Opinion

CRM Records: Now Who’s the Dummy?

In most enterprise software, dummy records are a sign of data problems or sloppy thinking. Not so in CRM: dummy records can actually make the system smarter. Here’s how to use them.

Four Best Practices To Get Your EA Program On Track

It’s all too common to see enterprise architecture programs crash and burn because architects fail to convince key stakeholders of their value. Forrester shares four best practices to save your EA program from that fate.

Brazil: An IT Outsourcing Alternative to India

Brazilian provider Stefanini is focused on North American market with IT outsourcing, consulting and systems integration.

Microsoft’s Cloud App Outages: Was Mea Culpa Enough?

Microsoft apologized for outages, but users may not tolerate them, especially as MS touts its enterprise muscle over Google’s.

Carpe Diem SAP: Hit Oracle While It’s Dazed and Confused

The Hurd hiring tempest is only the latest in a string of reasons why SAP should attack Oracle now, while the getting is good.

Data Compliance and Cloud Computing Collide: Key Questions

On the crucial issue of data compliance, do you understand what you are responsible for versus your cloud service provider? One thing you don’t want is a costly and labor-intensive manual audit mechanism, says CIO.com’s Bernard Golden.

Apple Relaxes App Store Rules: Going Soft or Playing Safe?

Why did secrecy-loving Apple release App Store approval guidelines for developers? Fear of government oversight may be one reas

Google Instant Aims to Save Time, Distracts Instead

Wasting time with Google’s new search, ironically, is easier than you’d think.

10 Ways To Know You’re in the Twitter Twilight Zone

Too many tweeple go to some bizarre dimension when using Twitter. Here are my favorite examples of Twitter behavior gone wrong.

Salesforce.com “Chatter” Mobile Collaboration Apps Coming Soon to BlackBerry, iOS, Android

Enterprise BlackBerry, iPhone, iPad and Android smartphone users will soon get new apps for use with Salesforce.com’s “Chatter.”

Dealing with Online Harassment

Is CIO hiring picking up in September?

Is CIO hiring picking up in September?

IT Outsourcing To Make Gains in Europe

A new survey finds more than half of European organizations will outsource more this year.

Apple vs. Google: Shootout on the Small Screen

Apple TV should find some success, while Google TV has overreached.

Cloudsourcing

In the future the combination of Cloud Computing and Outsourcing will have a profound effect on EA.

First Windows Phone 7 Ad: A Revolution in the Desert?

Microsoft unveiled Windows Phone 7 in a surprise trailer before a secret showing of “Lawrence of Arabia.” Did they come up dry?

“Do Not Track” List Pushed by Privacy Watchdog Group

A watchdog group got Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s attention when it ran an animated clip of him as a creepy ice cream man.

Epiphany Half Life

Inspiration is fragile. Nurture it or it will go away as if it had never been.

RIM Scoops Up Mobile-Office-Software Maker DataViz; ‘Premium’ Docs to Go to Ship With Future BlackBerrys?

RIM has reportedly purchased DataViz, maker of the popular Documents to Go mobile office software suite for a cool $50 million.

Oracle’s New Co-President: The Hire Hurd ‘Round the World

Apparently one high-tech vendor’s junk is another vendor’s treasure, as ex-HP leader Mark Hurd is scooped up by Oracle.

Organized Web Mobsters Getting Jobs Inside Corps

Poor Money Mule Not So Poor

Does This Sybase Study Matter?

New Sybase-sponsored research linked to Nicholas Carr’s “Does IT Matter?” crusade obfuscates the study’s impact.

Cloud Computing: VMworld Report

CIO.com’s Bernard Golden wraps up the key cloud computing developments from the VMworld show this week.

Five Worst Tech Product Names of the Moment

Here’s a roundup of recent tech product names that should never have made it out the door.

Enterprise Social Software: Look Before You Leap

Just because everyone’s “going social” doesn’t mean you and your business have to blindly follow the masses.

Apple’s Music Social Network: Is “Ping” a Productivity Killer?

Ping can be accessed over iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches that go largely unmonitored by enterprise IT.

BlackBerry 9670 Clamshell to Be Called BlackBerry “Style,” Sport Two Keypad Flavors?

Reports suggest the awkward, yet anticipated BlackBerry 9670 clamshell will be branded the BlackBerry “Style.”

Windows Phone 7: Enterprise Adoption Not a Sure Thing

IT departments are more willing to keep iPhone and Android-using employees happy — bad news for Windows Phone 7.

ERP Software Maintenance: An Offer You Can’t Refuse?

Turn your back on “the family” (a.k.a. your ERP vendor) when it comes to support contracts, and you’re on your own.