Thursday, December 28, 2006

In the Globe and Mail Technology section, Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams are running a series on the impact of mass collaboration and its effect on business and business models. In this segment referenced here, they discuss the Second Life phenomenon and how people are making money, sometimes big money, in that virtual economy. Collaborative Business is by now old hat, but the idea of mass collaboration is a new next step that merits attention. globeandmail.com: 'Second Life' is a signpost for the future

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

E-government has been an important initiative of many countries for several years. In Canada, the Government Online (GOL) initiative has been a successful effort of which the government is justly proud. However, Canada is falling badly behind in one important area, and this is shown most recently by the recent announcements of Chairman Cox of the US Securities and Exchange Commission. He has been pushing the use of XBRL for filing corporate reports, and this will make a big difference to the online initiatives of that government. Similar initiatives are happening arond the world. But not in Canada. Why is this? Eventually, we'll have to step up and be a part of the new world. E-Proxies to Debut in 2007 - Technology - CFO.com

Monday, December 18, 2006

Small personal technologies - cell phones, PDA's laptops, and the like are growing in use and changing in important ways. Cell phones are starting to move to VOIP. All are staying connected to the Net, meaning the internet will be more and more integated into these devices and their use. Better power sources are in the offing. All of this has serious implications for data use and data management, including security. It's a bit of a second wave revolution. Not as big as the internet itself, but nevertheless big. Technology Review: Special Reports: Personal Technology

Thursday, December 14, 2006

While illegal downloading of movies continues despite the resistance of the movie industry, there are several ways to legally obtain movies over the internet. This article lists some of them. The various organizations represented are trying a variety of means to establish a workable business model, usually by placing some kind of constraint over the ability to copy the movies and even the ability to watch them for an extended period of time. Clearly, the business model will continue to evolve. Technology Review: How do I buy online movies and what can I do with them?

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Knowledgable consultants and business leaders have long said that a technology strategy has to be aligned with the business strategy. Increasingly, companies are realizing the full import of this principle in an e-business world, where IT so so crucial to making strategies and business models work. IT Directors are being looked to as sources of new revenue streams rather than just cost center managers. This is an inevitable, but important development. Not Your Father’s IT

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Yahoo has been losing ground in its competition with Google and sites like Youtube and Myspace. It has just engineered a major reorganization to bolster its position. Will a reorganization be enough? That's the question. globeandmail.com: Yahoo! undergoes its biggest shake-up in more than 5 years
The growing maturity, complextity and breadth of working as an Information Systems Specialist is placing an increased emphasis on formal university training and certification. It's also leading to an increased diversity in educational backgrounds. This is a positive trend for the profession. Moving Target: The Information Security Professional