Frankly Speaking: 12 tools I want

Here's what we know: Consumer-level gadgets and add-ons will continue to play an ever bigger role in how our users do their jobs. We know this, too: With only a few exceptions, gadget makers couldn't innovate to save their skins. They happily clone whatever happens to be selling at the moment. So if we want those gizmos to meet real needs for either IT or our users, we'll have to start coming up with ideas ourselves. That's not as easy as it sounds. We're in the same kind of rut as those copycat gadget makers. Our mind-set is formed by decades of IT experience. We know what we've always done, and we figure the future will look a lot like the past - just smaller, faster and shinier.

Frankly Speaking: 12 tools I want

Here's what we know: Consumer-level gadgets and add-ons will continue to play an ever bigger role in how our users do their jobs. We know this, too: With only a few exceptions, gadget makers couldn't innovate to save their skins. They happily clone whatever happens to be selling at the moment. So if we want those gizmos to meet real needs for either IT or our users, we'll have to start coming up with ideas ourselves. That's not as easy as it sounds. We're in the same kind of rut as those copycat gadget makers. Our mind-set is formed by decades of IT experience. We know what we've always done, and we figure the future will look a lot like the past - just smaller, faster and shinier.

Frankly Speaking: 12 tools I want

Here's what we know: Consumer-level gadgets and add-ons will continue to play an ever bigger role in how our users do their jobs. We know this, too: With only a few exceptions, gadget makers couldn't innovate to save their skins. They happily clone whatever happens to be selling at the moment. So if we want those gizmos to meet real needs for either IT or our users, we'll have to start coming up with ideas ourselves. That's not as easy as it sounds. We're in the same kind of rut as those copycat gadget makers. Our mind-set is formed by decades of IT experience. We know what we've always done, and we figure the future will look a lot like the past - just smaller, faster and shinier.

12 Tools I Want

Frank Hayes wants 12 as-yet-unavailable IT tools so he can work better. Where are they?

De-duplication Helps IT Manage Data Growth

Some attendees at the Storage Networking World conference say they're combining backup software and de-duplication technology with virtual systems in an effort to manage ever increasing data stores.

Open-Source Group OKs Two Microsoft Licenses

The Open Source Initiative's board has accepted two of Microsoft's so-called shared-source software licenses as valid mechanisms for distributing open-source technologies.

Some Schools Turn to Hosted Storage

Some schools are turning to hosted storage services to quickly respond to rapidly growing storage demands of faculty, staff and students.

Microsoft Makes Unified Communications Call

Microsoft loudly launched a set of unified communications software built around its Office Communications Server 2007 technology. But doubts remain about the software vendor's attempt to become a major player in telecommunications.

SaaS Fills Its Holes

The last barrier to adopting software as a service may have just come down, observes Mark Hall.

12 Tools I Want

Frank Hayes wants 12 as-yet-unavailable IT tools so he can work better. Where are they?

De-duplication Helps IT Manage Data Growth

Some attendees at the Storage Networking World conference say they're combining backup software and de-duplication technology with virtual systems in an effort to manage ever increasing data stores.

Open-Source Group OKs Two Microsoft Licenses

The Open Source Initiative's board has accepted two of Microsoft's so-called shared-source software licenses as valid mechanisms for distributing open-source technologies.

Some Schools Turn to Hosted Storage

Some schools are turning to hosted storage services to quickly respond to rapidly growing storage demands of faculty, staff and students.

Microsoft Makes Unified Communications Call

Microsoft loudly launched a set of unified communications software built around its Office Communications Server 2007 technology. But doubts remain about the software vendor's attempt to become a major player in telecommunications.

SaaS Fills Its Holes

The last barrier to adopting software as a service may have just come down, observes Mark Hall.