In the News Archive

Two interesting articles/reflections about business in the new economy: one, two.

A Silicon Valley startup claims to have cracked one of most elusive goals of the software industry: a near-universal emulator that allows software developed for one platform to run on any other, with almost no performance hit.

I recently had a bad experience with an application service provider that illustrated a growing problem with technology companies- lack of service and support. We have grown complacent as technology consumers and we allow vendors to offer very poor levels of service that wouldn't be allowed in other markets.

This week Serenity Systems International (SSI) is releasing updated versions of the beta product for all host platforms, including FreeBSD.

Designers hope low-scale desktop package shakes up Microsoft-dominated software market The idea is straightforward: Instead of giving employees computers packed with features they rarely use, companies could save tons of cash by distributing simple machines tied to powerful central servers. Computing vendors have had marginal success over the years with variations of this "thin client" concept. Now IBM Corp. is betting that with some tweaks, the technology can become a big hit, challenging the traditional approach pushed by Microsoft Corp.

The plan includes a switch to a quarterly dividend of 8 cents per share and the buyback of as much as $30 billion in stock over the next four years.

"Silicon Valley is back" is on the lips of eager entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, who are rejoicing over the success of Google and pointing to the modest comeback in computer sales. The three-year-long depression, they say, is over.

OneStat.com today reported that more and more internet users choose for screen resolution 1024x768 (54%) which is the most popular screen resolution for exploring the internet. While 800x600 has fell from 32% last year down to 25% this year, it is still holds a huge share among users and so developers should still be considering these users when designing their desktop applications. Other resolutions include: 1280x1024 14.1%, 1152x864 4%, 640x480 0.6%, 1600x1200 0.8%, 1152x870 0.1%.

Ever since Microsoft started publicly outing Linux with their "Get the Facts" campaign, I have seen numerous articles and studies about the TCO (total cost of ownership) of both products in a head to head manner. However, I have yet to see one article discuss the TCO for home users and small businesses. I have thought long and crunched many numbers to devise a conclusion to this years old debate and I think the results are obvious... Windows is way more expensive than Linux.

A feisty Oracle comes out swinging at the government's insistence that its proposed acquisition of PeopleSoft would be detrimental to the business software market. Elsewhere, a trial preperation shows Microsoft, SAP mulled merger: The companies initiated merger discussions late last year, but eventually broke off talks for reasons of complexity, according to information uncovered during discovery in the Oracle case. However, Apple's top executive said Monday that the company does not plan any mergers, though it has $5 billion cash in the bank. On the opposite side, longtime Wall Street analyst Steven Milunovich is urging HP's top management to split the company into two separate businesses.

A new survey of server unit growth and revenue shows that last quarter 1.6 million new servers were put into action, demonstrating that the server sector of the IT economy is growing strong. Linux servers showed the most growth, while Windows servers generated the most revenue. Unix servers showed a decline. Mainframe installations also grew. Our Take: As always these numbers are based on documented sales sales of commercial products, so they should be taken with a grain of salt, as they exclude FreeBSD and Linux servers based on freely-distributed software. Nevertheless, it looks like commercial Unix is in decline, while Linux and Windows move up.

The "intelligent connected device" will be the next hotbed of innovation and growth in the technology sector -- revolutionizing markets as they exist today, according to embedded operating system market leader Wind River. Chairman and CEO Ken Klein predicts a major shift in device software, and says that companies not actively building connectivity and intelligence into their products today will not survive past the next wave of technology innovation and growth.

A NY startup selling Linux-based thin-client management software has called foul on HP and Dell for recent efforts to fund computer recycling programs. Symbio Technologies says they stand to sell more new PCs if future diskless clients are destroyed, instead of being donated to schools or resold.

The CEO of CodeWeavers has given an interview to Slashdot.org. Topics of discussion include CrossOver, WINE and software patents.