NewsStream Pick of the litter from my aggregated feeds -- Summarized
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Companies Gain by Swapping Software [Baseline 4/6/2005] Whatever you call it — community source software, shared source software or a gated software community — companies are betting that the future of "open" source code for the enterprise will consist of like-minded companies forming, ironically, closed communities. By sharing code only with partners, they hope to avoid the lack of control and tedious review processes of truly open source code, where any programmer can tweak code. Private collaborating is not new - businesses within industries have done it for years. What's new is the mix of companies, industries and vendors collaborating on software. Co-opting existing software allows companies to take the chassis of existing systems and build applications on top of them. The downside? Software and development tools borrowed from another company may be too customized.
4/23/2005 10:09:18 PM 
Outsource to Free Up Staff, Not Cut It: [Baseline 4/6/2005] More than 75 percent of the average IT budget is devoted to just keeping the lights on. Think what you could accomplish by outsourcing maintenance and focusing on projects that really matter. Ameritrade is among the new breed of company that sees outsourcing as a way to free up existing staff to focus on developing and delivering services that create a competitive advantage. Jerry Bartlett, Ameritrade's vice president of application development says the online broker has asked outsiders to do software maintenance and non-core development. "What we don't outsource," Bartlett says, "are the aspects we view as our core competencies in delivering the best possible experience to our clients." 4/23/2005 9:46:29 PM
Peeling Away the FUD Wrapping on Linux/Windows "Studies" [Groklaw 4/23/2005 12:17 PM EDT] You just have to read this: The Truth About Linux and Windows. Business Week's Steve Hamm looks more carefully than most at Laura DiDio's latest piece of work and finds it wanting: "I've got a bone to pick with the never-ending stream of studies by tech research outfits comparing Linux to Windows. For starters, it seems like about half of them are paid for by one camp or another. Even when analysts aren't on the payroll, this is really complex stuff—and useful facts are hard come by. And, beyond complexity, some studies just make me scratch my head. For example: a recent one put out by the Yankee Group. I just don’t trust its conclusions." So, finally, the mainstream press is noticing that something is wrong with the methodology of some of these studies, and Hamm carefully documents exactly why he questions the results. He is not a Linux "extremist". Lots more ... 4/23/2005 7:56:32 PM
Can IT be delivered with a monthly utility bill? [Globe and Mail 4/21/2005] Two years ago, Nicholas Carr asserted that information technology doesn't matter. Now he contends that business is at a stage where technology as a corporate function will move to a service delivered by a utility provider. IT outsourcing, one of the industry's hottest trends, has grown from the very idea that IT service providers can achieve an economy of scale through the efficient delivery of ubiquitous computing and IT-enabled process functions, which reduces the cost to customers. Carr says, "When overcapacity is combined with redundant functionality, the conditions are ripe for a shift to centralized supply." ... To his credit, Mr. Carr challenges computing convention, even if the reality of what he believes is a lot more complicated than he's making it sound. 4/23/2005 3:25:12 PM
Could you start a fire with a Coke can and a chocolate bar? [via Boing Boing 4/23/2005via Make Blog 4/23/2005]
Try to figure this one out for yourself before you peek at a solution worthy of MacGuiver. 4/23/2005 2:46:01 PM
McMakeover on fast-food strip [Globe and Mail 4/23/2005; 3:53:59 AM] In 2002, burger giant McDonald's realized its once-loyal consumers were eating elsewhere, gravitating toward healthier offerings from rivals such as Subway. The company had to improve its food and service, and they had to make sure the public knew they had changed. It was an operational as much as a marketing challenge. And it has worked - on both fronts. This week, McDonald's first-quarter profit blew away analysts' estimates.
Computers in Space Examined [via Slashdot:Science 4/22/2005] Why are we still launching spacecraft with State Of The Ark computers? Three words: need, power, and radiation. Radiation is a big headache for spacecraft system designers. While core is a good solution for memory, ‘hardening’ CPUs means keeping them simple. The lower the component count on a chip (hence the dumber it is), the less susceptible it is to radiation. The Space Shuttle has state of the art computing technology - for the late 70’s. They’re sturdy beasts of silicon burden, not exotic thoroughbreds. Even the International Space Station has less brains than you would think. It stays up there thanks to the phenomenal computing power of - wait for it - an 80-386SX CPU! Can you feel the speed?
4/23/2005 8:39:57 AM
Outsource to Free Up Staff, Not Cut It: [Baseline 4/6/2005] More than 75 percent of the average IT budget is devoted to just keeping the lights on. Think what you could accomplish by outsourcing maintenance and focusing on projects that really matter. Ameritrade is among the new breed of company that sees outsourcing as a way to free up existing staff to focus on developing and delivering services that create a competitive advantage. Jerry Bartlett, Ameritrade's vice president of application development says the online broker has asked outsiders to do software maintenance and non-core development. "What we don't outsource," Bartlett says, "are the aspects we view as our core competencies in delivering the best possible experience to our clients." 4/23/2005 9:46:29 PM
Peeling Away the FUD Wrapping on Linux/Windows "Studies" [Groklaw 4/23/2005 12:17 PM EDT] You just have to read this: The Truth About Linux and Windows. Business Week's Steve Hamm looks more carefully than most at Laura DiDio's latest piece of work and finds it wanting: "I've got a bone to pick with the never-ending stream of studies by tech research outfits comparing Linux to Windows. For starters, it seems like about half of them are paid for by one camp or another. Even when analysts aren't on the payroll, this is really complex stuff—and useful facts are hard come by. And, beyond complexity, some studies just make me scratch my head. For example: a recent one put out by the Yankee Group. I just don’t trust its conclusions." So, finally, the mainstream press is noticing that something is wrong with the methodology of some of these studies, and Hamm carefully documents exactly why he questions the results. He is not a Linux "extremist". Lots more ... 4/23/2005 7:56:32 PM
Can IT be delivered with a monthly utility bill? [Globe and Mail 4/21/2005] Two years ago, Nicholas Carr asserted that information technology doesn't matter. Now he contends that business is at a stage where technology as a corporate function will move to a service delivered by a utility provider. IT outsourcing, one of the industry's hottest trends, has grown from the very idea that IT service providers can achieve an economy of scale through the efficient delivery of ubiquitous computing and IT-enabled process functions, which reduces the cost to customers. Carr says, "When overcapacity is combined with redundant functionality, the conditions are ripe for a shift to centralized supply." ... To his credit, Mr. Carr challenges computing convention, even if the reality of what he believes is a lot more complicated than he's making it sound. 4/23/2005 3:25:12 PM
Could you start a fire with a Coke can and a chocolate bar? [via Boing Boing 4/23/2005via Make Blog 4/23/2005] Try to figure this one out for yourself before you peek at a solution worthy of MacGuiver. 4/23/2005 2:46:01 PM
McMakeover on fast-food strip [Globe and Mail 4/23/2005; 3:53:59 AM] In 2002, burger giant McDonald's realized its once-loyal consumers were eating elsewhere, gravitating toward healthier offerings from rivals such as Subway. The company had to improve its food and service, and they had to make sure the public knew they had changed. It was an operational as much as a marketing challenge. And it has worked - on both fronts. This week, McDonald's first-quarter profit blew away analysts' estimates.
In Canada, the SaladsPlus menu, which includes salads, yogurt and other "healthier" items, now makes up about 6 per cent of total sales. The company rolled out toasted deli sandwiches this year to huge success and they're expected to hit most U.S. locations in the near future. The new menu items give parents something to eat while they feed their kids McNuggets. Furthermore, the healthier foods are priced higher than traditional fare, with higher margins.
Many restaurants are now being outfitted with wireless Internet equipment and video game systems. The McCafe store-within-a-store concept is also being rolled out across North America, letting customers sit on comfy leather McChairs while sipping McCappuccino or biting into a square of McBaklava.
Like flipping a light switch, McDonald's marketers changed the company's mantra. Gone was the focus solely on kids and families - now the chain would also target young adults and their pockets full of disposable income. Its marketing featured teens skateboarding, offered free music downloads, and began paying rap artists to embed references to the golden arches into their gold records.
Even Ronald McDonald will develop a new attitude and edgy sense of humour as the company tries to make him more "relevant" to young adults and kids. Ronald will change out of his clown suit and into seven different costumes, including an athletic suit and beachwear. Look for him at skateboard parks, hockey rinks, snowboard trails and walking down red carpets at Hollywood events.4/23/2005 9:03:36 AM
Computers in Space Examined [via Slashdot:Science 4/22/2005] Why are we still launching spacecraft with State Of The Ark computers? Three words: need, power, and radiation. Radiation is a big headache for spacecraft system designers. While core is a good solution for memory, ‘hardening’ CPUs means keeping them simple. The lower the component count on a chip (hence the dumber it is), the less susceptible it is to radiation. The Space Shuttle has state of the art computing technology - for the late 70’s. They’re sturdy beasts of silicon burden, not exotic thoroughbreds. Even the International Space Station has less brains than you would think. It stays up there thanks to the phenomenal computing power of - wait for it - an 80-386SX CPU! Can you feel the speed?
4/23/2005 8:39:57 AM
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