Month: October 2008

OpenOffice.org Releases version 3.0

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(TheForceField.net ) October 13, 2008 — The OpenOffice.org Community officially announced the  release of OpenOffice.org 3.0 to the public early this morning. OpenOffice.org 3.0 is the latest release of the open source office suite originally developed by Sun Microsystems and is considered by many to be one of few serious competitors of Microsoft Office.

The latest version of OpenOffice.org will be officially released on the 8 year anniversary of the open source Office suite during a launch event to be held at the Région Ile-de France in Paris, France today. The first version was released on October 13, 2000.

"Our market has grown,"  Louis Suárez-Potts, Community Manager of OpenOffice.org, said in a press release. "As government after government, enterprise after enterprise adopt the Open Document Format (the ISO-approved format OpenOffice.org uses natively), they frequently adopt OpenOffice.org and love it. With 3.0, the application is more interoperable with MS Office, more capable, more extensible. It frees the desktop from vendor lock-in."

OpenOffice.org Logo

New features to the office suite include a "Start Center", new icons and a zoom control located in the status bar. Other new features include an ability to display multiple pages in the word processor called Writer,  a solver component and an increase to 1024 columns in the Calc spreadsheet,  chart enhancements and an improvement to the crop feature used in Draw and the Microsoft Powerpoint-like presentation program known as Impress.

The new version will support ODF 1.2 and will work with Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac and Microsoft Office binary file formats.

The new version is also more compatible with OS X. "OpenOffice.org 3 is now also available for the first time as a full Mac OS X application, bringing the power of the world's leading open-source office suite to a whole new group of users", Florian Effenberger, Marketing Project Co-Lead of OpenOffice.org stated in an e-mail this morning.

The Office suite is released under the GNU/GPL and is freely available. OpenOffice.org v3.0 is currently available for download in English for Windows, Linux, OS X and OpenSolaris at http://download.openoffice.org/3.0 .

 

 

gotoassist

 

Cloud Computing is in the air and Ellison smells the hype

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There is a discussion going on over at Tech-Army.org about Cloud Computing, particularly Oracle CEO Larry Ellison’s recent remarks in which he allegedly attacked the concept as overhyped. According to an article in eWeek , Ellison “spit” on the hype surrounding Cloud Computing and was quoted as saying that he didn’t understand it in a blog post by Wall Street Journal writer Ben Worthen.

In the post, Worthen quoted Ellison as saying “The computer industry is the only industry that is more fashion-driven than women’s fashion. Maybe I’m an idiot, but I have no idea what anyone is talking about. What is it? It’s complete gibberish. It’s insane. When is this idiocy going to stop?”

For those who still don’t know what the term Cloud Computing refers to, here’s the official definition from Wikipedia: 

 “Cloud computing is a general concept that incorporates software as a service, Web 2.0 and other recent, well-known technology trends, where the common theme is reliance on the Internet for satisfying the computing needs of the users. For example, Google Apps provides common business applications online that are accessed from a web browser, while the software and data are stored on the servers.”

Now, the basic argument here is that Ellison doesn’t get the concept of working in the cloud. However, I don’t think that is what he is talking about. It seems to me that he is not really attacking the concept as much as he is attacking the notion that companies are over hyping it. As hot a topic as it is today, he may have a point.

I’ve been reporting on developments in Cloud Computing in the last few episodes of The Force Field podcast . There is a lot of potential there, however I will give Ellison the benefit of the doubt and say that, although the concept interests me, I am not so sure everyone is ready for it, including some of the companies who aggressively promote it.

There are some caveats to it that I am not sure about yet. When I mean I am not sure, I mean that I have reservations about particular Cloud Computing applications or services and whether or not I really trust them enough to use or sell them myself.
 
Utilizing Cloud Computing requires the user to relinquish a certain amount of freedom and control locally. I am not very comfortable with the security aspects of it yet, either.  It also (obviously) requires constant and instant internet connectivity for access to the “cloud”, something that a lot of users still don’t have.
 
Are there advantages to it? Sure! In fact, there are numerous Cloud Computing applications that I believe have great potential and a few that I actually embrace. There is no doubt it has a very bright future as a viable business and service model.
 
But it doesn’t apply to every application or service we use today – yet. As a society that relies on independent access to applications and data 24/7 with complete control in a local environment and a measure of local privacy, secure in the knowledge that we know exactly where our data is, who has access to it and how to get to it, I am just not sure we are ready to trust it all to the cloud.
 
As for all the hype, sorry Larry, it’s all part of the game.
 
eWeek

Telecommuting Boosts Worker Productivity, CompTIA Survey Finds

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Cost savings, staff hiring and retention and improved employee health also cited as benefits

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., October 7, 2008 – Companies that give their workers the option of telecommuting are benefitting from greater productivity, lower costs, more options for finding and retaining qualified staff, and improved employee health, according to a new survey released today by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).

More than two-thirds (67 percent) of survey respondents said their organization has experienced greater worker productivity as a result of allowing employees to telecommute either full-time or part-time. Improved productivity is principally due to workers spending less time getting to and from work.

“With ‘anywhere’ connectivity, faster broadband options and high-quality video and online conferencing choices, the opportunity for virtual offices is greater today and more affordable for businesses of all sizes and types,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and chief executive officer, CompTIA.

Companies who utilize telecommuting are also benefitting from cost savings through reduced use of office-related materials and resources and lower vehicle-related expenses. Nearly six out of ten respondents (59 percent) to the CompTIA telecommuting trends survey identified cost savings as a significant benefit.

Telecommuting is also helping organizations find and keep qualified staff, and keep their employees healthier.

According to the CompTIA survey, 39 percent of respondents said their companies have access to more qualified staff, especially those who may not otherwise be geographically accessible, because they offer telecommuting as an option. Another 37 percent of respondents said telecommuting helps their organization improve employee retention. One-quarter of survey respondents (25 percent) said telecommuting improves employee health, mainly though reduced stress levels associated with commuting to and from work.

Other benefits of telecommuting, as revealed in the survey, include promotion of safety through reduced highway use (18 percent); and environmental benefits (17 percent).

The survey was intended to better understand the benefits and challenges of telecommuting; and to determine how organizations are addressing these challenges. Businesses represented in the survey include information technology service companies, government, manufacturers, technology solution providers, not-for-profit training organizations and schools, telecommunications, healthcare, entertainment, and real estate. The Web-based survey was conducted between Aug. 27 and Sept. 23. It closed with 212 responses and has a margin of error of ± 5.6 percent. For more information on the telecommuting trends survey and other CompTIA research, visit www.comptia.org/research.

 

About CompTIA

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. Its members are the companies at the forefront of innovation; and the professionals responsible for maximizing the benefits organizations receive from their investments in technology. CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through its educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications, and public policy advocacy. For more information, please visit www.comptia.org.

 

 

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To run a tech business, you need to know both ends

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There are interesting discussions in some tech forums these days about the value of joining vendor reseller and affiliate programs. What interests me most about the discussions is that many  IT service providers and resellers seem to be unaware of the potential to extend their marketing power by partnering with vendors and manufacturers of the products they sell and support and some are unaware that these programs even exist.

I have been following a couple of discussion threads in the Technibble forums that touched on this topic and after reading through them I realized how many providers are missing out on an opportunity to really expand and grow their businesses.

There is a logical and understandable reason for this, of course. Most IT service providers start their businesses the way I did. They do it on the side, grow their customer base, then quit their day job and go solo in the field as an Independent Contractor or open up their own office or shop. No one mentors them on the business end. No one hands them a list of vendor contacts or distributors and tells them how to establish business relationships with the companies whose products they sell, service and support. They are completely on their own.

The downside to starting cold is that they are usually not privvy to or aware of a lot of the “secrets” of running a business. They don’t have the business to business connections to be an “insider” in the industry and give them a competitive edge. The problem is, they aren’t really searching for it, either because they are too busy in the day to day operations of their businesses.

A few weeks ago I was talking with Robert Danese, Executive Director of NASBA , the Association of Channel Resellers. We discussed this very topic and why many providers, resellers and consultants are seemingly not aware of the power of utilizing vendor partner or reseller programs. I think the reason is simply because most of us started as techs, not business people and such concepts are not tech, but business related. Some professionals who run their own IT enterprises rely primarily on their knowledge and experience as techs with the expectation that technical expertise alone will carry their business. Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. That is one major reason why many tech businesses ultimately fail.

There are two parts to the term ‘tech business’. You have tech and business. You can be the tech and run the business but if you want to start one you need to know something about both. That is where partnerships with both vendors and other IT businesses can help.

I posted a thread in The Force Field forums awhile back about doing a series on vendor partner programs in the future. After reading the discussions in the Technibble forums and my discussion with Mr. Danese, I think it should be sooner than later.

 

 

 

Channelpro

 

Microsoft, Dell, Samsung, Sun Microsystems, Cisco Gather to Discuss Key Supply Chain Issues

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At the eyefortransport Hi-Tech & Electronics Supply Chain Summit, Supply Chain Experts from key Fortune 500 companies will present and discuss the latest issues for Hi-Tech & Electronics Supply Chain Management. With complimentary passes available for qualified supply chain executives, the event promises to be an exclusive, high-level opportunity.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands (PRWEB) October 3, 2008 — Hugh Aitken, VP European Operations at Sun Microsystems, will join speakers from Microsoft, Samsung, Nokia, Dell and other top companies at this year's eyefortransport Hi-Tech & Electronics Supply Chain Summit, taking place November 27-28 in Amsterdam.

Aitken believes, "If your supply chain next year, looks like your supply chain of last year…you're history!" To ensure no supply chain gets left behind, this year's top-level expert speakers will cover an extensive range of topics, specifically tailored to the needs of Hi-Tech & Electronics shippers.

Key topics include:

  • Reinvigorating your supply chain management
  • Streamlining your aftermarket supply chain
  • Best practices for outsourcing, low-cost country sourcing and near-shoring
  • Operating efficiently on a global scale
  • Managing your 3PL relationship
  • How the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) effects Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), and its impact on your supply chain
  • Benefitting from Greening your supply chain – bottom line results
  • Selecting technology – what products create real results

eyefortransport has also embraced Aitken's philosophy of adaptation and made key changes to the event format this year. Most significantly, supply chain executives from Hi-Tech & Electronics companies can gain complimentary passes to the Summit. These passes include full access to the speaking programs, networking events and even meals and accommodation. Only 100 of these exclusive passes are available, so interested executives should register now through the website: http://events.eyefortransport.com/hitech08/free_pass.shtml

Companies already confirmed to attend include Hewlett Packard… Dell…Microsoft…Siemens…Panasonic…Phillips…Bosch… Tyco Electronics Thermo Fisher…Getronics…Schneider Electric…Teliasonera…Polycom Global…Oce Technologies…and many more.

The Summit represents an invaluable opportunity to learn from top experts, network and share ideas with peers, build business partnerships and discuss pressing needs with solutions providers. This is the only industry event that focusses exclusively on issues specific to the Hi-Tech & Electronics Supply Chain, making it a crucial source of information for executives in this field.

Transport & logistics solution providers can also participate in the event as supporting partners. Interested companies should contact David Embelton, at the details below.

For more information about the Summit, contact Emma Miller at the details below, or visit the website: http://events.eyefortransport.com/hitech08/index.shtml.

 

 

Cisco on Cisco News

 

OnForce and Channel Insider announce co-branded research partnership

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Agreement enables data sharing to gauge, predict and share IT industry trends

BOSTON, September 29, 2008 – OnForce, the world's largest marketplace for IT professionals,
announced it had entered into a strategic partnership with Channel Insider, a multimedia suite of IT reseller news and market intelligence published by Ziff Davis Enterprise, to share market intelligence and create research tools that enable IT vendors, original equipment manufacturers and value-added resellers accelerate their channel sales.

Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will collaborate on co-branded research
reports and other tools aimed at informing channel companies. Additionally, OnForce will provide
Channel Insider with access to its state-of-the art MarketView Index for use on the ChannelInsider.com Web site. In return, OnForce will receive a Channel Insider news feed
containing featured content, news and research intelligence that they may use exclusively on their
product Web site.

Launched in 2007, the MarketView Index, is a free tool that provides a real-time picture of the IT services landscape. It enables users to see a state-by-state and category-by-category view of vital statistics such as:

· Service professional coverage
· Most recent pricing trends
· Median time for work-order acceptance

“OnForce has become the industry standard for finding contract IT professionals and, based upon the volume of service work transacted daily in our marketplace, we have unique visibility into trends that are shaping the industry,” said Matt Johnston, vice president of marketing for OnForce. “We look
forward to further engaging with the channel through this alliance with Channel Insider to provide data that will help VARs and solution providers grow their business profitably in all economic climates.”

Supporting the OnForce MarketView Index is data from work orders that are created and fulfilled
through the OnForce marketplace, at www.onforce.com. To date, more than 750,000 service events
have been completed through OnForce, where 13,000+ registered technicians respond to service
requests from thousands of VARs, solution providers and IT firms across the US and Canada.

“The partnership between Channel Insider and OnForce will give solution providers deeper insight
into services pricings on the regional level, and will lead to greater market intelligence that will help
solution providers accelerate their business,” said Lawrence M. Walsh, vice president and group
publisher of Channel Insider.

About OnForce:
OnForce is the world's largest marketplace for IT service professionals. The company enables VARs, solution providers, and IT service firms to find skilled, contract professionals across the US and Canada. The OnForce marketplace has been used to successfully complete more than 750,000 work orders since its inception. The company has more than 5,000 service buyers and 12,000+ technicians who work in a wide variety of categories, including computers, printers, networking, VoIP, point of sale and consumer electronics.
For more information about the US marketplace, visit www.onforce.com . To learn about the Canadian marketplace, visit www.onforce.ca .

OnForce Media Contact:
Amber LaCroix
Airfoil Public Relations
aklacroix@airfoilpr.com
(248) 304-1431

About Ziff Davis Enterprise, Inc.:
Ziff Davis Enterprise, Inc. is B2B technology’s trusted information resource. Millions of technology
buyers rely on our relevant, objective content to identify the right solutions for their organizations.
Hundreds of companies, from industry giants to emerging start-ups, rely on our contextual content,
marketing, and audience development expertise to compress sales cycles and lower their go-tomarket costs. Leading brands include Channel Insider, Baseline, CIO Insight, eWEEK,
Baselinemag.com, CIOInsight.com, eWEEK.com, WebBuyersGuide.com, and the Developer Shed
network. Ziff Davis Enterprise has proven marketing solutions for branding, engagement, and face-toface events. Our products include print and online advertising, eNewsletter sponsorships, content syndication, eSeminars, virtual tradeshows, events, and custom media services. Ziff Davis Enterprise has a global database of 4 million users representing an unparalleled community of business and technology professionals, developers, and the channel.

About Channel Insider:
Channel Insider is dedicated to the providing IT resellers and partner community with the technology and market intelligence to increase revenues and grow their businesses. Channel Insider addresses the $450 billion marketplace populated by more than 225,000 solution providers, services companies, independent software vendors, distributors, custom application developers, system builders, managed services companies and technology consultants. Channel Insider's rich news and analytics Web site, case-study and technology review magazine, market trends research, and virtual and face-to-face events provide its readers with a 360-degree view of the North America reseller channel. As a result, Channel Insider has the most robust and engaged channel audience.

Ziff Davis Media Contact:
Stephanie McCarthy
Ziff Davis Enterprise
(978) 647-6030
Stephanie.McCarthy@ziffdavisenterprise.com

 

 

Channelpro

 

Reimage

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Reimage is a new automated web-based Windows Repair process that is safe, non-destructive and can be performed remotely. The product was featured in episode 26 of The Force Field podcast.

The company is based in Israel with a US office in New York.

Reimage can be purchased as a package of 20 repairs or as a monthly subscription of up to 50 repairs/month.

Members of TheForceField.Net can receive a FREE 7 day trial of Reimage for evaluation.

Contact Information:

Israel Headquarters:
3 Hachilazon street,
Ramat Gan 52522
ISRAEL
+972-(3)-5759757

 

US Office:
1 Penn Plaza
41st Floor
New York, NY 10119
1-(646)-744-3620
Mon-Fri: 9am-10pm EST

Technical Support:
support@reimage.com

Sales:
sales@reimage.com

 
Reimage