web applications

Linux Foundation: The future is Linux

Paul Mah — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:02:21 -0400

At the Linux Foundation, the future of Solaris, or should I say lack thereof, is clear. Executive Director Jim Zemlin is adamant that "the future is Linux and Microsoft Windows...is not Unix or Solaris." Zemlin notes that companies are increasingly moving over to Linux, accelerated by its strength in the web applications space. The trend is accelerating as systems based on Solaris and other variants of Unix reach the end of their life cycles, with these customers increasingly migrating to Linux. Due to its lower cost to run, Linux is set to triumph over the likes of Sun's Solaris and other Unix systems, whose legacy architecture are more expensive.

To find out more about the rise of Linux:
- check out this New York Times article

Firefox 3 RC1 now available

Paul Mah — Tue, 20 May 2008 06:13:51 -0400

Release candidate 1 of Firefox 3 was made available late last week to the public. RC1 purportedly offers significant improvements in the area of performance, memory usage and stability over earlier versions. Some nifty features include the ability to resume downloads, offline support for tailored web applications, and full page zoom from both view menu and keyboard shortcuts. There also is an improved download manager that makes it easier to locate downloaded files, and better password management that allows users to save passwords via an information bar after a successful login. No final ship dates have been given for Firefox 3, though sources in the Linux community say final copies are promised by June.

For more on the release candidate of Firefox 3:
- check out the official release notes here

Firefox 3.0 beta 4 released

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 07:59:58 -0400

Beta 4 of Firefox 3.0 was released just yesterday. According to Mozilla, this latest iteration sports more than 900 enhancements over the previous beta, and is a direct result of community feedback. The new beta includes drastic improvements to performance, stability and memory usage--the latter especially over long browsing sessions. Other notable mentions include a new download manager to make locating downloads easier, the inclusion of a full page zoom, improvements to JavaScript and offline data storage for web applications. In addition, continuing look and feel improvements have been added in terms of platform-specific icons, buttons and other user interface elements on the various platforms such as Windows Vista, Mac OS X and Linux.

For more on Firefox 3.0 beta 4:
- check out the Mozilla blog

Security woes dog Microsoft

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 06:59:59 -0500

Microsoft Office, as well as other pieces of enterprise software, has security holes that are causing problems for Internet users, according to the SANS Institute's annual security report. According to the report, one of the largest problems is that developers aren't using secure enough coding techniques to create Web applications. And that gives hackers a chance to tap into reams of databases with information connected to them.

Overall, the report spells bad news for Microsoft as the company struggles to deal with problems connected to Vista and other applications. The report pointed to vulnerabilities in the applications suite which jumped nearly 300 percent between 2006 and 2007. New flaws in Excel allow hackers to construct documents that can infect a computer with malicious software if they are opened. The report also said that there is a rise in spyware--programs that surreptitiously collect data on a user's computer. The number of websites rigged with spyware increased 187 percent this year.

If you think you have escaped the hackers' attacks, think again. The report said hackers are getting smart about attaching malicious documents to email with an enticing name. To add to the bait, the hacker makes it look like it is coming from someone the recipient knows. If this is a problem for you, remember that training is the best defense against an offense.

For more on the SANS security report:
- See this Washington Post article

A glitch in information sharing

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 07:59:59 -0400

Government chief information security officers recently told an industry conference that sharing information is not without its problems and can open up a new path for corruption of the system. Patrick Howard, CISO for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, said that computer companies may be inviting more attacks through the use of applications, especially web applications. He spoke at a conference sponsored by the Information Technology Association of America.

"Applications give a ready avenue to our data," Howard said. He added that in the rush to make information available, holes are sometimes built in, which aren't caught due to inadequate testing. Joe Gerrity, CISO for the Security and Exchange Commission, said that the increasing need to share information electronically has created additional security issues. "The need to know has shifted to the need to share," Gerrity said. "We tend to trust everyone on the inside and no one on the outside."

For more on this security issue:
- see Technology Daily article

Google in the enterprise can be dangerous

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 06:59:58 -0400

If you've been considering Google Apps as your answer to enterprise groupware--you may want to think again. The Burton Group released a new 55-page report describing what it sees as the dangers of using Google's web applications, which have attracted a number of CIOs through their low cost and easy maintenance. Burton, however, goes as far as to call the apps "career-limiting." Career limiting? The report says that Google's online apps are good for startups and small businesses, but notes that users looking for support beyond "rudimentary" uses, should move on to more powerful solutions for traditional things like extended support, support for complex documents and, to limit the risk of losing data. Google clearly states that it is not liable for lost, data, lost profits, or lost revenue. The company does, however, stand by its offerings, noting that the enterprise groupware market is not its primary market.

For more on Google versus enterprise apps:
- see the article in Ars Technica

ALSO NOTED: IT outsourcing may be too expensive for small enterprises; Disillusionment with software security;

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 20:01:38 -0400

> IT outsourcing is potentially too expensive for small enterprises. Press release

> Disillusionment with software security. Blog

> If web applications aren't fast enough, users will bail. Article

> The changing role of IT leaders. Blog

> CIOs like Web 2.0, but from big vendors. Article

> Boards don't pay enough attention to IT issues. Article

> Small business finds success with virtual IT. Article

> Employees may be revealing sensitive corporate information on social media sites. Article

> CIOs work hard but are paid well. Article

And Finally …When it comes to stemming data loss, sometimes the simplest methods are the most effective. Blog

One-Minute Tutorial: Understanding RIA

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 19:01:38 -0500

Although the term might be unfamiliar to many, Rich Internet Application (RIA) can be a useful tool, especially for customer-facing applications. RIAs are web applications with the features and functions of traditional desktop applications that transfer the processing necessary for the user interface to the web client while keeping most of the data on the application server.

Learn more about the benefits of RIA:
- read the definition at Wikipedia
- or read a blog entry from an RIA fan at FlexLive

Editor's Corner

Sun, 15 Oct 2006 20:01:40 -0400

Join us tomorrow for our newest webinar, "Web in Motion: Competitive Advantage through Mobile Web Applications," presented by Sybase iAnywhere. The business mobility webinar will cover the case for mobility in every field, as well as specific examples and solutions for all types of enterprises, including telecom, education and healthcare. Sign up to learn to develop and deploy mobile web applications with ease. Click here to register. - Judy

C&L: Boost your mobile Web knowledge level

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 20:01:31 -0400

One of the most critical career elements for any CIO is keeping up with and staying on top of emerging technologies. Mobile Web applications might be a good area to focus on, given the advancement of mobility within the enterprise. Together with Sybase iAnywhere, FierceCIO is presenting a webinar on the latest developments in enterprise mobility applications. "Web in Motion: Competitive Advantage through Mobile Web Applications" will take place October 17th at 1 pm Eastern/10 am Pacific. Please join us to hear case studies from enterprises like Avaya, McKesson and T-Mobile and to learn how mobile web apps can be developed quickly and easily for your field-based workers. Register today! -Judy

If you missed last Wednesday's Career section, you can always click on over to our archives where you have free access to all of the career news we've printed in the past few months. Here are some announcements of tech leader career moves.

Joe Eng, a former CIO, has been named president and CEO of Spectrum Systems Inc.

Chiquita Brands International announced it has promoted Manjit Singh, its VP of corporate information technology, to CIO. Waheed Zaman, the former CIO and current SVP of global supply chain and procurement is in charge of the company's global supply chain.

Adam Self has been named CIO at Pantel Systems.

Kay LaBare is now CTO at Fortent.

Esat Sezer has been named senior VP and CIO at Coca-Cola Enterprises.