News Page

InfoWorld RSS Feed

Challenges await Obama in bid to build up security
As President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office, the task of upgrading the security of federal computer systems continues to be a work in progress.Several cybersecurity initiatives launched during the Bush administration are still years away from being completed. Others are closer to completion but don't do enough by themselves to defend networks and systems against increasingly sophisticated attacks, according to IT security analysts.[ Learn how to secure your systems with Roger Grimes' Security Adviser blog and newsletter, both from InfoWorld. ]And, they said, resolving the security issues will require Obama to focus on more than just finishing the ongoing initiatives.For starters, he needs to end the policy of tying federal cybersecurity efforts so closely to the post-9/11 war on terror, said Gartner analyst John Pescatore . "The terrorist attacks sent the Bush administration in the wrong direction" on cybersecurity, Pescatore said, adding that more immediate threats to federal systems have been overlooked.Progress has been made, claimed Karen Evans , administrator of e-government and IT at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Evans said several security initiatives launched over the past few years are already making, or will soon make, a difference.At the top of her list is a 2004 mandate by President Bush that required federal agencies to issue new smart-card identity credentials to all employees and contractors. But even that program hasn't been fully implemented. Agencies were supposed to finish issuing the new ID cards in late October, but most will need at least two more years to do so.Other projects that Evans pointed to include a recent upgrade of federal networks to the more secure IPv6 protocol and the Trusted Internet Connections program, under which agencies are working to reduce their external network connections.Evans also cited the Federal Desktop Core Configuration (FDCC) project, which is aimed at cutting costs and boosting security by requiring agencies to employ standard security settings on all Windows PCs.Earlier this year, President Bush also put in motion a highly classified, multiagency program called the Cyber Initiative, with a goal of bolstering the nation's ability to detect and respond to cyberthreats against critical infrastructure targets.Tom Kellerman, vice president of security awareness at Core Security Technologies in Boston, said the Cyber Initiative marked an "awakening" in Washington about the need for stronger cybersecurity efforts.But Kellerman, who is a member of a commission that's developing cybersecurity recommendations for Obama, said much remains to be done. "The existing administration has only just begun to pay attention to cybersecurity" as a national security issue, he said.Many of the ongoing initiatives are helping to improve security in bits and pieces, Pescatore said. But, he added, they were the result of "random edicts" from the OMB, not broad cybersecurity objectives.Increasingly, new funding has been moving toward surveillance and monitoring initiatives related to fighting terrorism. While such efforts are needed, Pescatore said, they do little to protect federal agencies from cybercriminals.Franklin Reeder, an independent consultant and former chief of information policy at the OMB, said the most important step for Obama is to use the government's purchasing clout to compel IT vendors to build more security capabilities into products. The FDCC program has shown that such an approach can be successful, Reeder said.More spending is needed on security training, he added. He also thinks the feds must change how they work with the private sector on security. Existing programs, Reeder contended, "have just been convened by the government for the government."This version of the story originally appeared in Computerworld's print edition. Computerworld is an InfoWorld affiliate.Got something to add? Let us know in the article comments .
posted on December 01, 2008 11:01:50 am
Microsoft and Yahoo dismiss report of search deal
Microsoft and Yahoo have dismissed a report that they're once again in discussions to sell Yahoo's online search business for $20 billion.The Sunday Times wrote Microsoft had agreed to the "broad terms of a deal" but there was no guarantee that it would be completed.[ For the complete saga of Microsoft's attempted takeover of Yahoo, check out InfoWorld's special report ]"We continue to offer no comment on such rumors and speculation," according to a statement supplied by one of Microsoft's public relations agencies, Waggener Edstrom, in London on Monday.A Yahoo spokeswoman also said the company had no comment on the report.The Sunday Times wrote that Microsoft would bring in Jonathan Miller, the former CEO of AOL, and Ross Levinsohn, a former president of Fox Interactive Media, to manage a new team.The Times also wrote that Microsoft seeks a 10-year agreement with Yahoo to run Yahoo's search business. Microsoft would have a two-year call option to buy that business for $20 billion. Yahoo would still run its own e-mail, messaging and content services, the paper wrote.Microsoft began courting Yahoo earlier this year, offering $44.6 billion in February for the entire company, or around $31 per share. Yahoo's cofounder and then-CEO Jerry Yang held out for a higher offer, but Microsoft eventually lost interest.Yahoo's stock has since quickly fallen along with the stock of many other technology companies that are feeling the effects of the global credit crunch. Yahoo's stock closed on Friday at $11.28 per share, putting its total market capitalization at $15.96 billion.Yang stepped down as CEO last week after taking over in June 2007. The company has been under increasing pressure from investors such as Carl Icahn, who is one of Yahoo's directors, to either make a deal or change the company's management.
posted on December 01, 2008 10:25:40 am
Update: Google Earth used by terrorists in India attacks
The terrorists that attacked various locations in south Mumbai last week used digital maps from Google Earth to learn their way around, according to officials investigating the attacks.Investigations by the Mumbai police, including the interrogation of one nabbed terrorist, suggest that the terrorists were highly trained and used technologies such as satellite phones, and global positioning systems (GPS), according to police.[ Keep up on the latest tech news headlines at InfoWorld News, or subscribe to the Today's Headlines newsletter. ]Google Earth has previously come in for criticism in India, including from the country's former President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.Kalam warned in a 2005 lecture that the easy availability online of detailed maps of countries from services such as Google Earth could be misused by terrorists.A Google spokeswoman said in an e-mail Monday that Google Earth's imagery is already available through commercial and public sources. Google Earth has also been used by aid agencies for relief operations, which outweighs abusive uses, she said.Indian security agencies have complained that Google Earth exposed Indian defense and other sensitive installations. Other nations, including China, have made similar complaints regarding military locations.However the places attacked by terrorists last week did not come under the category of defense or sensitive installations. The information available to the terrorists on Google Earth about the locations they attacked is also available on printed tourism maps of Mumbai. The locations included two hotels, a restaurant, a residential complex, and a railway station.
posted on December 01, 2008 08:49:10 am
InfoWorld launches mobile-friendly Web site
InfoWorld today has made the vast majority of its site content available in native format for the new generation of mobile devices, such as the Apple iPhone, Palm Treo Pro, and RIM BlackBerry Storm. Users of such "mobile 2.0" devices can access the InfoWorld technology news and reviews site at infoworld.com/m.The beta mobile site's news, features, reviews, Test Center analyses, and blogs are all available. InfoWorld will add access to its special reports, slideshows, and other content later this month. In the meantime, such content remains accessible to mobile users but will display as regular desktop HTML pages.[ Which next-gen handheld is right for you? Find out in InfoWorld's mobile 2.0 device comparison . ]The mobilized beta site supports the new class of "mobile 2.0" devices meant to provide desktop-class Web browsing: the iPhone, iPod Touch, BlackBerry Storm, Google-Android-based T-Mobile G1, and most Windows Mobile 6 devices such as the Hewlett-Packard iPaq, AT&T Fuze, and Palm Treo Pro. Many BlackBerrys come with HTML browser emulation, though not all are configured properly out of the box; much of the InfoWorld mobile site should work under these BlackBerrys' HTML emulation as well. Other mobile devices that support HTML, such as Palm OS devices with the Blazer 4 browser and devices where users have installed the Opera Mini Web browser should also work at least partially, such as displaying stories and supporting embedded hyperlinks. (Older, WAP- or WML-only devices can access a basic version of InfoWorld's site at http://mobile.infoworld.com.)InfoWorld's new beta mobile site follows other mobile-enabling efforts this year, including a mobile version of its Windows Sentinel PC-monitoring service and its Twitter feed.Note that because of the many differences in browser capabilities, some content may not display properly on specific device/browser combinations. Desktop HTML pages are particularly susceptible to such issues because they tend to use features such as Flash files that few mobile Web browsers support and iframes that Windows Mobile browsers do not support.
posted on December 01, 2008 08:00:00 am
Vista SP2 due next April, says report
Microsoft will deliver Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) to manufacturing in April 2009, two months after it issues a final test version to users, according to a Web site that accurately predicted several Windows ship dates in 2008.TechARP.com, a Malaysian Web site that nailed the release-to-manufacturing (RTM) dates for Vista SP1 and XP SP3 earlier this year, said that Microsoft will post a release candidate -- the final test version -- of Vista SP2 in February 2009, finish the service pack next April and offer it to users via download from the Web at some point afterward.[ And to learn more about Microsoft's next OS, Windows 7, check out the InfoWorld Test Center benchmarks in "Windows 7 unmasked." ]The last was necessarily vague, if only because Microsoft has had trouble this year synchronizing service pack RTM dates with availability on Windows Update. It took six weeks last winter to get Vista SP1 in the hands of most users -- and then only after a ruckus when Microsoft initially denied access to subscribers of its for-pay developer services -- and a week to issue Windows XP SP3 in the spring. XP SP3 was delayed because of a data-corrupting compatibility bug with Microsoft's own point-of-sale software.Although Microsoft issued the beta of Vista SP2 to a limited number of testers a month ago, company officials have so far only committed to shipping the update sometime in the first half of next year.According to Microsoft, Vista SP2 will include Windows Search 4, Bluetooth 2.1 wireless support, faster resume from sleep when a wireless connection has been broken and support for Blu-ray. Some of those features, including Windows Search and the Bluetooth support, have been available to Vista users for months through individual updates.The service pack will update both Vista, the client version of Windows, and Windows Server 2008, the company's corresponding server software.Vista SP2 will require SP1 as a prerequisite, a factor that played to Microsoft's ongoing recommendation that users deploy the first service pack as soon as possible.Computerworld is an InfoWorld affiliate.
posted on December 01, 2008 07:14:47 am
You don't know tech: The InfoWorld news quiz
There are plenty of folks who feel a bit more thankful this week, like Connecticut schoolteacher Julie Amero and Facebook fans who hate spam. Somewhat less thankful: nosy ex-Verizon employees, SCO, Chinese censors, and fast-food aficionados who got a little more exposure than they bargained for. Are you stuffed with tech news knowledge? Prove it by carving up this quiz. Give yourself 10 points for each correct answer. And could you please pass the Alka-Seltzer?1. Arkansan Philip Sherman is suing McDonalds to the tune of $3 million. What did the restaurant chain allegedly do to him?a. Put a cockroach in his milkshake b. Failed to adequately supersize him c. Posted nude pix of his wife on the Web d. Spilled boiling hot coffee on his lap, scalding his McNuggetsTake the InfoWorld news quiz
posted on December 01, 2008 07:00:00 am
Acer plans netbook with 10.2-inch screen
Acer, the world's third largest PC vendor, is planning to launch a netbook next year with a 10.2-inch screen, the largest netbook screen from Acer so far, a company representative confirmed.The Taiwanese company's Aspire One netbook has been a hit this year. Launched at mid-year, the device now has Asustek Computer's popular Eee PC in its sights. Acer has forecast shipments of 6 million Aspire One's this year, against estimates of 5 million from Asustek for its Eee PCs.[ For more on products in the hot mini-notebook category, check out our hands-on looks at Asus' Eee PC 901 and 1000 and the N10 netbook, the Cloudbook Max netbook, Elitegroup's G10IL mini-laptop, MSI's Wind low-cost laptop, Giga-byte's M912X mini-laptop, HP's Mini-Note netbook and Acer's Aspire one. ]The Aspire One out now has an 8.9-inch screen, but most companies are putting out netbooks with 10.2-inch screens now. The slightly larger screen sizes are more popular with people who like to view Web pages without scrolling left and right to see the entire page.Asustek, which has offered a 7-inch screen on its Eee PCs, has said it does not plan to offer the small screen size in the future because people don't seem to like it as much.Netbooks are mini-laptop PCs designed for mobility, typically sporting 7-inch to 10-inch screens and weighing less than 2 kilograms. Most netbook components, including the microprocessor, are less powerful than those of full-fledged laptops so batteries last longer. Netbooks are designed for dealing with e-mail, browsing the Internet and working on word processor or spreadsheet documents, not for heavy-duty gaming, video editing or other multimedia work.Reports also indicate that Acer plans to launch a rival to Asustek's Eee Top , which is a low-cost competitor to Apple's iMac , a display with computing functions built-in.
posted on December 01, 2008 06:56:57 am
IT survivor: 7 tips for career growth in tight times
Working in today's cutthroat economy has become a lot like the old joke about two guys being chased by a grizzly bear. One guy stops to take off his work shoes and lace up some sneakers."Are you crazy?" says Guy No. 2. "You can't outrun a bear.""I don't have to outrun the bear. I just have to outrun you," Guy No. 1 quips.And with high-tech firms laying off nearly 20,000 workers in the past month alone, outrunning the other guy is fast becoming the survival mode for IT.[ Check out InfoWorld's 2009 IT career survival guide to find out where IT jobs are headed. ]Here are seven tips for outlegging the competition and surviving the downturn with your job intact. What you find here may come off as common sense, but when it comes to keeping ahead of the guy in the cubicle down the hall, common sense just might be all you need to gain an edge. After all, how often do you see your coworkers demonstrating common sense these days?IT survivor tip No. 1: Roll up your sleeves -- and cheer up, damnit The good news? You can survive in today's tight economy. The bad news? You may have to log longer hours and take on less-than-exciting projects.Start by taking notice of the projects that get the most attention from management and ask to be a part of them, advises Betsy Richards, director of career services at Kaplan University."Ask to be transferred to a critical area, or volunteer for extra duties to support these activities," Richards says. "You'll be viewed as an employee who goes the extra mile while inoculating yourself against expendability when the pink slips get handed out."More than just work harder than the next guy, you have to look like you're working harder, says Simon Stapleton, a technology careers coach who calls himself "the IT industry's answer to Indiana Jones" (but without the bullwhip). Show up before your boss gets in and leave after he or she leaves. Skip the long coffee breaks and work through lunch."My best advice is to roll your sleeves up -- literally," says Stapleton, who's also chief innovation officer at Skandia Investment Solutions, a U.K.-based financial services firm. "Pick up the pace when you walk around the office. Carry a clipboard. Your determination to help your company succeed will show in your body language. Now is the time to display the visible signs that you're busting your ass."And if you can, do it with a smile."IT people tend to be grumps," notes Curt Finch, a formerly grumpy software programmer who's now CEO of Journyx, a maker of Web-based time- and expense-management software. "The No. 1 thing is having a positive attitude. The glass-half-full guys, the optimists, the ones who say, 'Sure, we're in a tough situation, but here's how we're going to get through it' -- those are the people I want around me during a recession."IT survivor tip No. 2: Show off your mad skillz -- or get some, fastThe most reliable path for self-preservation is to become the in-house expert on topics vital to the business."You need to be the one everyone comes to when they have a question about a particular topic or technology," says Nicholas Lore, career coach and founder of Rockport Institute. "When you're the person everyone goes to, you become indispensable."[ For a deeper look at training well worth your while, see "Hot tech certifications in a cool job market" ]Similarly, if you have skills that cross departments or systems, you're less likely to be canned than Johnny One-Note in the cubicle down the hall.Be versatile, advises Colin Strasser, CEO of U2i, a software consulting firm. "If you've been doing nothing but Java for 10 years, try Python or Ruby. If you've been working under Windows, do some work with Linux."According to a survey by Robert Half International, Web developers with social-media savvy or expertise in technologies such as .Net, SharePoint, Java, and PHP will continue to be in high demand. Help-desk pros with knowledge of a wide range of systems are also more likely to hold onto jobs.Ask your HR department if the company offers training programs or reimburses tuition costs, says Kaplan's Richards. You may also be able to obtain low-cost continuing education from professional organizations or user groups.If those options aren't available, you can still expand your expertise relatively cheaply, notes Iman Jalali, director of sales and marketing at Train Signal, vendor of IT training materials. For around $400, Train Signal helps you get up to speed on topics such as Windows Server 2008 or VMware ESX."Some people feel like if they've been in the same business for 25 years, it's a badge of honor," says Jalali. "In IT, that could mean you'll lose your job tomorrow. Everyone needs to stay up to date, or risk being replaced by someone who's up on all the newest technologies."IT survivor tip No. 3: Remember, it's just businessYou know how in Mafia movies the hit man always says, "It's just business," right before he whacks his best friend?Well, it is just business. And you need to know how the business makes money and what projects or systems are essential to that mission -- and get yourself assigned to them."Look at how your company is making its profit," says Finch. "You have to become indispensable to the success of that effort through adding real business value. Demonstrate through your timekeeping and meetings and activities that this is primarily what you are working on. Short-term revenue is more important than long-term in a down economy."Getting the feeling your department needs to reduce head count? Come up with a plan for how to do it while keeping the lights on, and produce metrics to show how much money these cuts will save. If there's a line being drawn, you want to be standing on the same side as the CFO and the CEO, says Dave Taylor, co-founder of Sparxent, an IT management solutions vendor.In other words: You're no longer a techie helping the business; you're a businessperson who uses tech to boost the bottom line."Transition your focus from technology to business value and business needs," advises Shane Aubel, co-founder of IT consulting firm Accent Global System Architects. "The more tangible, quantifiable results you offer, the more indispensable you will be. The business is the customer, and what the customer wants, the customer gets."IT survivor tip No. 4: Work the numbersMetrics are your friend. If you want to prove you're vital to the survival of your company, you better have the digits to back it up."IT people need to become experts at marketing themselves internally," says Sparxent's Taylor. "They need to provide more targeted and more detailed reports on where the IT dollars are spent; they need to put metrics in place to report on whether IT projects have generated ROI or not; and they need to be much more transparent in reporting on whether they've achieved the metrics or not."[ Getting ahead is still possible. Check out "20 ways to get promoted in the tech industry" to find out how. ]In other words, be proactive. Don't wait for the CFO to call you on the carpet to explain where all the money went, says Taylor. Know down to the dollar how much it costs to provision applications or provide level-one support -- and then suggest ways you can reduce it."You need to be able to say, 'We just deployed Office 2007, and it took an average of 43 minutes to install on every users' desktop at a cost of $180 an hour, so it costs more to provision Office than it did to pay for the license,'" Taylor says. "When you have that kind of detail at your fingertips, the CFO realizes you're focused on getting the company what it needs at the lowest possible cost."Tying your projects to company profits is essential, adds Finch. You want to work on the projects that bring in the most revenue or save the most money."Companies always want to cut failing projects and unprofitable customers first," he adds. "If you do have to cut people, you want to be able to do it with a scalpel and not a chainsaw."IT survivor tip No. 5: Be a peacock, not a turtleNow is not the time to crawl under your desk and hide until the scary man with the pink slips goes away."The biggest trap people fall into during a downturn is to try and fly under the radar until it all blows over," says Nina Buik, president of HP's Connect user group. "Now is the time to show how you can make a difference. Be the person in your organization who sends an e-mail to the CIO saying, 'I've got a great idea I need to share.' You'll stand head and shoulders above the rest."If you don't sell yourself, nobody will. But when you blow your own horn, sound less like a marching band and more like Miles Davis.One of the best ways to promote yourself is to get other people to do it for you, says John Baschab, senior vice president at Technisource."People are always looking for anecdotal evidence of your performance," Baschab says. "If you're on the help desk and someone sends you an e-mail thanking you for your help, ask them if they can send a copy to your boss. When you get verbal kudos, get them written down and sent to the right place."The praise of others is always worth more than self-puffery, agrees Buik. "But your boss may not know about all the little things you do. Take a win you've helped generate for the company, find someone else involved in it, and ask them to write it up for you and post it on your LinkedIn profile. Then offer to do the same for them."Reminding your bosses all the wonderful things you've done is a start, but it isn't enough. You need to keep putting your hand up for new projects that keep revenue flowing."What you did last month is a lot less relevant than what you're going to do next month," notes Finch. "It's all about the bottom line. You could be Albert friggin' Einstein and still get fired if they have nothing for you to do for the next three months."IT survivor tip No. 6: Schmooze it -- or lose itEveryone hates a suck-up. And yet the world is full of them, so they must be doing something right. The people who are retained in a downturn aren't always the most competent, notes Lore. They're often the ones who are the best liked and know the right people."You've got to network inside your own company," says Lore. "Make sure the senior people know who you are, the contributions you've made, and that they like you. Create a wider circle, so other people start talking about you. Very often, techs are shy about being forward with senior people in the company. This is not the time to be shy."Although the clich? is that geeks are notoriously bad at social interaction, these are skills that can be easily learned, says Lore. In fact, he adds, they're the same skills found in books that teach nerds how to pick up girls -- mimic your boss's body language, speak in the same tones, talk about the things they're interested in, and so on.Joining user groups and professional associations will expand your network, exposing you to new skills and potential employers, notes Buik. Donating your tech skills to worthy organizations can also raise your profile."IT experts who volunteer their time to upgrade the network for a nonprofit tend to gain positive press and build name recognition in their locality," says Ari Kaplan, author of "The Opportunity Maker," a book on creative networking and business development.Online networks such as LinkedIn can help, too. "Don't just put a little bit of information in there," says Buik. "Sell yourself. Tell everyone within three feet of you what you're trying to do. If you're looking for new opportunities, let everyone know."Just be sure to use social nets wisely. Building up your r?sum? on LinkedIn is a good idea; sending your zombie to attack your boss' zombie on Facebook is probably sending the wrong message about how you spend your time at work.IT survivor tip No. 7: If all else fails, move to AustraliaNow is not a good time to be job shopping. Even if there's a photo of your boss next to the Wikipedia entry for "jerk," it's generally better to grit your teeth and stick it out until the economy recovers. But if the worst happens and you get downsized, you still have options -- like relocating to Australia, for instance.[ To see what IT skills are in demand around the globe, see InfoWorld's guide to outsourcing yourself. ]"A raft of big projects is keeping the local IT market relatively buoyant, and demand for skills remains solid," notes Peter Acheson, COO of Australia's largest IT recruiter, Peoplebank. "There will still be strong demand for IT skills in the market here in 2009 -- in fact, in some sectors it will still be tight."Another option is to join the temp-to-perm workforce, says Tom Hart, executive vice president at staffing firm Veritude. Staff augmentation services offer both businesses and employees more flexibility, he says."There are so many good reasons to be flexible, even if all you've ever done is hold down permanent jobs," Hart says. "It gives you the opportunity to feel good about a potential employer, and for them to feel good about you. And you continue to collect a paycheck as you wait for things to get better."It could even be time to consider going back to school or changing careers, says Lore, especially if technology isn't exactly your life's calling."Many people went into IT because they had strong analytical skills, not because they enjoyed the work," Lore says. "For them, a career change might be the best solution. Just because you have long legs doesn't mean you'll be happy as a Rockette."Contributing editor Dan Tynan has legs and knows how to use them. When not kicking, he tends the Tynan on Tech and Culture Crash blogs.Related articles Special report: 2009 IT career survival guide Slideshow: Where IT jobs are headed IT survivor: 8 signs it's time for new employment Timing is everything when it comes to jumping ship. Here's how to tell if your company's prospects are sinking For a promising IT career, go east, young techie The U.S. and Europe are slowing down, but hot tech jobs beckon in China, India, and Eastern Europe 20 ways to get promoted in the tech industry If you agree that there's no such thing as an IT project, you may already be on your way up the ladder Special report: Tech workers under fire Special report: IT and the financial crisis Hot tech certifications in a cool job market Not all credentials will boost your career, so in tough times you have to choose wisely The 30 skills every IT person should have An IT manager's guide on how to be better at what you do, no matter how experienced you are How to keep your tech career afloat As outsourcing and downsizing continue, find out what skills and certifications will make you an IT survivor Recession-proof IT jobs Believe it or not, some tech jobs are still in demand. Find out which ones employers need to fill
posted on December 01, 2008 06:00:00 am
IT survivor: 8 signs it's time for new employment
If your company is headed for a fall, it's usually better to jump than to be pushed. Don't let yourself be blindsided by quickly dwindling company prospects. These eight signs are surefire indications that it is high time to update your resume and start networking.Sign No. 1: Closed-door meetings If all the conference rooms are booked or doors keep closing, the tide may be shifting toward cuts at your organization."Pay attention to what your gut is telling you," says John Baschab, senior vice president at Technisource. "A lot of the time it knows what's going on, even if your brain doesn't."Sign No. 2: Strange faces If you look around the lunchroom and all you see are strangers, your company may be surreptitiously replacing permanent staff with temps.Sign No. 3: Bad press Forget the clich? about there being no so such thing as bad publicity. Bad press is a harbinger of tough times ahead.Sign No. 4: Back-burner fever If projects previously billed as vital to the future of the company are being scaled down or put on hold, it's a good sign the future isn't as bright as it once was.Sign No. 5: Major decisions are delayed "When decisions that used to take a few days now take one or two weeks, that's a strong sign things are going bad," says Simon Stapleton, a tech careers coach and chief innovation officer at Skandia Investment Solutions.Sign No. 6: Your boss acts like she owes you money She may know the ax is going to fall and can't tell you yet. It's usually better to ask if something is up, openly and calmly, says Nicholas Lore, career coach and founder of Rockport Institute.Sign No. 7: Slashed training budgets If your organization is no longer planning for the future, it may not have one.Sign No. 8: Slimmer sales force If your company is losing big clients or the sales force is being cut, that's a sure clue your employer is taking on water, says Tom Hart, executive vice president at staffing firm Veritude. "You don't want to be the last rat off that ship."Related articles IT survivor: 7 tips for career growth in tight times Recession fears have tech jobs in jeopardy. Here's how to outlast, outrun, and outsmart the competition Special report: 2009 IT career survival guide Slideshow: Where IT jobs are headed For a promising IT career, go east, young techie The U.S. and Europe are slowing down, but hot tech jobs beckon in China, India, and Eastern Europe 20 ways to get promoted in the tech industry If you agree that there's no such thing as an IT project, you may already be on your way up the ladder The 30 skills every IT person should have An IT manager's guide on how to be better at what you do, no matter how experienced you are
posted on December 01, 2008 06:00:00 am
Top 10: Mumbai terrorism, worm warning, holiday woe
A wave of coordinated terrorist attacks across Mumbai late Wednesday dominated the news this week, with bloggers and people using Twitter helping to get information to families and friends of those affected. Multinational technology companies are not expected to change their business strategies as a consequence of the stunning attacks, which targeted westerners.1. Mumbai terrorist attacks don't deter technology companies and In Mumbai, bloggers and Twitter offer help to relatives: Terrorists attacked nine locations across Mumbai late Wednesday, with hostages taken in luxury hotels and at a Jewish center, where five were reported Friday to have been killed. The death toll by week's end was 151, with at least 327 injured in the stunning attacks, which targeted people carrying passports from the United States and the United Kingdom. The attacks were the latest in an ongoing string of terrorist activity in India. Despite the apparent continuing terrorist threat there, analysts and others said that multinational technology companies are not likely to alter their strategies for doing business in India. As the news unfolded this week from Mumbai, bloggers and people using Twitter helped get information to the families and friends of those affected by the attacks.2. Microsoft warns of malware exploiting known vulnerability: Microsoft warned of an increase in exploits taking advantage of a bug in the Windows Server service that could lead to a worm infiltrating networks. The company issued an emergency patch for the exploit last month. Those who haven't applied the patch are being urged to do that as soon as possible.3. Estonian ISP cuts off control servers for Srizbi botnet: An Estonian ISP cut off control servers for the massive Srizbi botnet, which is responsible for much of the spam that clogs inboxes globally. Srizbi was temporarily derailed earlier this month when upstream providers shut off access to McColo, an ISP that was identified as the host for the botnet's command-and-control servers. Spammers being spammers, it didn't take long for them to find a new host, Starline Web Services in Estonia, but that ISP got wise to them, too.4. ComScore forecasts flat holiday online shopping: Online retailers got an ominous sign this month, with online spending dropping in the first three weeks in the run up to the critical holiday shopping season. Hopes for a robust "Black Friday," the day after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday that kicks off the year-end holiday shopping season, were dampened by ComScore's consumer survey. Online shoppers spent 4 percent less in the first three weeks of November than they did last year in the same period. ComScore predicted that spending online will be about the same this year as it was last year.5. Nokia to pull out of Japanese handset market: Nokia, the largest cell phone maker, is bailing out of the Japanese handset market, which is the biggest in the world. The company cited the global economic downturn for its decision, with a spokesman saying that Nokia has failed to hit its "own internal targets for a sustained period of time," although he declined to say what those targets were. Nokia will keep open a research-and-development facility in Japan and continue procurement activities there. The move out of the market also will not affect Nokia's high-end Vertu handsets.6. Cisco shutting down between holidays: Cisco Systems will shut down operations in U.S. and Canada from Dec. 29 to Jan. 2 for the first time in its history to save money. The cost-cutting move exempts business-critical teams such as technical assistance services and channel partner and customer product ordering.7. Bamboo laptop by Asustek to debut Saturday: Asustek will unveil its laptop made of a bamboo casing on Saturday at the IT Month exhibit in Taiwan. The laptop is part of Asus' initiative to make products of renewable materials that are environmentally friendly. Anyone who has ever contended with trying to keep bamboo under control knows that it grows extremely quickly. It's also widely available. And quite tasty to pandas.8. Greenpeace: Tech companies not serious about climate change: Apple, Dell, Motorola, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Samsung are laggards when it comes to getting serious about climate change and the impact their products have on the environment, Greenpeace said. "They haven't demonstrated any real commitment to cutting their own CO2 emissions, or to lobbying politicians to get a good deal post-Kyoto," said Mel Francis, international climate and energy campaigner for the environmental watchdog group as it released its Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics.9. Apple's new VP could cause 'irreparable harm' to IBM, says judge: Mark Papermaster was ordered by a federal judge to stop working for IBM just five days after the former Apple executive started his new job, according to court documents unsealed this week. Papermaster's work at Apple could cause "irreparable harm" to IBM because he knows "highly confidential IBM trade secrets," U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Karas ruled. He granted IBM's request for a preliminary injunction to keep Papermaster from working for Apple, where he got a job heading iPod and iPhone hardware development. IBM contends that Papermaster signed a noncompete agreement in 2006 that bars him from taking a job with a competitor for a year after leaving IBM.10. Vintage geek gift guide: If you know a geek who loves vintage gear, this InfoWorld gift guide is for you (and the vintage geek in your life).[ See also: InfoWorld's 2008 geek gadget gift guide ]
posted on November 28, 2008 12:37:07 pm
You don't know tech: The InfoWorld news quiz
There are plenty of folks who feel a bit more thankful this week, like Connecticut schoolteacher Julie Amero and Facebook fans who hate spam. Somewhat less thankful: nosy ex-Verizon employees, SCO, Chinese censors, and fast-food aficionados who got a little more exposure than they bargained for. Are you stuffed with tech news knowledge? Prove it by carving up this quiz. Give yourself 10 points for each correct answer. And could you please pass the Alka-Seltzer?1. Arkansan Philip Sherman is suing McDonalds to the tune of $3 million. What did the restaurant chain allegedly do to him?a. Put a cockroach in his milkshake b. Failed to adequately supersize him c. Posted nude pix of his wife on the Web d. Spilled boiling hot coffee on his lap, scalding his McNuggetsTake the InfoWorld news quiz
posted on November 28, 2008 06:00:00 am
Europe to cap prices for roaming text messages and data
European telecommunications ministers gave their backing on Thursday to a plan to cap retail prices for sending SMS (Short Message Service) text messages and browsing the Internet using mobile phones while abroad. In September the European Union's executive body, the European Commission, proposed slashing both the retail and wholesale prices for text messaging by introducing caps of €0.11 and €0.04 respectively. Average retail prices are currently estimated at around 0.29 euros, the Commission said.[ Get the latest on mobile developments with InfoWorld's Mobile Report newsletter. ] It also proposed a cap on the wholesale price for downloading data of €1 per megabyte, and called for further reductions in the cost of voice calls when roaming. "Ministers have answered the Commission's call for a speedy response to the SMS and data roaming rip-off very positively," said Viviane Reding, the telecommunications commissioner. E.U. citizens sent 2.5 billion SMS messages, generating €800 million for their mobile phone operators last year, the Commission said. The cost of sending messages while roaming can be ten times more than sending a message from within the home country. Slashing this price is seen as an essential part of creating one single European telecoms market, and an excellent way of illustrating the merits of the single European market to consumers. "I am confident that with Parliament we will ensure that consumers travelling in the E.U. will save money when sending texts and surfing the Web with a mobile phone as of 1 July 2009. This would send a clear message of consensus that the E.U.'s single market is there to serve European citizens as well as businesses," Reding said. Under the proposed re-drafting of the 2007 roaming regulation, roaming customers should also receive an automatic message with data roaming charges for the country they have entered. From summer 2010, consumers should be able to specify in advance how high their data roaming bill can go before the service is cut off -- a measure designed to put an end to what the Commission calls "bill shocks". The cap of €1 per megabyte for wholesale fees should create a level playing field and stimulate competition, the Commission said. Finally, the Commission, now with the support of the 27 member state governments of the E.U., wants to further reduce the caps on making and receiving phone calls while abroad. In 2007 they were capped at €0.46 per minute for calls made abroad and €0.22 for calls received abroad. The plan now is to reduce these caps to €0.34 and €0.10 respectively, excluding value-added tax (VAT), by 1 July 2012. Assuming the European Parliament supports the new roaming regulation, European consumers would also benefit from per-second billing after 30 seconds for roaming calls made and per-second billing throughout calls received. Today, mobile phone subscribers pay for 24 percent more than the minutes they actually use when making calls, and 19 percent more for received calls.
posted on November 27, 2008 12:11:30 pm
The 2008 geek gadget gift guide
Whether waiting for the Thanksgiving meal or basking in its tryptophan-induced afterglow, the thoughts of your favorite geek (who could be you!) inevitably turn to gadgets, dancing like sugar plums in his or her thoughts. A real geek already has the obvious toys, such as Absolutely Mad: 50 Years of Mad Magazine on DVD, a Microsoft Xbox 360, an Apple MacBook Pro 2008 edition, a Garmin Nuvi 880, and one or more of the hot smartphones: the Apple iPhone 3G, Palm Treo Pro, RIM BlackBerry Storm, or T-Mobile G1.What's really special this year for the techie in your life? InfoWorld's band of mad scientists -- a motley crew of software, networking, datacenter, and hardware experts that habituates the InfoWorld Test Center -- offers recommendations of what they lust after ? and know other true geeks do, too.[ Watch our geek gift guide slideshow and see our picks. | Looking for a high-tech collectible? Peruse David Margulius' collectible tech gift guide. | Curious about last year's geek gift guide recommendations? Check them out! ]In alphabetical order, here are our 10 top picks: * Apple Time Capsule * Botanicalls DIY Plant Twitter Kit * Cathode Corner Nixie Watch * EVGA GTX 200 Waterblock * Eye-Fi Explore * 4th Motion Gyroxus Full-Motion Game Chair * MvixUSA MvixBox * Sky Factory SkyV * SRS Labs iWow for iPod Adapter * Yoggie Gatekeeper PicoAnd delve into our guide to collectible tech.Okay, we know you really want a new mobile, too. Get the scoop on the InfoWorld Test Center's top mobile picks.
posted on November 27, 2008 09:00:55 am
The 2008 geek gadget gift guide: Time Capsule
Why you must have it: With all the computing devices we have on hand, managing backups and communications among them is increasingly difficult. InfoWorld Test Center contributing editor Stephen Hultquist recommends Apple's Time Capsule as the central place to handle many of these needs: As a 500GB or 1TB wireless hard drive (using 7,200-rpm SATA drives), it provides central storage as a network drive, plus backup capability, for both Macs and PCs. When used with Mac OS X Leopard's bundled Time Machine software, it's simply amazingly easy to back up and restore data -- too bad there's nothing as good for Windows. As an 802.11n Draft 2.0 wireless router, it can serve as your central connection hub for computers, iPods, wireless printers, and other wireless devices. There are also three Gigabit Ethernet jacks for wired devices. With its USB jack, you can connect a USB printer for sharing across Macs and PCs. Or you can connect a USB hub to share multiple printers and add storage.Your chances of having the first one on the block: Moderate, as the Time Capsule has been around for some time, though it doesn't seem to have received the same attention as the iPhone 3G or MacBook Pro.What you must know: The Time Capsule must be your base router if you use additional wireless routers as access points -- unless you have an Apple Airport Extreme Base Station, in which case the Time Capsule can function as an access point. Windows systems need to install the included Bonjour networking software.What you need: 802.11a/b/g/n-capable devices to connect wirelessly. The 500GB version costs $299, while the 1TB version costs $499.[ Next: DIY Plant Twitter Kit | Previous: Gatekeeper Pico | Gift guide index | Gift guide slideshow | Check out our guide to collectible tech ]
posted on November 27, 2008 09:00:50 am
The 2008 geek gadget gift guide: DIY Plant Twitter Kit
Why you must have it: You're busy, and your plants are getting thirstier and thirstier as you neglect them. What if they could let you know they need water? With Botanicalls' DIY Plant Twitter Kit, they can. When InfoWorld Test Center contributing editor Peter Wayner saw these at the ThinkGeek.com site, he immediately knew they belonged in the InfoWorld geek gadget gift guide. These kits let you assemble sensors that send out messages over an Ethernet connection to you via the Twitter service when they need or have gotten too much water.Your chances of having the first one on the block: High, given the level of effort they take to put together and the fact that the Twitter version has been available for just a few months.What you must know: These kits really do require assembly, down to the level of soldering on the components and tweaking the software code that determines how much water your plant needs, so you have to be an electronics geek to get them to work. The Botanicalls Web site has the complete instructions, complete with photos. If you're particularly savvy, you'll figure out how to establish a wireless connection so that you don't need to run cables to all your plants.What you need: You'll need basic tools such as screwdrivers and pliers, as well as a soldering iron and solder. A kit costs $100.[ Next: Nixie Watch | Previous: Time Capsule | Gift guide index | Gift guide slideshow | Check out our guide to collectible tech ]
posted on November 27, 2008 09:00:45 am

SOUNDS	MOVIES	GAMES
www.sharedlinktraffic.com/sound.html www.rankenhancer.com/sound.html www.mbblaster.com/sound.html www.powerwebtools.biz/sound.html www.noretailhere.com/sound.html www.powerlinetours.com/sound.html www.cooptraffic.com/sound.html www.jctwebhosting.com/sound.html www.magicharvest.com/sound.html www.checkiswaiting.com/sound.html www.vionline.com/sound.html www.cooprotator.com/sound.html www.alotmoretraffic.com/sound.html www.gettrafficforless.com/sound.html www.joinourclubtoday.com/sound.html www.sendmemoretraffic.com/sound.html www.takeatourforfree.com/sound.html www.sltmember.com/sound.html	www.sharedlinktraffic.com/movies.php www.rankenhancer.com/movies.php www.mbblaster.com/movies.php www.powerwebtools.biz/movies.php www.noretailhere.com/movies.php www.powerlinetours.com/movies.php www.cooptraffic.com/movies.php www.jctwebhosting.com/movies.php www.magicharvest.com/movies.php www.checkiswaiting.com/movies.php www.vionline.com/movies.php www.cooprotator.com/movies.php www.alotmoretraffic.com/movies.php www.gettrafficforless.com/movies.php www.joinourclubtoday.com/movies.php www.sendmemoretraffic.com/movies.php www.takeatourforfree.com/movies.php www.sltmember.com/movies.php	www.sharedlinktraffic.com/games.php www.rankenhancer.com/games.php www.mbblaster.com/games.php www.powerwebtools.biz/games.php www.noretailhere.com/games.php www.powerlinetours.com/games.php www.cooptraffic.com/games.php www.jctwebhosting.com/games.php www.magicharvest.com/games.php www.checkiswaiting.com/games.php www.vionline.com/games.php www.cooprotator.com/games.php www.alotmoretraffic.com/games.php www.gettrafficforless.com/games.php www.joinourclubtoday.com/games.php www.sendmemoretraffic.com/games.php www.takeatourforfree.com/games.php www.sltmember.com/games.php

DATING	MAPS	MUSIC
www.sharedlinktraffic.com/dating.php www.rankenhancer.com/dating.php www.mbblaster.com/dating.php www.powerwebtools.biz/dating.php www.noretailhere.com/dating.php www.powerlinetours.com/dating.php www.cooptraffic.com/dating.php www.jctwebhosting.com/dating.php www.magicharvest.com/dating.php www.checkiswaiting.com/dating.php www.vionline.com/dating.php www.cooprotator.com/dating.php www.alotmoretraffic.com/dating.php www.gettrafficforless.com/dating.php www.joinourclubtoday.com/dating.php www.sendmemoretraffic.com/dating.php www.takeatourforfree.com/dating.php www.sltmember.com/dating.php	www.sharedlinktraffic.com/maps.php www.rankenhancer.com/maps.php www.mbblaster.com/maps.php www.powerwebtools.biz/maps.php www.noretailhere.com/maps.php www.powerlinetours.com/maps.php www.cooptraffic.com/maps.php www.jctwebhosting.com/maps.php www.magicharvest.com/maps.php www.checkiswaiting.com/maps.php www.vionline.com/maps.php www.cooprotator.com/maps.php www.alotmoretraffic.com/maps.php www.gettrafficforless.com/maps.php www.joinourclubtoday.com/maps.php www.sendmemoretraffic.com/maps.php www.takeatourforfree.com/maps.php www.sltmember.com/maps.php	www.sharedlinktraffic.com/music.php www.rankenhancer.com/music.php www.mbblaster.com/music.php www.powerwebtools.biz/music.php www.noretailhere.com/music.php www.powerlinetours.com/music.php www.cooptraffic.com/music.php www.jctwebhosting.com/music.php www.magicharvest.com/music.php www.checkiswaiting.com/music.php www.vionline.com/music.php www.cooprotator.com/music.php www.alotmoretraffic.com/music.php www.gettrafficforless.com/music.php www.joinourclubtoday.com/music.php www.sendmemoretraffic.com/music.php www.takeatourforfree.com/music.php www.sltmember.com/music.php

RECIPES	NEWS	TRAVEL
www.sharedlinktraffic.com/recipes.php www.rankenhancer.com/recipes.php www.mbblaster.com/recipes.php www.powerwebtools.biz/recipes.php www.noretailhere.com/recipes.php www.powerlinetours.com/recipes.php www.cooptraffic.com/recipes.php www.jctwebhosting.com/recipes.php www.magicharvest.com/recipes.php www.checkiswaiting.com/recipes.php www.vionline.com/recipes.php www.cooprotator.com/recipes.php www.alotmoretraffic.com/recipes.php www.gettrafficforless.com/recipes.php www.joinourclubtoday.com/recipes.php www.sendmemoretraffic.com/recipes.php www.takeatourforfree.com/recipes.php www.sltmember.com/recipes.php	www.sharedlinktraffic.com/news.php www.rankenhancer.com/news.php www.mbblaster.com/news.php www.powerwebtools.biz/news.php www.noretailhere.com/news.php www.powerlinetours.com/news.php www.cooptraffic.com/news.php www.jctwebhosting.com/news.php www.magicharvest.com/news.php www.checkiswaiting.com/news.php www.vionline.com/news.php www.cooprotator.com/news.php www.alotmoretraffic.com/news.php www.gettrafficforless.com/news.php www.joinourclubtoday.com/news.php www.sendmemoretraffic.com/news.php www.takeatourforfree.com/news.php www.sltmember.com/news.php	www.sharedlinktraffic.com/travel.php www.rankenhancer.com/travel.php www.mbblaster.com/travel.php www.powerwebtools.biz/travel.php www.noretailhere.com/travel.php www.powerlinetours.com/travel.php www.cooptraffic.com/travel.php www.jctwebhosting.com/travel.php www.magicharvest.com/travel.php www.checkiswaiting.com/travel.php www.vionline.com/travel.php www.cooprotator.com/travel.php www.alotmoretraffic.com/travel.php www.gettrafficforless.com/travel.php www.joinourclubtoday.com/travel.php www.sendmemoretraffic.com/travel.php www.takeatourforfree.com/travel.php www.sltmember.com/travel.php

KEYWORDS	BLOG NEWS	REAL ESTATE
www.sharedlinktraffic.com/keywords.php www.rankenhancer.com/keywords.php www.mbblaster.com/keywords.php www.powerwebtools.biz/keywords.php www.noretailhere.com/keywords.php www.powerlinetours.com/keywords.php www.cooptraffic.com/keywords.php www.jctwebhosting.com/keywords.php www.magicharvest.com/keywords.php www.checkiswaiting.com/keywords.php www.vionline.com/keywords.php www.cooprotator.com/keywords.php www.alotmoretraffic.com/keywords.php www.gettrafficforless.com/keywords.php www.joinourclubtoday.com/keywords.php www.sendmemoretraffic.com/keywords.php www.takeatourforfree.com/keywords.php www.sltmember.com/keywords.php	www.sharedlinktraffic.com/blognews.php www.rankenhancer.com/blognews.php www.mbblaster.com/blognews.php www.powerwebtools.biz/blognews.php www.noretailhere.com/blognews.php www.powerlinetours.com/blognews.php www.cooptraffic.com/blognews.php www.jctwebhosting.com/blognews.php www.magicharvest.com/blognews.php www.checkiswaiting.com/blognews.php www.vionline.com/blognews.php www.cooprotator.com/blognews.php www.alotmoretraffic.com/blognews.php www.gettrafficforless.com/blognews.php www.joinourclubtoday.com/blognews.php www.sendmemoretraffic.com/blognews.php www.takeatourforfree.com/blognews.php www.sltmember.com/blognews.php	www.sharedlinktraffic.com/realestate.php www.rankenhancer.com/realestate.php www.mbblaster.com/realestate.php www.powerwebtools.biz/realestate.php www.noretailhere.com/realestate.php www.powerlinetours.com/realestate.php www.cooptraffic.com/realestate.php www.jctwebhosting.com/realestate.php www.magicharvest.com/realestate.php www.checkiswaiting.com/realestate.php www.vionline.com/realestate.php www.cooprotator.com/realestate.php

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

InfoWorld RSS Feed

CNET News.com

BBC News | News Front Page | UK Edition