I’m now doing a column for the Fobes.com Business Intelligence channel on information technology issues for small to midsize businesses.
First column: Don’t Lose That Web Site on domain ownership problems that plague a lot of small organizations (and some that ought to know better). I’d still like to do an expanded version of this story for another publication, as there were a lot of details I had to leave out. (I also blogged about the topic here: The Danger of Losing Control of Your Internet Domain)
Second column will be for all the QuickBooks users: as your business grows, how do you know when it’s time to graduate to something more sophisticated (and typically more expensive). This will be a twice weekly feature, so I welcome suggestions on story ideas.
Cloud computing is one of the hottest buzzwords in information technology today, but panelists at a Friday’s Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce event on the topic had to spend considerable time trying to define it before they could say anything more about it.
One reason for the confusion is that it refers to several overlapping concepts. Christopher Drumgoole, senior vice president of engineering and product development at Terremark Worldwide Inc., said the shortest explanation is, “it’s I.T. provided as a service.” Terremark hosted the chamber event at its Miami data center.
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My latest for CIO Magazine: 5 Things You Need to Know About Platform as a Service
Analysis of web-based services that provide a platform for building applications. This is the middle ground between packaged web based applications, such as those from Salesforce.com, and lower-level infrastructure services like web-based data storage services. Platform as a service is more like a bundle of operating system and app development services that lives in the network “cloud.”
A couple of stories I wrote about this week’s Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference in Orlando are just out on the Government Computer News website.
Virtual world technologies aid real world problems
Agencies show growing interest in Second Life and other 3-D environments
Having done a Baseline cover story on “Is Business Ready for Second Life,” I was interested to see how more serious applications of that environment are starting to emerge. But the more important trend was clearly the military’s focus on using simulation as a training tool for ground forces, where in past years simulators were primarily for pilots and tank operators. Also, the interest in more realistically depicting the situation on the ground, whether with more realistic blood and gore in battle scenarios or more complex language and cultural interaction for simulated negotiations with the locals.
Due for an energy makeover
IT offers network, security, and process skills to buildings management. But IT involvement’s the exception, not the rule.
By David F. Carr
InformationWeek
November 13, 2009 03:00 PM (From the November 9, 2009 issue)
People get drawn into information technology work for a lot of reasons, but seldom because they have a passion for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. However, the extreme power and cooling demands of modern data centers have forced IT pros to build expertise in facilities management, and in some cases that’s helping them move their companies toward greener, smarter buildings.
My latest Feature for CIO Magazine:
5 Things You Need to Know about Software-as-a-Service Contracts
How CIOs can guarantee secure SaaS contracts.
Read it on CIO.com
My latest piece for Baseline Magazine
Smarter Search for South Park
By David F. Carr
2009-09-17
MTV Networks moves to Solr-powered search technology for the websites behind many of its popular shows.
The open source Solr search engine is emerging as the standard for new and revamped websites launched by MTV Networks and is already powering the search on key properties such as TheDailyShow.com, ColbertNation.com, and SouthParkStudios.com.
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This is the latest installment in my “5 Things You Need to Know” series for CIO Magazine. For 5 Things You Need to Know About Smartphone Security, I talked with experts about the ways these devices are becoming as powerful as the laptop computers of a few years ago, with the same or worse risks for loss of these devices and the corporate data they now often store.
New on the CIO Insight website:
Southwest Upgrades Customer Service
Story about how Southwest Airlines is using automated phone calls to alert travelers to flight cancellations and other disruptions. Funny, I hate marketing and political robo-calls, but I think I’d be pretty happy it they used the technology to let me know about a problem before I got to the airport, told me my options, and let me connect with a customer service rep to rebook, if necessary.
So it’s all about context and courtesy.
The vendor involved, Varolii, has a bunch of airline clients. Another rich vein for them has been doing collection calls, particularly for banks, which some of the banks say is actually more comfortable for some customers who get embarrassed talking with a human agent and may respond better to an automated prompt to make that mortgage payment, or partial payment.
Varolii supports a number of other interaction modes, such as email and (through a partner) bulk email, with the idea that they can reach you one way if not another.So far, Southwest is just doing voice calls, partly because they need to rework their customer database to do a better job of distinguishing between cell phones and landlines before they can do mobile phone messaging effectively.
