are Saying About Cisco: "Cisco acted like they were trying to help us with pricing, etc. then came in at the last minute and undercut us, selling directly to the customer at a huge discount." Microsoft: Influencer Program Coming This Month: "The Influencer program is a very significant step in the evolution of the Microsoft Partner Program." HP's Booth: Resignation Not Tied To Sales Results: "You seldom find senior executives that give so much consistently and are even wiling to help the little guys in the industry." Join in and let us know what you think! Posted by Joe Caponi at 04:18 PM, March 8, 2007 CRN Seeks White-Box BuildersIf your organization built at least 500 "white box" PCs and laptops last year, CRN is looking for you. Our fourth annual survey of system builders is open now though April 20th. Enter your company today (free, of course). More details here, and last year's report is online as well. Posted by Joe Caponi at 10:28 AM, March 8, 2007 Putting Some Numbers Behind SaaSNetwork Computing just released a lengthy evaluation of the costs of buying and running either Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Professional or Oracle Siebel CRM Pro vs. using Salesforce.com Professional's software as a service (SaaS). "Our scenario demonstrates that SaaS will save $95,000 to $135,000 over a licensed package over three years. This is a significant sum, especially for SMBs." They go on to note that most SMBs are unlikely to be able to build out the redundant architecture of Salesforce.com, either. Posted by Joe Caponi at 03:27 PM, March 7, 2007 Build Cool-Looking PCsSystem builders--still stuck making boring boxes? Stop. The latest TechBuilder recipe, Three Alternatives to the Beige Box, looks at new form-factors for PCs that can enhance both your hipness and bottom line: "The world has more than enough off-white ATX mid-towers in it already... Differentiation is everything in the white-box business. So one effective way for a system builder to establish themself is to ditch the white-boxes altogether. Being well-versed in a number of different case builds also helps meet client requirements for portability or cramped spaces more easily. " Posted by Joe Caponi at 05:11 PM, March 6, 2007 New ChannelWeb: HereAs you may have noticed, last night we launched the new site. Please make yourself at home! In particular, try out our new forums, my favorite change! (followed by our reviews search tool) "The new ChannelWeb.com is a result of one of the CMP Channel Group's most extensive reader research projects ever. In that research, readers told us that they expect different things of a magazine and a Web site. Some of the findings resulted in the new look, feel and size of CRN. It also led to our new online strategy and the new ChannelWeb.com. Posted by Joe Caponi at 09:38 AM, March 5, 2007 New ChannelWeb, Nearly HereMonday's the day the new ChannelWeb launches. We've brought together the best content and sections from ChannelWeb, CRN and VARBusiness, and added new tools, including a reviews search, a 'rate this article' tool, and a much needed upgrade to our forums software. I'll miss these creaky old sites, but I think you'll find quite a bit to enjoy in the new one. Posted by Joe Caponi at 04:45 PM, March 2, 2007 |
Hot TopicsBy Joe CaponiManaging Editor, Operations, ChannelWeb Email Joe BlogRoll
The Big Picture Feed
Archives By Categories
Books Archives By DateApril 2008 Recent Entries• Around The World Linkfest Powered by: |
Subscribe To This Feed
