intellectual property

U.S. still ahead in tech, but for how long?

Judi Hasson — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:16:49 -0400

A new study conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit for the Business Software Alliance (BSA) has found the U.S. lead in information technology is slipping. While the U.S. still has a highly competitive information technology industry, the signs are troubling. The study released Sept. 16 ranks 66 countries in six areas. They include the availability of skilled labor, innovation friendliness and the strength of its legal protections for intellectual property.

The U.S. scored highest among all nations, but its rating fell from last year, and it was tops in only three of the categories. Robert Holleyman, president and CEO of the BSA, said Americans should be aware that they can no longer take this country's leadership for granted. One disturbing trend was the U.S. ranking of fifth for research and development behind Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Sweden. The U.S. also was behind Canada, Singapore, Britain, and Norway in support for IT development.

For more of these findings:
- check out this Business Week article

Go slowly on social networking

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:59:59 -0500

Social networking may be the hottest item to come down the pike in a while. But a new study by Gartner warns businesses about getting caught up in the hype. The caution from the research company is very clear. Before a company invests in social network tools or develops a social networking operation, Gartner advises IT executives to make sure that intellectual property is protected and to determine if employees would prefer using existing external networks such as Facebook and MySpace.

It's a decision that ultimately rests with the CIO to make sure a social network is operated properly. And it also concerns the HR department, which should decide the extent to which employees can social network on the job instead of, say, working. The Gartner report also says that social networking may not be mature enough to warrant an investment. And there is no evidence yet that it is as effective as instant messaging or other existing technologies that can link workers in one business together.

For more on this office technology:
- See this Silicon.com Article

Obama unveils tech plans

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 06:59:59 -0500

Presidential politics are in the air, and technology is taking off. To that end, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has wasted no time in unveiling a nine-page technology policy plan. Plenty of issues were left out, but he presented a glimpse of where he would take technology policy if he's elected president. He called for diverse media ownership, patent reform and using technology to make a more open and accessible government.

He also wants a better IT infrastructure, improved protection of intellectual property and permanent R&D tax credits. He does not think network providers should be allowed to charge fees to improve delivery of content or applications. "Users must be free to access content, to use applications, and to attach personal devices," Obama said in the plan, released by his campaign. "They have a right to receive accurate and honest information about service plans. But these guarantees aren't enough to prevent network providers from discriminating in ways that limit the freedom of expression on the Internet." Don't worry. This is just round one, and there will be plenty of talk about where to take technology in the coming years.

For more on Obama's tech proposal:
- See InformationWeek article

Web 2.0 changes the way we connect

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 06:59:59 -0400

Meanwhile, Rob Carter, CIO of FedEx, told a roomful of technology executives at the SIMposium 2007 that Web 2.0 technologies are changing the way that people view connectedness and networking. Sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Second Life are defining "the notion of virtual place" and represent how people are beginning to break down the idea "that community is defined by face-to-face interactions," Informationweek reports. He also noted that Internet-based, community-oriented platforms like Wikipedia would impact how people work in the future. Pitfalls in this area include questions over intellectual property. "We have a long way to go before we clarify what IP is all about," he said. In terms of Carter's take on the CIO role: "I actually think I have the best job in business," Carter said.

For all the details:
- read the blog in InformationWeek

SCO Group files for Chapter 11

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 06:59:58 -0400

Linux watchers take note, The SCO Group, a Unix shop known for its Linux litigation, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Friday. SCO plans to maintain all normal business operations throughout the bankruptcy proceedings and plans to use the cash flow from their consolidated operations to meet capital needs during the reorganization process. The company has suffered some major setbacks in the courts lately. The U.S. District Court recently ruled that Novell, not SCO, owned Unix's intellectual property.

For all the details on the SCO Group bankruptcy:
- read the article in eWeek

Is Oracle eying a BEA buyout?

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 06:59:59 -0400

The rumor mill was in high gear last week, with word that BEA Systems is ready to be acquired. Larry Ellison's Oracle is currently the front-runner on the short list of would-be suitors. While this particular rumor is a bit of a re-tread that has been swirling for more than a year, it looks like BEA's sock price may be low enough now for Ellison to go ahead and try to take a bite. BEA's stock was selling at $11.41 last week, after setting a five-year high of $16 last November. It's been as low as $5 (in the second quarter of 2002). If Oracle does acquire BEA, which has a market cap of $4.49 billion, a large installed base, and a solid reputation for quality intellectual property and products, it would essentially be gobbling up a competitor. BEA would be just another item in Oracle's now robust shopping cart; it acquired business intelligence supplier Hyperion for $3.3 billion earlier this year. Meanwhile, HP also looks like it could be another potential buyer.

To read more about BEA's plans:
- read the article in eWeek

The iPod as a security risk

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

It's not uncommon to see employees walking to and around work listening to music on their iPods, but could these seemingly innocuous devices pose a security risk for your company? Recent news about security threats posed by iPods and the first virus to hit an iPod are starting to make company officials think that the answer might be yes. It's not that difficult to steal corporate data with an iPod; the devices also can be used to copy personal or financial data, intellectual property and other sensitive information from corporate PCs surreptitiously. Companies can address the problem through endpoint security technology. This technology blocks information considered sensitive from being copied onto removable media, e-mailed or printed. That way, employees can use iPods at the office but won't be able to copy data onto the iPod unless authorized to do so.

Learn more about the risk of iPods in the workplace:
- read the article at The Washington Post

ALSO:
- read this on why a mobile security effort is a mandate
- and this on why mobile security is Job One

Business Intelligence 101

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Although business intelligence technology is the best way to analyze discrete pieces of information and use them for competitive advantage, CIOs sometimes have trouble explaining its benefit to others within the organization. But without the ability to explain its benefits and how it works, CIOs have a hard time gaining champions for the technology, which can eliminate data isolation and redundancy, improving efficiency. To combat this issue, more enterprises have launched or begun to consider formalized training organizations known as Business Intelligence Competency Centers. These centers generally are comprised of cross-functional teams of people from IT and business units and set the stage for "evangelizing" BI to end users.

Learn more about using BICCs to promote business intelligence:
- read the article at SearchCIO

ALSO:
- read this on how collaboration increases business intelligence
- and this on protecting your intellectual property
- and this on using BI to avoid useless information
- and this on intelligent business intelligence
- and this on business intelligence and web services

Protecting your intellectual property

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 19:01:38 -0500

When it comes down to it, a company's intellectual property is the only thing that distinguishes it from rivals. Without it, your company doesn't have a leg to stand on, at least competitively. But in today's collaborative environment, it's easier than ever before for competitors to grab some of that valuable IP. And if your company is involved in an outsourcing relationship, your IP is particularly vulnerable, especially if you're outsourcing work to countries with limited IP laws and weak enforcement systems. Laws are tightening up in many countries, however, so the IP landscape is showing signs of improvement. But we're not there yet. To make sure that your company's IP is safe, first identify the IP in your technology and operations and then secure patent protection, register copyrights and trademarks and institute measures to protect trade secrets. If doing business abroad, make sure you understand patent and IP rules.

Learn more about protecting your company's IP:
- read the article at Optimize

ALSO: read this on defending against IP theft

Malware writers take a 'stealth' approach

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:01:39 -0400

Malware writers targeting intellectual property stored on desktops and servers are using "stealth" and anti-forensic tools that allow a virus to remain undetected until a user hits certain sites or accesses specific databases and then goes into action grabbing data, files and passwords. According to security experts, the latest wave of nasty software being used for criminal purposes includes compression bombs which aim to thwart forensic tools used to search and destroy malware.

Get further insight on the new malware strategy:
- read this article at ZDNet News