Superguide: Green IT: Show me the money

Green your datacentre or it may go dark

Being green, in terms of IT and datacentres, only very superficially has anything to do with saving the environment. In reality it is about cold, hard cash — and how to spend less of it.

Going green for IT

According to research firm Gartner, by 2010 75 percent of organisations will use "full life cycle energy" and CO2 footprint as mandatory PC hardware buying criteria.

Photos: Datacentre heat, Google's secret solution

When supercomputers get together, things get hot fast. Our photo gallery reveals how modern datacentres are cooled, and gives an insight into Google's secret solution to the problem.

Linus Torvalds at Linux.conf.au 2008

Linus Torvalds is the star guest at Australia's annual Linux conference. ZDNet.com.au once again took a video crew to Melbourne in January and caught up with the man behind Linux.

Sun rises on xVM stategy

Sun Microsystems' xVM virtualisation efforts are getting louder and louder.

Examining Second Life myths for business

Can virtual worlds make a meaningful contribution to business -- and if so, how can they be protected from invasions of privacy and flying genitalia? ZDNet Australia gets the lowdown from Chris Collins, technical assistant to the CEO at Second Life developer Linden Lab.

CIO View: Energy company runs out of juice!

IT has become one of the biggest consumers of energy in the modern society. So much so that at AGL Energy, "we ran out of capacity in the building for electricity", according to former CIO Cesare Tizi.

Throw away the suits and telework!

More and more Australians are choosing to work from home for at least part of the week.

Return and reuse: How Japan recycles televisions and other appliances

Australians are slowly jumping aboard the environmental bandwagon, but in Japan, a law mandating the recycling of home appliances is already six years old.

PCs: Keeping IT green

While recycling is all fine and good, before we go to the trouble of ripping an item to bits and making it into something else ââ,¬" there is an intermediate stage: Reuse!

Bankstown print refresh boosts green space

For Bankstown City Council, a 170,000-resident council south-west of Sydney, a desire to regain control of its printing environment -- and to reduce its impact on the environment -- recently led to a complete reconsideration of its printing, scanning and faxing processes.

NetApp's Green expands portfolio

Networked storage solutions maker Network Appliance managing director Simon Green is set to assume a broader set of duties beyond Australia and New Zealand.

Office 2010 Technical Preview: Screenshots

We give you a sneak peek at a "Technical Preview" build of Microsoft's upcoming Office 2010 suite before the company formally unveils it to the public.

Straight to the source: Green and Redman

We put Steve Redman, MD of EMC Australia, up against Simon Green, MD of Network Appliance Australia and watch the sparks fly.

Hullabaloo about OLED

It's been a long time coming, but it seems that OLED displays are finally beginning to creep onto the market.

Podcast: VMware co-founder Diane Greene

Matt Tett from RMIT's IT Test Labs caught up with VMware co-founder and president Diane Greene at the recent VM World conference in Las Vegas.

The longest last mile

How much should Telstra be charging for unconditioned local loop?

Farr the reformer talks Defence

A year from taking on perhaps the toughest IT job in the country, Defence chief information officer Greg Farr is staring down the barrel of a massive ICT reform agenda for 2009 that will reveal whether Defence got the "expert CIO" they needed.

The open source guide to the galaxy

Could your business be paying for a proprietary program when an open source alternative exists? Take a look at our guide as we count down the most popular open source products.

HSBC Australia CIO talks bank tech

Most of Australia's major banks are just beginning massive IT projects which will see them refresh their core banking systems. But as HSBC's Australian CIO Brenton Hush tells ZDNet.com.au, the global bank's local operation is already ahead.

RFID round-up: Still in the trough

Despite its clear benefits in stock tracking and the success of early, isolated pilot tests in tracking high-value assets, RFID technology is still spinning its wheels as ongoing high costs and unclear return on investment continue to keep once-enthusiastic customers away in droves.

US shows what OPEL could have been

Sprint's WiMAX roll-out in Baltimore will prove the Australian government's decision to worm its way out of the Opel WiMAX contract was a short-sighted, and ultimately damaging, political stunt that has benefited nobody.

Photos: Symantec's Security Response labs

ZDNet.com.au takes a peek behind the scenes at the security specialist's European anti-malware operation in Dublin.

In carriers' high-def future, pants are the real winners

As anybody who works from home knows, one of the great benefits of telecommuting is that pants are optional. Wear your pyjamas to that teleconference, or attend in your birthday suit if you prefer; nobody will be the wiser.

Department of Defence: Greg Farr, CIO (part one)

Australian Department of Defence CIO Greg Farr spoke to ZDNet.com.au about how the organisation's networks are kept secure and why virtualisation and green issues are high on the agenda.

Customs: Murray Harrison, CIO

Australian Customs CIO Murray Harrison dislikes SLAs and runs away if a vendor talks to him about innovation. In this interview, he also explains why getting excited about gadgets can be dangerous and talks about how Customs' outsourcing strategy has evolved.

Rudd awakening: Govt's plans for ICT

Ahead of the election, with promises for nationwide broadband networks and digital revolutions in schools, the ICT industry could hope the government was on their side. But now the glamour of a sparkling new government has worn off, how ICT-friendly is the Rudd government really?

Centrelink: John Wadeson, CIO

Centrelink, Australia's welfare payment organisation, deals with millions of transactions and billions of dollars every week. CIO John Wadeson recently spoke to ZDNet.com.au about the challenges of running one of the country's largest IT infrastructures.

Facebook: The Google of social networks?

Since lifting its university-only restrictions in September 2006, Facebook has become the poster child for social networks and attracted more than 65 million users. But will it survive 'the next big thing'?

Photos: On the floor at Macworld

Get a glimpse of what's in the air and on the floor at Macworld.

Seagate: Take your recession and stuff it

Investors may be panicking, but Seagate CEO Bill Watkins says business and tech trends paint a different picture than the one on CNBC.

Who guards the guards: Security

Who predicted the death of the password -- and spam? Why is PKI not ubiquitous? Who makes these daft predictions anyway? ZDNet.com.au looks at how the security market was supposed to shape up, according to so-called "experts".

Travelocity | Barry Vandevier, CTO

Barry Vandevier of Travelocity talks about his company's efforts to deploy Web 2.0 technologies for the next generation of online travel.

The 10 biggest headaches of 2007 for CIOs and IT managers

IT is largely about solving problems and keeping the business running, and the higher up you are in the IT department the bigger the problems you have to solve.

Managing your move into mobility

With the benefits of mobile data access well and truly taken for granted, the spectre of several false starts is finally far behind the market for smaller smartphone and PDA styled mobile devices.

Apple iPhone vs Nokia N95

Will Apple's iPhone reshape the mobile phone market? Are there better devices actually available already? We put the iPhone head-to-head with its competition to see how it stacks up.

Coming to you fast and furious from the FITT lunch

The more I think about the issues surrounding the under-representation of women in IT, the further I get from finding a solution. Overanalysis is a real drag. And that's why this year I'm going to be blogging direct from the FITT lunch.

The RBA, ruthlessness and robots

For the Reserve Bank of Australia, every minute of downtime could potentially cost more than AU$40 million. But even with a business case on that scale, it still took three tries before it got an effective systems management strategy in place.

Catenaccio football 1.0 wins 1-0

It's hard to think about anything else today other than Australia's ludicrous 1-0 defeat this morning by Luis Medina Cantalejo, oops I mean Italy.

Gates on launching Zune, spiffing up Office

Microsoft's chairman looks ahead to how the music player might morph and tells why changes in Office 2007 are "such a big deal."

Siemens and the hand of God

During the 64 matches to be played in the 2006 World Cup, an estimated 3.2 million spectators will pass through the 12 stadiums to witness the action first-hand. From arrival to departure, the entire experience will be monitored, streamlined and enhanced by multiple systems from Siemens.

Dell: Malaysia to support Australia, others

Enterprise technology users may still be getting used to Indian accents for many of their support queries, but PC giant Dell believes many of its customers would be better served by Malaysia.

Microsoft: Slow going in biz software push

"Project Green" effort to bring disparate business applications under a single code base will happen -- eventually.

Sun tools aimed at Microsoft coders

Sun Microsystems will describe on Wednesday new software designed to make its Java programming tools more popular with smaller businesses.

Antenna to boost wireless security

An optical antenna that uses a geometrically shaped lens promises to bring greater security to wireless networks for businesses, according to British scientists.

Microsoft unit key to new strategy

It used to be a money-losing afterthought. Now the business software unit is playing a key role in Redmond's plans.

VMWare's virtual future

VMware's leader discusses the hows and whys of the industry's move toward virtualisation.

Stampede for patches disrupts Microsoft update site

The crush of millions of Windows users trying to patch their computers overwhelmed Microsoft's update service for several hours after new security fixes were made available, the software giant acknowledged on Wednesday.

Offshoring: A view from both shores

Wipro CEO Vivek Paul ponders the implications of a US that graduates more sports therapists than engineers.

How CRM saved Hunter Holden

What a customer wants and eventually gets can be two different things. To get more in tune with customer preferences, Hunter Holden reinvented itself with a customer relationship management system.

VoIP handsets reviewed

Voice over Internet Protocol, in some way, shape, or form, is a standard inclusion now with most business telephony systems. We review the latest offerings.

Customers report Microsoft CRM problems

Microsoft's CRM software features an email identifier that some customers could cause legitimate communications to be seen as spam, but the company says it has not received many complaints.

Kill 'spies' with Spybot

Here's how you can use Spybot to put an end to spyware and adware on clients' desktops.

Is Ballmer's $100 PC possible?

Microsoft's chief executive may well think that a $100 PC will solve the problem of software piracy - but it's a question of who is willing to bear the cost.

Can Microsoft deliver on CRM?

Microsoft will have an impact on the customer relationship management (CRM) market. But how important will its role be?

Y2K legacy creates PC-disposal headache

Fears of the Millennium Bug drove a generation of companies to upgrade their PCs, but four years on, those systems need to be replaced and such a mammoth task has serious environmental implications.

Tech tools: IT audits and security ratings system

This simple, cost-effective ratings system can help improve security across your organisation.

Outsourcing: The trouble with mega deals

As mega outsoucing deals begin to lose their shine, is it time for selective sourcing to take centre stage?

Standards: equal access

Just as building codes have changed to make access easier for everyone, so are standards changing in hardware and software design.

Recent worms punish bad passwords

A spike in Internet traffic caused by a worm over the weekend can be largely blamed on bad passwords and poor security practices, security experts said on Monday.

Hiring tips for IT managers

Here are some key steps in planning out your hiring process so that you avoid the bad hires that usually accompany a hiring rush.

Five reasons IT consultancies fail

IT consulting firms continue to tread water in a challenging organisation environment, and many are reacting by taking a "back to basics" approach to their businesses. Take advice from two consultants who have done just that.

Is the desktop battle really over?

It's clear Microsoft has won the desktop battle with Windows, but a few trends may knock the victor off the throne.

People power: Three HR packages tested

Does your company's human resource management functions need to be automated? ZDNet Australia looks at what you need to consider, and three packages to help you do it.

Java camp takes cue from Microsoft

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Microsoft's fiercest foes--Java software providers--are showing growing admiration for their powerful rival.

KVM switches reviewed

The new generation of keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) switches allows admins to tinker with their systems remotely over an IP connection. We look at six options.

How to "manage" clients' employees

Your conduct at a client site can help you avoid resentment and fear among the employees. These tips will help you be more productive and get along with your temporary co-workers.

Putting the brains into your network

Networks don't just ferry packets around your office anymore. ZDNet Australia looks at some of the latest developments that allow your network to manage itself more intelligently.

ROI on IT projects: Project manager's friend or foe?

Whether you are engaging a client on a solution proposal or simply kicking off your project exploration phase, clients are today deeply interested in ROI. Here's how to make that pay off for project managers.

Commentary: That was the decade that was

10 years is a long time in technology circles, and plenty has changed since 1992. Then again, maybe it hasn't.

Think 'thin' to lower bandwidth requirements

Budget concerns, complicated infrastructure, and user frustration are all reasons to move away from a fat-client networking strategy. Here's a compelling argument for using thin clients.

Oracle plan exposes Java rift

Competing players are trying to integrate Java development tools, in the face of well-organised competition from Microsoft.

The keys to resource allocation

To successfully manage your projects, it's vital to get to the botton of resource overallocation. Learn how to manage competing priorities.

Best IT solutions for a small business upgrade

IT pros who manage small business networks have to come up with unique solutions, such as deciding whether Linux is a viable solution and which collaboration software is better.

The Year Ahead: Top ten technologies to watch

Robots, cars, power and light. Just some of the sectors that'll see action next year.

Stuck in high-tech hell? There's a way out!

Alan Cohen didn't merely write a book for cube dwellers with career angst. He charted a "road map out of hell" for everyone who has "come to accept soul starvation as a way of life."

Red hot laptops

If you're going to have to lug it around, you might as well get a laptop that will make business colleagues green with envy.

Keeping apps to speed

Are you paying employees to sit around watching an hourglass? Losing customers because that order page on your Web site takes forever to generate and download? Then it's time to focus on application management.

Who's plotting to keep Sun in the Web services shadows?

IBM and Microsoft extended a belated and belittling WS-I invitation to Sun. Are they trying to marginalise the Java creator's Web services stature?

Maximising infrastructure: Do more with less

Buying the latest and the greatest sounds like a good idea, but who can afford it? We look at ways you can get better performance and a better bottom line with your existing infrastructure.

Web services: Messiah or mirage?

Software vendors keep telling us that Web services are the answer. But what is the question? ZDNet Australia explores the state of Web services today.

ROI: You can teach a New Economy old tricks

In these tough times, customers will no longer trust you on the basis of VC referrals or your phone manner. It's time to prove that your customers need your services. ROI-based sales pitches of the past make a resurgence in the dot-com downturn of the present.

Intel, IBM take green plunge with solar tech

Intel entered the burgeoning clean-tech sector on Monday by creating SpectraWatt, a spinoff company that will manufacture solar cells, following IBM's latest foray into solar technology

Microsoft hands out green cash as Sun gets thin

Microsoft has this week handed out US$500,000 to four universities doing research into efficient computing, while rival Sun has stepped up its green IT marketing efforts.

CeBIT's green gambit falls on empty halls

Europe's biggest information technology fair went green this year -- the problem was that there weren't many people around to notice.

Ballmer claims Microsoft is thinking green

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer has claimed that more efficient use of IT is one of the company's main priorities for the future despite the fact Microsoft has been widely criticised for producing resource-hungry software.

Green tech to outpace Internet spending in 2008

The results of a KPMG survey project continued investment in the green-tech sector this year and a wave of acquisitions.

Companies must disclose their gases: Govt

Companies belching greenhouse gases will have to keep track of their footprint as of today so they can report their levels to the government.

Red Hat: Enterprise Linux is energy efficient

Linux vendor Red Hat has updated its enterprise Linux version with features for big servers and some green improvements. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.2 includes virtualisation support for bigger systems and more memory architectures.

2007: How was it for green IT?

It's official, 2007 was the year in which green IT became important to the IT industry, with corporate giants like Google, Intel, HP, Dell, Microsoft and Sun Microsystems all willing to get their hands dirty.

Dell to cut PC energy use by 25 percent

Dell on Wednesday announced energy efficiency targets for its laptops and desktop PCs: a 25 percent reduction by 2010 based on the efficiency rating of today's models.

Nokia Siemens: Green is the new black

Nokia Siemens Networks has unveiled a range of equipment and software which it claims will help mobile operators to go green.

Think green ... and protect your data

Sending old equipment off for recycling not only helps the environment, it also ensures that "forgotten" data stored in old storage devices does not find itself in the public domain.

Switching off PCs to save UK govt 10 million pounds

The UK Office of Government Commerce has urged public-sector workers to turn off their PCs overnight to help cut carbon emissions and costs.

WA utility takes remote control of customers' aircon

Western Australian energy company Western Power has reduced peak power energy use by 27 percent, or 3.5kW per home, by remotely switching off the compressors in trial customers' air conditioning units for a few minutes.

Citi scratches head over rising IT power needs

Banking group Citi is on the verge of completing a major sustainable-datacentre project, but has admitted that the power requirements of its IT equipment are continuing to rise by 12.5 percent per year.

Phone recycling doubles as CDMA killed off

The number of phones being handed in for recycling has sky-rocketed in NSW and Victoria in the lead up to Telstra's shutdown of its CDMA network.

Google goes green, attacks coal power

Search giant Google on Tuesday pledged to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to make renewable energy cheaper than coal.

Photos: Datacentre heat, Google's secret solution

When supercomputers get together, things get hot fast. Our photo gallery reveals how modern datacentres are cooled, and gives an insight into Google's secret solution to the problem.

Intel plans for green tracking device

Worried about the impact your technology use is having on the environment? A development project underway at Intel might help salve your conscience whilst also giving you another gadget to add to your arsenal.

Green IT will hit Australian govt 'like a ton of bricks'

Australia's federal government is lagging behind when it comes to green IT initiatives and needs to be more critical of vendor "recycling" claims, says analysts.

IBM barred from US government contracts

IBM has been indefinitely barred from entering into new contracts with the US federal government.

Apple, Dell leap on Victoria green IT plan

Victorians will now be able to ditch their unwanted, end-of-life technology equipment in a green fashion following the launch of a state IT take-back program -- with support from big name vendors including Apple, Dell and HP.

Thin computing: Low-fat but is it green?

Desktop virtualisation can address IT budgetary and environmental pressures but datacentre experts warn that the technologies can simply create similar problems elsewhere.

Sun goes on green offensive

Sun is set to offer practical energy-efficient solutions to customers after tackling its own datacentre power concerns.

Microsoft hunts developers in eco-tech push

Microsoft has launched an effort to become a major player in the rapidly growing energy-efficiency market. The company is recruiting developers and is eyeing opportunities to produce software for building control systems, traffic management systems and water quality management companies.

Air IT system cuts plane safety distance

The plane outside the cabin window could get a lot closer, with the development of new air traffic management systems under the European Clean Sky project.

IBM predicts five biggest tech trends

IBM has released a series of predictions that they see as the five big new trends in tech for the next five years. These include programmable electricity meters, smart car sensors, smart shopping displays, phones as wallets and better nanotechnology techniques.

Dell, CEOs put energy into efficency lobby

Michael Dell and other high-profile technology company CEOs descended on Washington this week with a message for the US government: do more to encourage energy-efficient practices, but don't spell out specific standards for the products that companies like theirs build.

DC power slams AC in datacentres

From next January, data centres can use up to 40 percent less power by using a new direct current (DC) power supplies being released by DC systems company Validus instead of drawing AC power from outlets.

Standards set for voluntary carbon offsets

Despite being a market projected to grow to US$4 billion over the next five years, the carbon offset market has only just settled on one standard to measure its currency.

Linux coders join green revolution

Programmers have begun serious work to cut consumption, extend PC Linux battery life and ease server costs.

Apple iPhone headphones endanger family jewels?

Researchers at Greenpeace have reprimanded Apple for releasing products made with chemicals which can reportedly have adverse effects on the development of male reproductive organs.

Broadband paves way to greener Australia

Broadband can help Australians save money and cut their carbon footprint, according to new research.

'Green' ANZ CIO wages war on servers

ANZ CIO Peter Dalton is on a mission to remove as many as 400 servers from the bank's infrastructure by the year's end as part of its ambitious environmental targets.

Microsoft to profit from recycling

Under a new program announced by Microsoft, large companies that sell refurbished PCs can get a new copy of Windows XP to put on the machine, as long as they pay Microsoft again for that copy.

CSIRO: Kilowatts for cash close to a reality

According to the CSIRO, an Australian energy distributor could soon trial technology that would allow energy consumers to slash their power usage in return for cash, and help cut the likelihood of power brownouts in Australia.

Australia to dump e-waste on developing nations?

If Australia does not develop a national approach to recycling its IT, we will soon be dumping our toxic e-waste on developing countries, according to operators of Byteback, a government-backed free PC recycling service.

Energy Star rating system proposed for ICT

Australia's ICT sector generates as much carbon dioxide as the civil aviation or steel industries, according to an ICT carbon emissions audit commissioned by the Australian Computer Society (ACS).

Google to go carbon neutral by 2008

The search giant has committed to becoming more environmentally friendly and has enlisted the help of a green group to meet its target.

Hostworks take NineMSN down virtual path

Adelaide-based Web hosting company Hostworks is ramping up its investment in server virtualisation after re-signing its biggest customer, NineMSN, for a further three to six years.

Green generator to pilot -work environment technologies"

New Zealand -green" power generator and retailer Meridian Energy is to pilot new workplace technologies, including a unified IP communications platform, to be fully deployed after the company moves to a new Wellington waterfront headquarters next September.

Half the electricity in a PC is wasted: Intel, Google

An awful lot of juice meant to power PCs never gets used so tech companies -- including Google and Intel -- have teamed up to try and make PCs and servers run more efficiently.

Go green or face financial doom: Gartner

CIOs must respond to rising energy costs, said Gartner.

Greenpeace trashes Apple again

Greenpeace has again targeted Apple in its latest Guide to Greener Electronics, a report which ranks major electronics manufacturers on their environmental policies and practices. But is Apple really putting its technology ahead of the environment?

Lenovo greener but Apple remains rotten

Chinese manufacturer Lenovo has gone from being the least environmentally friendly technology company to top of the list in Greenpeace's Guide to Greener Electronics, but Apple still has a long way to go.

Datacentre energy crisis looms

Datacentres are consuming power at a rate that can no longer be sustained, a new report warns.

Greenpeace clashes with Lenovo, Apple over toxic waste

The environmental track records of Apple Computer and Lenovo Group have been singled out for criticism by environmental group Greenpeace in a report on toxic chemicals used by the technology industry.

Companies urged to switch PCs off

Companies should encourage employees to switch off PCs at night or continue wasting money and energy, according to research by Fujitsu Siemens.

Tech firms swoop on Aust as money laundering legislation looms

Revisions to Australia's anti-money-laundering rules aren't due for release until later this year, but companies are already looking to persuade local banks to spend up big on technology to comply with the new legislation.

PCs: Keeping IT green

While recycling is all fine and good, before we go to the trouble of ripping an item to bits and making it into something else ââ,¬" there is an intermediate stage: Reuse!

Sporting legend memorabilia goes under the virtual hammer

The baggy green cap of Australian cricket legend Don Bradman will go under the hammer online this month, as Sydney auctioneering company Lawson Menzies holds its Historic Sporting Memorabilia auction over the internet.

Greens renew call for Tassie ICT minister

Tasmanian Greens leader Nick McKim claimed last week that the state was being disadvantaged by not having an information and communications technology minister.

ACT Greens MP demands Firefox

Canberra's shared services organisation InTACT came under fire at the state's budget estimates for not allowing members of the Legislative Assembly to use Mozilla's popular browser Firefox.

Sun's new MD to focus on green IT and open source

Sun Microsystems has appointed Duncan Bennet as its new Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand. Bennet told ZDNet.com.au that open source, and green datacentres were the future for Sun.

Oracle-BEA merger gets the green light

Oracle on Wednesday received a green light from regulators to move forward on its merger plans with BEA Systems.

Tassie goes virtually green with $1.2m VMware deal

The Tasmanian government has settled on VMware Infrastructure 3 as its official virtualisation suite, committing to a three-year, AU$1.2 million contract in the hopes of going green and keeping cash in its pockets.

Green group slams computer giants

Six of Australia's biggest computer brands have failed to meet high standards of environmental responsibility, with Apple and Toshiba ranking the worst, a report has found.

Qld govt sets lean, green PC shopping policy

The Queensland Government has announced a new "green" IT procurement plan covering all government agency purchases of PCs, laptops and servers over the next three years.

The greening of Linux

For Martin Fink, life is good these days.

With GreenBorder, Google gets deeper into Net security

Google's purchase of GreenBorder Technologies -- a browser virtualisation software company -- follows on the heels of the search giant announcing a blog from its antimalware team.

IE7 marks secure sites with green light

Microsoft has quietly flipped the switch on a new feature in its Internet Explorer 7 Web browser meant to combat phishing (fraudulent Web site) scams.

NetApp's Green expands portfolio

Networked storage solutions maker Network Appliance managing director Simon Green is set to assume a broader set of duties beyond Australia and New Zealand.

CIO Steward defends 'light ICT' budget

Australian Government chief information officer Ann Steward defended last night's Federal Budget in a speech at the CeBIT conference this morning, saying that despite some complaints that it was light on tech spend, there had been ICT initiatives.

Classification.gov.au gets hacked

The Australia's Classification Board website, which determines Australia's film, literature and media classifications, appears to have been hacked by protesters against its regime.

iAwards winners announced

The Commonwealth Bank has taken out the award for best Financial Industry Application at the Australian Information Industry Association iAwards held in Melbourne last night.

Case against Napster backers gets green light

A federal court has allowed record labels to continue a lawsuit against Bertelsmann and Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, both onetime backers of the defunct Napster file-swapping network.

Microsoft lays out 'Project Green' revamp

Microsoft is linking the release of major new versions of its business management applications to the debut of the next generation of its Windows operating system.

Straight to the source: Green and Redman

We put Steve Redman, MD of EMC Australia, up against Simon Green, MD of Network Appliance Australia and watch the sparks fly.

Dean's greening the Internet

Say all you want about politicians being dumb, but they're definitely not stupid.

Virgin Mobile goes green to stay in Australia

Virgin Mobile will continue to operate in Australia, despite the failure of its enterprise in Singapore.

Video: Conroy defends internet filter

In this video, Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam asks Communications Minister Stephen Conroy to justify his comments that other coutries have internet filtering systems similar to the one proposed for Australia.

Sun to shed up to 6,000 jobs

Sun Microsystems late last week announced plans to shed between 5,000 and 6,000 jobs.

ACCC green lights Telstra on data speeds

The Competition watchdog has said Telstra is under no obligation to guarantee data connection speeds, despite receiving AU$50 million of taxpayer money to provide minimum Internet service levels.

RMIT considers thin for 4,500+ PCs

The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) this week said that the first half of 2009 would see the university evaluate whether to commit to a thin client solution for thousands of university workstations.

'Green light' to mobile phone cancer study

The New South Wales Cancer Council has been allocated just over one million dollars to investigate links between cancer and mobile phone use in the two major capitals. Researchers admit they still know very little about the dangers, if any.

Aussie IT jobs market still buoyant

There is still plenty of local work for skilled IT staff despite a global financial crisis, according to one of Australia's largest technology staff recruiters, but not much room to move in terms of higher salaries.

TechOne makes performance buy

TechnologyOne today said it had acquired the rights to the Web-enabled strategic planning and performance management software of fellow Queensland-based corporate software vendor OutcomeManager.

Liberals backflip over communications fund

The government's bill to tap into the $2.4 billion Communications Fund to help pay for the national broadband network was passed this morning after a divided opposition backed down from its blocking stance.

Australian govt green-lights open source

The federal government has green-lit its agencies to continue trialling and implementing open-source solutions, as long as they meet "fit-for-purpose and value-for-money" criteria.

Australia's biggest datacentre comes to Brisbane

Engineering giant Emerson and datacentre company Digital Sense have signed a deal to build what they claim is Australia's largest high-density datacentre, totalling 10,000 square metres and drawing a maximum of 196 megawatts of power.

Telstra's AGM: A day to remember

This morning, Telstra executives are limbering up behind the scenes as they get ready for their big yearly showing to shareholders at the annual general meeting.

AOL, Time Warner merger gets green light

US authorities have approved the merger of America Online and Time Warner, effectively giving the companies a green light to complete their historic union.

Basslink resolution close: CitySpring

Basslink cable owner CitySpring this week said negotiations to switch on the undersea fibre-optic cable to Tasmania were close to concluding, bringing hopes of increased broadband capacity to the island state.

EU disconnection about 'consumers' rights'?

A set of telecommunications laws was given the green light by a European parliamentary committee yesterday, which includes amendments that some argue could lead to file-sharers being disconnected by their internet service providers. However the authors of the Act claim it will protect consumers.

CeBIT 2008: What you missed

See what you missed at CeBIT 2008 in our round-up featuring NICTA, the CSIRO, Google, the OLPC XO, Netgear and a whole lot of technology.

Reserve Bank denies eBay review

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) today said it had not initiated a formal review into auction giant eBay's move to force sellers to offer PayPal as a payment method, despite complaints from a group which claims to be composed of disgruntled sellers.

Photos: A brief history of drives

Hard drives weren't always so compact or so capacious, as a quick pictorial tour through the museum of hard drives at the HDS SAN Technology Centre in Odawara, Japan, reveals.

New Singaporean IT force

SingTel will strengthen its foothold in Singapore's IT services market with a controlling stake in Singapore Computer Systems (SCS), but it remains to be seen if SCS can lend weight to the telco's regional expansion plans.

Liberals: We will block Labor's FTTN funding

Opposition Communications spokesperson Bruce Billson has said the Coalition will attempt to block the Federal government's proposed use of the AU$2 billion Communications Fund to build its national FTTN network in the Senate.

Northern Territory, Tasmania slam Telstra's prices

The Northern Territory government has bitterly complained about a lack of competition in the telecommunications market that it claims has led to it paying Telstra three to five times more for some communications services than the rest of the nation.

Vodafone to halve CO2 emissions by 2020

Vodafone has said it will halve its carbon dioxide emissions by 2020, largely by making its networks more energy efficient.

3G iPhone gets Gartner approval

Apple's iPhone 3G smartphone is fit for business use, according to analyst house Gartner.

Brisbane flight IT system saves fuel, bores pilots

Brisbane airport has finished trialling a flight system that helps planes keep precisely to a preordained flight path, which reduces aircraft carbon emissions by 650 tonnes, saves time, saves fuel, and reduces noise.

Schwartz: Java FX can take on Flash

Java FX -- which is geared to make it easier to build flashy Web sites and Java desktop applications -- is ready to take on Adobe Systems' Flash and Microsoft's Silverlight software, according to Sun Microsystem's chief executive.

Pillow talking bots latest Russian malware threat

Those entering online dating forums risk having more than their hearts stolen, especially if they're chatting to a malicious Russian bot.

Don't trust Microsoft's OOXML patent pledge

Prominent legal counsel the Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) said that the legal terms covering Microsoft's Open XML document formats pose patent risk to free and open-source software developers.

iFund to invest US$100m in 'iPhone entrepreneurs'

John Doerr, the venture capitalist known for his investment in Google, is now showing his love for Apple with a $100 million fund for iPhone application developers.

Scots supercomputer becomes UK's fastest machine

The largest and most advanced supercomputer in the UK has been unveiled in Edinburgh.

Sun considers GPL for Solaris

Sun Microsystems is considering releasing its Solaris operating system under the General Public License, executives said on Monday in the US, raising the possibility of cross-pollination with Linux.

Telstra 'loses game of chicken' on ADSL2+ rollout

Telstra has officially switched on over 900 ADSL2+ exchanges, amid allegations of spin by the telco over its decision to back down on the issue of regulation.

Will a US recession demolish global IT budgets in 2008?

The US sub-prime mortgage lending crisis could lead to economic losses totaling between US$150bn and US$400bn, according to The Wall Street Journal. While this dwarfs the effect of previous disasters such as the dot com bust, analysts remain optimistic that its effect on IT budgets will be flat, rather than disastrous.

Sun tries again with consumer-flavoured Java

The server and software company comes full circle with Java, releasing a scripting language to ease desktop and device Java development.

Border patrol for Internet Explorer

A security start-up is borrowing a technique from the research labs to try to give Internet Explorer PCs relief from Web-based attacks.

XO laptops enter mass production

Following a number of delays, the One Laptop per Child Foundation's much-awaited XO laptop for needy kids has finally gone into mass production.

Open-source Java coming in '07

Sun Microsystems intends to commence open-sourcing Java by the end of this year and complete the process in 2007, according to the company's executive vice president of software, Rich Green.

Labor lips sealed on Access Card future

Despite having taken a non-committal stance on the Access Card during the election campaign, privacy advocates are hopeful that Labor will scrap the project now that it has entered government.

Open-source Java — except for the exceptions

Sun Microsystems' Java is now officially an open-source project — mostly.

Vista still struggling as Linux finds its feet

Almost a year on from the release of Microsoft's Windows Vista, only 13 percent of companies say they expect to move all desktops to the operating system, according to a survey released this week. Furthermore, adoption of Linux continues to gather pace, with a particular emphasis on the desktop emerging.

Google millionaires: From Mountain View to the wine bar

Sometimes, it's not easy to leave the Googleplex. Even for the many millionaires among the search giant's pre-IPO employees, there's great appeal to a workplace that prizes creativity and rewards its employees -- of course, there's also the cachet of working at one of the hottest tech companies in the world, a virtual Shangri-La for the geek set.

Coalition ranked worst for privacy in election run-up

The Coalition has been rated bottom among the major parties on commitment to privacy issues, according to a report released by the Australian Privacy Foundation.

Online Photoshop beta due this year

Adobe Systems has announced that it will ship a beta version of its Photoshop Express online editing tool by the end of this year, with the full product to be complete sometime in 2008.

Climate change: Australian IT's starting point

After spending years researching technology's role in climate change, a Sydney IT director has created a wiki to share ideas, tips and techniques on going green.

Symantec recognises church software as spyware

The Church of England's publishing arm has advised clergy to ignore Symantec security warnings, after its Norton Antivirus product wrongly identified church software as spyware.

ASX Friday Market Wrap: Investors get green light overseas

Local investors have been holding back this week, but an optimistic outlook for the US economy rallied investor support -- the inspiration behind the Australian market's rise today.

HP goes iMac green, and purple and...

Corporate computing giant Hewlett-Packard is taking a leaf off the Apple tree in its latest push for the consumer and SOHO market.

Sun promises to open-source Java

Sun Microsystems will open-source Java, it just has to figure out how to do it, company executives said on Tuesday.

Sun aims for ultra-cheap mobile phones

Sun Microsystems hopes to sell a version of Java to phone companies that will bring network access to the world's computers, executives said at the JavaOne trade show in the US this week.

VMware dangles next-gen virtualisation goodies

VMware has some new ideas for tackling an age-old problem for system administrators: how do you keep a computing service available when the server it's running on fails?

EMC's VMware to be public company

EMC said Wednesday in the US it plans to sell 10 percent of VMware stock this winter in an initial public offering (IPO), but added it has no plans to spin off the virtualisation company.

Qantas pilots in-flight SMS

National carrier Qantas has been given the green light to start testing in-flight mobile phone services. Over the next three months, passengers on one Boeing 767 plying domestic capital cities will be able to send and receive SMS and e-mails. International roaming costs will apply.

Intel to offer open source developers for OLPC

Intel has partnered with the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project and will initially provide its army of Linux and open source developers to help improve the OLPC software.

Microsoft's JPEG rival to become a standard?

Microsoft's HD Photo format could soon become a standard, boosting sales of its Windows Vista operating system which includes built-in support for the JPEG alternative.

Global police database for fingerprints, airline data?

Global police organisation Interpol wants the names of all airline passengers and the fingerprints of criminals to be stores on a database, which would be shared amongst its membership of 186 countries.

Google the next Microsoft in antitrust firing line?

Google's planned acquisiton of DoubleClick has led to US government antitrust committees and liberal consumer groups watching the search giant's moves, just like they did Microsoft's not too long ago.

ATO monitors service performance from the outside

They say too many cooks spoil the broth, but the customer service problem recently facing the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) was proving even harder to swallow.

Did Microsoft get lucky in Europe?

The European Commission has refused to sanction Microsoft's release of Vista in Europe, but several members of the European Parliament are relieved that the product apparently wasn't blocked completely.

Munich Linux migration delayed by 'PR stunt'

Software patent campaigner Florian Mueller revealed this week that the City of Munich's decision to stall its Linux migration, was the result of a PR stunt by anti-patent campaigners.

Vista's European battleground

Windows Vista hasn't shipped yet, but Microsoft and the European Union are already caught up in a tussle over the antitrust impact of security technology in the operating system.

Fedora embraces Mono

The next version of Fedora, Red Hat's community distribution, will include the cross-platform .Net implementation Mono for the first time.

Details trickle out about EC Vista probe

A senior Microsoft executive has revealed details of the European Commission's anticompetition probe into the upcoming Windows Vista operating system.

Novell promises long-term NetWare support

NetWare and GroupWise will continue to be supported until 2010 and beyond 'unless market conditions determine otherwise'.

Microsoft to keynote Unix conference

Microsoft will use a national gathering of Unix, Linux and open source professionals in Sydney next week to demonstrate interoperability between Unix and Windows systems.

Kylie fans swamp Ticketek's Web site

Kylie Minogue fans swamped Ticketek's Web site on Monday as tickets for the pint-sized pop princess's concert went on sale - but some people decided not to trust the technology and wait in a queue instead.

Service promises secure 'googling'

A Web-filtering specialist has joined the ranks of companies aiming to take the risk of spyware and adware downloads out of online searches.

Aust political party Web sites still not good enough: Hiser

Major Australian political parties Web sites are still not demonstrating enough leadership to attract swinging voters to their cause, according to interface designing company Hiser Group.

Democrats -gazumped" over Net censorship Bill

The NSW Democrats claim they were -gazumped" by the State Government when the NSW Internet Censorship Bill was -passed by default" in Parliament this week.

Virtualisation to cure software setup pains?

Most talk about virtualisation these days centres on using server hardware more efficiently. But the technology also has the potential to ease another headache: software installation woes.

Telstra fibre decision a ways off: Optus

Optus today said Telstra would not get the green light to build its new fibre network before the full sale (known as "T3") of the giant telco -- scheduled for the last quarter of this year -- goes ahead.

Convict prison, naval dockyard ... now ICT hub?

Cockatoo Island has variously been a convict prison, reformatory, -industrial school" for wayward girls, shipbuilding centre and music festival venue. Now, if the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust has its way, the island -- the largest in Sydney Harbour -- will be reinvented as a -centre of innovation" for the information and communications technology industry.

EU approves Oracle-Siebel merger

European Commission officials gave their blessing on Thursday to Oracle's US$5.8 billion merger with Siebel Systems, removing the last major antitrust hurdle for the enterprise software companies.

IT costs king as Kong roars at WETA

Keeping costs down was a high priority for New Zealand-based digital effects specialist WETA Digital in bringing Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson's US$207 million King Kong remake to life.

Net paedophile jailed

A paedophile who used the Internet to stalk his victims has been sentenced to five years jail for the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl he met on the Web.

Coffee Trading Goes Online

Coffee trading is an age-old industry deeply rooted in tradition and family-owned businesses that parents pass on to their children generation after generation. But that doesn't rule out a new e-business blend.

Salesforce.com hits back at critics

Salesforce.com has responded to some of the criticism it has suffered after service outages left users without their CRM services for as long as an hour and a half.

Network Associates awarded antispam patent

Security software company, Network Associates, said this week that it has been granted a patent for methods of filtering spam, or unsolicited e-mail.

Office 12 makeover takes on 'feature creep'

For years, Microsoft has been trying to add features to Office without them getting in the way of people who already know their way around the software.

Antenna to boost wireless security

A new antenna that uses a geometrically shaped lens promises to bring greater security to wireless networks for businesses, according to British scientists.

Microsoft aims to topple Lotus' Domino

Aiming to woo users of Lotus Notes, Microsoft is releasing software designed to help companies switch to its own line of collaboration tools.

OSIA questions coalition's stand on patent law

Open Source Industry Australia (OSIA) has expressed its disappointment over the coalition's refusal to accept that patent law or the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) could be improved.

Trojan horse found responsible for child porn

A man has been cleared of child porn charges, after investigators found that an Internet attacker was responsible for the presence of illicit images on his PC.

Apple hints at colorful computer plans

Apple Computer is again trying to light up the computer market, according to a patent filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Aviation industry steps forward on information exchange

A report by independent consultants will play a crucial role in determining whether a planned secure information exchange for air traffic stakeholders gets a green light.

Sun tools aimed at Microsoft coders

Sun Microsystems will describe on Wednesday new software designed to make its Java programming tools more popular with smaller businesses.

.XXX: New home for porn approved

The Internet's red-light district has been given the green light by ICANN, paving the way for the new domains to come into play before the end of the year.

Novell's Linux strategy causes customers concern

Novell's ambitious strategy for Linux has led some customers to worry that the networking company may withdraw support for some of its legacy applications.

Web video: 180-degree Olympic box seat

It's a new era of Web-based video. Technology that provides 180-degree video sequences will showcase the events of the Sydney Olympic Games -- giving online spectators a truly unique view of their favourite sports.

Go backs down on logo battle

The Disney-backed GO portal site has changed its logo, eliminating the stoplight-esque green circle. The company has been engaged in a court battle with GoTo.com Inc. over the logo, which GoTo claims too closely resembles its own logo.

Java in phones picking up steam in Asia

Sun's telecom partners in Asia are planning deeper use of Java software in mobile phones. The phones' appeal may still be narrow, though, because of a limited number of applications.

BigPond tunes into indie music

Telstra's music download Web site, BigPondMusic.com has signed a deal with an Australian based music distributor, giving the company access to over 3,000 independent labels globally.

EU vote 'widens loopholes' in software patent directive

European authorities have failed to close loopholes in legislation that will allow pure software to be patented. A key vote on the directive on the software patent directive has not only left loopholes in the legislation intact but may have even widened them, say campaigners

Europe weighs Echelon threat

Seven French deputies are on a fact-finding mission about Echelon, the secret evesdropping agreement reportedly involving the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the UK.

Linux seller gunning for search

Linux seller Linspire has embedded search capabilities into its newly upgraded operating system in an effort to make looking for news or products as easy as highlighting a word on a Web page or e-mail.

Vodafone eyes 3G deal as Hutch admits Telstra talks

Vodafone has confirmed that it's weeks away from signing a contract with a telecommunications equipment vendor, reportedly Nokia, to kick off its third-generation mobile phone network upgrade in Australia and New Zealand.

Sun tool targets Microsoft

Sun Microsystems will show off a new, simplified Java development tool next month intended to steal programmers from rival Microsoft's camp.

Telstra bites back over broadband pricing cuts

Telstra has refuted claims that its new budget price broadband offers are unfair to competing wholesale buyers, saying they are confident their wholesale prices do allow market competition.

Mobile phone towers in the spotlight

Amendments to the Deployment of Radiocommunications Infrastructure code are not the answer to mobile telecommunications tower siting issues raised by communities, according to a lobby group.

Stampede for patches disrupts Microsoft update site

The crush of millions of Windows users trying to patch their computers overwhelmed Microsoft's update service for several hours after new security fixes were made available, the software giant acknowledged on Wednesday.

Political Web sites not pulling in voters

Political party Web sites have failed to comply with usability guidelines, according to research from the interactive system design company The Hiser Group, who said that the six major political party sites are failing to attract the swinging voter.

Music industry gains discovery win in Aussie MP3 site case

The music industry's piracy investigations unit has been given the green light by the Federal Court to continue its search of Internet service provider Comcen's computers and servers after the ISP refused to let forensic investigators have access to its facilities yesterday afternoon.

Australian call centre agents hampered by poor software

Call centres could make significant improvements to customer satisfaction and agent productivity by paying more attention to their systems' user interfaces, a usability specialist told a human factors conference in Melbourne this week.

EU report takes Microsoft to task

A record fine imposed on Microsoft in Europe last month arose from the longstanding nature of the software company's anticompetitive practices, according to a massive report from European regulators.

Microsoft previews next-generation CRM

Microsoft released details of the long-awaited update to its customer relationship management software on Tuesday, adding a slew of new tools and making the system available via the on-demand applications delivery model.

IBM snaps up another partner

IBM announced early today it would acquire long-time partner Candle to further build its roster of management tools.

Gadgets get real-time embedded Linux

MontaVista Software has begun work to endow Linux with a feature currently possessed only by proprietary rivals: a guaranteed fast response time, which is useful in everything from automotive control computers to video players

Alcatel invests $4 million in FTTP centre

Alcatel has launched its AU$4 million new Fibre-to-the-Premise (FTTP) Centre of Excellence in Sydney, called Innovation Central.

UK teen avoids jail for nuclear hacking

A University of Exeter student who hacked into U.S. Department of Energy computers dedicated to U.S. energy supplies and nuclear weapons has been sentenced to 200 hours community service at Southwark Crown Court in London.

Open source push reflects need for FTA action: Lundy

Even modest adoption of open source software could trim 2.5 percent from the government's IT spend, Labor senator and shadow minister for IT Kate Lundy told approximately 150 gathered attendees in a broad keynote speech that kicked off the AUUG'2004 conference in Melbourne yesterday.

Election-prediction addiction

With just hours left before voting is scheduled to end in one of the most-anticipated presidential elections in US history, political pundits ranging from the amateur to the academic are scrambling to update their Web sites with final forecasts.

Take aim at taming these 10 types of techies

There are certain personality types you're bound to encounter among tech staff. Here are 10 types and suggestions for effectively dealing with them.

Wireless Web cam gives a birds-eye view

Australian-developed wireless Web cams will be mounted on the Sydney Harbour Bridge in time for the summer Olympic Games, streaming views direct to the official Games site via radio frequency.

AU testing centre embraces offshoring

Australian based testing centre, Access Testing, has today announced a new strategic partnership with Indian outsourcing company Satyam in a move it claims is going to create more Australian jobs.

The Great (online) Debate

The offices of the Liberal party's Richard Alston, the ALP's Carmen Lawrence, the Democrats' Brian Greig, the Green's Kerry Nettle, and One Nation's Pauline Hanson have all agreed to participate in an online forum on IT policies and promises in the run up to the 2001 Federal Election.

Sun: Free Java for Windows XP

Sun Microsystems announced plans to make its new Java Virtual Machine for Microsoft's Windows XP available as a free download.

Protests derail software patents vote

The European Parliament delays voting on a controversial software-patents directive, following protests and criticism by computer scientists and economists.

'Click' go the polls

While most agree that Internet-based voting remains, at best, a distant possibility, the promise of online voting is one step closer to reality with news that a legislative election in the Australian Capital Territory is offering electronic voting facilities.

Net gambling a "dog's breakfast"

The Australian Casino Association has described the government's 11th-hour legislation on Internet gambling, passed late last night, as a -dog's breakfast".

Napster nears the end of the road

The defunct file-swapping network's assets are expected to be bought by Bertelsmann in a bankruptcy court auction, and its future remains uncertain

SingTel stake in Optus reaches 22 percent

Singapore Telecoms, which is in the process of taking over Cable & Wireless Optus, has now acquired 22.19 percent of Australia's second largest telco.

Ebroking bigwigs take sparkle out of eStar

Australian online share trading company eStar claims to have been pushed out of the market by players at the big end of town.

Crushing the Web's dark forces

Keeping clandestine forces at bay is no mean feat. In this special report, ZDNet Australia features five leading security experts -- from eBay to Ukraine's Computer Crime Research Center -- who pursue cyber criminals for a living.

Oracle: DoJ decision by early March

Oracle expects to receive final word by early March on whether the U.S. Department of Justice will challenge its hostile bid for PeopleSoft, according to a recent California court filing.

Is Ballmer's $100 PC possible?

Microsoft's chief executive may well think that a $100 PC will solve the problem of software piracy - but it's a question of who is willing to bear the cost.

Police chief slams Yahoo! chatroom silence

British police have joined thegrowing list of critics urgin Yahoo! to act against paedophiles using its chatrooms. The company's stonewalling tactics are inappropriate and 'appalling'.

HP deal: Some get layoffs, others bonuses

Although it plans to lay off thousands of workers if its merger with Compaq Computer goes through, Hewlett-Packard is also offering hefty bonuses to some 6,000 key employees it wants to keep.

Pop star threatens to sue porn sites

Teen singer Christina Aguilera may know what a girl wants, but she also knows what she doesn't want: her image being used to promote porn.

Vic politicians tackle PC obsolescence, broadband for election

Both major political parties are pitching IT policies as Saturday's Victorian state election approaches.

Telstra puts broadband rollout in public's hands

Telstra has launched an ADSL Demand Register to determine where there is enough demand to economically upgrade an exchange to be ADSL enabled.

Big tech on campus

College students are getting a crash course in the "digital lifestyle," as schools expand and introduce high-tech perks such as campuswide wireless Internet access, subsidized legal music download services and even free iPods.

Bugbear runs rampant in Australian Parliament

The bugbear virus is causing havoc for the second time in a month at the Australian Parliament House in Canberra, interrupting the government's operations and highlighting dangerous security flaws.

Does the Net need a 'red-light district'?

A red zone for porn and a green one for kids were among the ideas tossed about at a Child Online Protection Act hearing. Does the rest of the Net get an flashing amber light or a 'don't walk' sign?

More bad news for Jeff Papows

In an unusual sex-discrimination complaint against Lotus Development Corp., a former executive has said she and other female managers were singled out for ill treatment by the company's president and his longtime executive assistant.

C&W Optus prepares for name change

Australia's second largest telco Cable & Wireless Optus has said it had started preparing for a change in branding ahead of a AU$17 billion takeover by Singapore Telecommunications.

Democrats' assurance over Telstra sale

Democract Senator Lyn Allison has given assurance that Telstra won't be sold in the coming months, despite indications given by Senator Alston that the Government is seeking to accelerate processes to pass the sale.

Standards: equal access

Just as building codes have changed to make access easier for everyone, so are standards changing in hardware and software design.

The start of something big?

Pria Diagnostics could be the first high-tech company spawned by late-night TV.

Virtual servers: vendors square off

The three main competitors in the Intel server virtualisation space--VMware, Connectix, and SWsoft--offer unique approaches. To help you decide which solution best suits your company's needs, read interviews with these three vendors.

Let's see some ID

Commentary: Radio frequency ID tags may have privacy worries, but the biggest problem is the RFID industry itself.

Hackers become terrorists under UK law

Computer hacking has come under government scrutiny in Britain, with the passage of a new terrorism act which is now in force.

Hiring tips for IT managers

Here are some key steps in planning out your hiring process so that you avoid the bad hires that usually accompany a hiring rush.

ALP shies away from IT policy debate

While John Howard may have been left camera shy after the first and only televised debate, this time it's the Labor Party's turn, declining to take part in a public forum on IT policies, despite initially agreeing enthusiastically to participate in ZDNet Australia's online IT debate.

Red Cross solicitation is a Trojan horse

Before you entrust your credit card information to a malicious user, find out what the American Red Cross has to say about the Septer Trojan horse.

Australians dialling and disposing for the environment

Australia's love affair with mobile phones looks set to pay environmental dividends following today's launch of a mobile phone recycling scheme.

Five reasons IT consultancies fail

IT consulting firms continue to tread water in a challenging organisation environment, and many are reacting by taking a "back to basics" approach to their businesses. Take advice from two consultants who have done just that.

Yahoo! cracks down on paedophiles

Yahoo! UK Managing Director vows to lead the crusade against paedophiles in chat rooms.

Profiting from disaster

Can disaster recovery be anything more than an insurance policy?

Time to ignore SCO?

Linux users are safe even if the courts rule in favour of the SCO Group, says one technology law expert. Is it time for the IT industry to move on?

What will become of Apple?

Every year at this time I make my pilgrimage to Macworld Expo in San Francisco.

Australian animator eyes listing

Australian computer animation company Pineapplehead is proceeding with its ASX flotation on the strength of its established Lako Vision desktop video editing and multimedia distribution business plus a range of sports visualisation software aimed at broadcasters.

Goverment gambling on an SMS future

If you need further proof of the Howard Government's hypocritical and fundamentally flawed approach to online gambling in Australia, take a look at the recent story "Telstra playing the SMS money game".

Australia to cash in on year end IT spend

A surge in computer technology purchases in the fourth quarter will help push information technology spending in 2002 beyond 2001 levels, predicts one market research firm.

Last-minute jabs by each side

Hewlett-Packard and Walter Hewlett tout their backers as shareholders prepare to cast their votes

The real future of Linux

For Linux to grow, a more traditional model of capitalism must be implemented. Red Hat is attempting this move with recent changes to its licensing and support policies. Find out how this might affect future distributions.

Java camp takes cue from Microsoft

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Microsoft's fiercest foes--Java software providers--are showing growing admiration for their powerful rival.

On the outsourcing hot seat

Infosys Technologies CEO Nandan Nilekani says outsourcing is a win-win proposition.

Napster fans up in arms about record sales

The release of industry figures show that 2000 was the best year in the music industry's history. Free-music lovers are using these results as evidence of Napster's mistreatment.

The accidental home hack

Someone, somewhere close by, could be hacking into your wireless LAN, but it might not be malicious. In fact, the perpetrator may be totally unaware he or she has invaded your system. ZDNet Australia looks at this increasingly common problem.

Why telecoms back the pirate cause

Telecommunications lobbyists are lining up to oppose Hollywood's demands for new copyright laws. Verizon lawyer Sarah Deutsch explains what's behind this confrontation.

Market loses sight of optical gear makers

Just as investors lost interest in B2C companies earlier this year, they are shunning startup manufacturers of optical networking gear; especially DWDM products aimed at metropolitan markets.

Teenagers surfing less: Report

The Internet's novelty is wearing thin amongst Aussies teenagers, with many considering it a mere extension of the high-school curriculum and therefore a duty rather than a source of entertainment to indulge in.

'MostHateD' pleads to hacking crime

Patrick Gregory was caught during nationwide antihacker raids last year by the FBI. He faces up to five years in prison and a US$250,000 fine.

Apple foresees Mac-cell phone links

Apple product managers have told British monthly Macworld UK that Mac users can expect mobile-phone links with their portable systems, iBook-like design elements for the PowerBook, third-party Bluetooth add-ons and a WAP-compatible FileMaker plug-in.

Ariba, IBM, Microsoft: New B2B standard

Thirty-six technology companies, led by Ariba, IBM and Microsoft, have unveiled plans to create a universal Internet standard designed to accelerate e-commerce.

Oracle plan exposes Java rift

In a move that has exposed a growing schism in the Java community, an Oracle proposal to bridge Java development tools moved ahead this week with approval from competing Java companies.

The beginning of the end of Java as we know it?

Though the two companies appear to be cooperating more, especially in the area of Web services, the desires of IBM and Microsoft to vanquish one another should not be underestimated.

Spam's not on US Fed's menu

If legislation against spam is to be effective in any way, it needs to be implemented on a global level -- particularly in the United States. Declan McCullagh doesn't give much hope of that.

Proprietary vs open source

COMMENTARY: Linux and other open source software do not represent breakthrough technologies -- or do they?

Frequent fliers: The biometric guinea pigs

Before he starts work every day, Oscar Carranza places his hand in a biometric scanner that traces the contours of his palm and compares them to digital records in the airport's central database.

Division of labour

The world's most powerful computer is sitting on your desktop and works only while you're asleep. Welcome to the world of distributed computing.

Lies, Corruption and the Internet

The big computer technology names listed on the Nasdaq have so far steered clear of the fraud and corruption investigations threatening to take down some of their formerly high-flying brethren on the New York Stock Exchange.

Love me tender

Tendering is an expensive, complex, and lengthy process. Here's how to make it easier.

The FUD war against Linux

Open-source activist Bruce Perens uncovers the SCO-Microsoft connection behind a campaign to convince users that trade secrets of Unix have been copied into Linux.

Tech's top-ten hype-notic spells

Industry watcher Jon Oltsik offers his nominations for technology categories in which the elevation of hype has become an art form.

"Lion" worm stalks Linux machines

A dangerous worm that can steal passwords from Linux servers is rapidly spreading across the Internet and infecting other machines, according to researchers.

A feasibility study: Can you manage it?

A feasibility study differs from typical project management in that it's primarily designed to minimise risk instead of maximising resources.

P3P stalls as backers regroup

Six months after its recommendation as an Internet standard, a major privacy initiative is entering an awkward adolescence as software heavyweights adopt it and individual Web sites leave it to languish.

Web services take open road

Web services can provide easy access to applications, and can simplify collaboration and improve interoperability by using open standards.

Tips for successful IT negotiations

Tech leaders spend much of the week negotiating--with vendors, staffers, and business units. Columnist Bob Weinstein offers insight on how to sharpen your negotiating skills.

The Internet: Saviour of the planet?

The revolution in communications, sparked by the Internet, might be experiencing growing pains but its one-to-one commerce points to a greener future.

Payback time! How to catch a hacker

A new service from McAfee will soon let you discover whether anyone is hacking into your system, and if so, let you submit that information to the malicious user's ISP or local law enforcement officials.

Charity begins at... an e-tailer

An Australian online mall is hoping to lure shoppers with charity -- 50 of them, in fact. Launched today, Free2give.com.au allows customers to support a good cause with every purchase.

In a panic? Get Mother's Day wrapped up on the Net

Is that the same box of chocolates your mother got last year? Avoid the Mother's Day stampede at the shops this weekend. Check out some of these sites and suggestions and get it all wrapped up - we've found places and products for beauty, health, gadgets... although some are, er, a little different.

Notes, Domino Head Lotusphere Roster

Spam bill passes

The U.S.'s California Assembly late last Thursday night approved a bill that would make it illegal to send e-mail using a forged domain name, and would allow Internet service providers to take spammers to court.

Email draws customers to your site

Before the Internet, communicating with potential and existing customers was a little hit and miss, but now it's easier than ever to target individuals and companies that are more likely to turn into buyers. So how do you find new customers, quickly?

Supercomputing: Virtually fighting disease

A free Internet service provider hopes its Virtual Supercomputer Project will help reverse its cash flow and keep email free, while helping scientists search the human genome for disease-fighting proteins.

Breakaway states nix Microsoft pact

Several states have refused to accept an agreement between the Justice Department and Microsoft, choosing instead to press further antitrust litigation against the software company.

Final score: MS/consumers 2--competitors 1

While there will likely be more litigation from competitors seeking to sanction Microsoft in some way, columnist Tim Landgrave explains why the recent US federal ruling bodes well for both Microsoft, and more importantly, the public consumer sector.

Q&A: Why Xbox creator left Microsoft

GameSpot.com spoke with the co-creator of the Xbox to get the reasons for his recently announced resignation, some of the current issues revolving around the Xbox, and his plans for the future.

Red hot laptops

If you're going to have to lug it around, you might as well get a laptop that will make business colleagues green with envy.

Hackers flexing political muscles

What will be the next hacktivism target? Inspired by the Seattle protests, hackers and activists make plans at H2K after a political awakening, of sorts

So, You Wanna Deliver Content?

The trick? Use cash to get cache and other goodies.

Behind the scenes: Olympic tech lifeline

Fort Knox? No, it's the Sydney 2000 Olympic Technology Command Centre -- an anonymous city location with a security force so hefty that gaining entry involves bag searches, metal detectors and an escort through various security doors.

New 'Stages' worm hits Australian corporates

A new computer worm, rated in the same danger category as the 'Love letter' bug, has infested at least five Australian corporations, including a law firm.

Microsoft aims at Jukebox market

Microsoft, upping the ante in the digital-music wars, has unveiled revamped software for playing audio and video over the Internet.

MS promises clear view

Microsoft will soon announce plans to ship long-awaited software it says can dramatically improve the readability of text on computer screens.

Tracking sales: Software options

The benefits of keeping information centralised and up to date are obvious. ZDNet Australia looks at software packages designed to help your sales force stay on track.

Linux takes Hollywood by storm

Linux has replaced software from the likes of Microsoft and Silicon Graphics as the main technology for creating special effects in Hollywood films.

Are notebooks set to bury desktops?

It is just about time for desk tops to call it a day, a moment's slience for the passing of the desktop.

Microsoft, Feds reach a deal

The software maker and the Justice Department settle their longstanding antitrust battle, in an agreement with far-reaching implications.

Will the World Cup score with online convergence?

The job of providing tens of millions of users with live editorial coverage of 64 World Cup soccer matches in seven languages has kept organisers on the ball for months. ZDNet Australia investigates the pre-tournament lead-up for one of the world's largest sporting events.

Bermeister's way: Altnet's plans for P2P technology

As of May 20 Kazaa users gained access to secured content through an Altnet index, thanks to Digital Rights Management. Kevin Bermeister explains how.

Batten down the hatches

In some quarters it is almost regarded as a basic human right that staff should have flexible PCs and unlimited Net access. But there are big advantages to PC configuration lock-down.

Who's behind Australia's greatest gadgets?

ZDNet talks to Australian innovators who have managed to battle a cultural cringe against IT innovation, and sought novel ways to commercialise their product lines.

Disaster recovery: Tools of the trade

No matter how little or how much data you need to protect, you can find a product to suit your needs. What are the tools available today and how do they differ?

Machiavelli, schizophrenia and Microsoft's never-ending story

Unless one side or another decides to appeal, Friday's decision could mark the final chapter in a case once said to be a definitive one for antitrust law in the 21st century.

Can mobile phones really kill you?

I am no Chicken Little when it comes to technology danger. The jaded part of me chalks up a consumer health scares as marketing. And yet, I stick a mobile phone next to my brain a lot. A girl gets to wondering...

The End of the LCD Screen -- At Last!

Don't adjust your spell checker: The new term someday soon for your laptop display will be LEP, not LCD. In fact, we're about to see a whole new range of display devices, including the possible replacement of the morning newspaper.

Java Junkies Revisited

Barring a sudden cold shoulder from IBM, a gaffe by Sun Microsystems, or some other unlikely event, Java is on track to become one of the primary programming languages of e-commerce.

Mac utilities vendors grapple with OS X

Apple Computer's forthcoming Mac OS X may change the way Mac users interact with their favorite computer, but it will have an even bigger effect on the companies that develop Mac OS utilities.

New MSN Logo Subject to Ridicule

Exactly what was Microsoft thinking when it came out with its silly new logo for the yet-again redesigned MSN? Out of the blue, the company has created a multicolored logo of a butterfly that I think trivializes the service. The logo can also be interpreted as a political statement, which could cause the company grief.

AOL-Time Warner: It's just the beginning

If you had told me a year ago that an online service would buy one of the largest media conglomerates in the world, I would have put that one in the same category as finding the Brooklyn Bridge up for auction on eBay.

Paul Zucker: More Drambuie for my Cornflakes please ...Or When Epson was the Co-pilot

Watching a movie in a plane imbues it with meaning and subtlety and character that no terrestrial viewer ever perceives. For me, at least, movies watched while flying over the ocean seem to have a magical quality. Cynics might say it's the abnormal amount of alcohol in the system, or the fact that one headphone earpiece doesn't work and the other one crackles in time with the flexing of the wings, or the fact that your plane doesn't have individual screens so you have to either look at the screen 40 metres in front of you or the one just slightly behind and above you, or the fact that you don't normally watch movies at 4:30am while eating brunch, or the fact that the soundtrack has been interrupted 18 times to announce really important things like the imminent passage of the duty-free trolley.

Analysis: Is MS defense undermined?

University of Pennsylvania professor David Farber railed against Microsoft's integration of its Internet Explorer browser and Windows operating system.

Who's plotting to keep Sun in the Web services shadows?

IBM and Microsoft extended a belated and belittling WS-I invitation to Sun. Are they trying to marginalise the Java creator's Web services stature?

The Great Online Debate

In this Australian exclusive, ZDNet asked the country's major political parties to outline their IT strategies in the lead-up to the 2001 Federal Election, answering the questions of readers on a myriad of technology-related issues.

Keeping hackers from the 'dark side'

FBI security consultant Laura Chappell talks to ZDNet Australia about cyber threats for 2002, how script kiddies and junior hackers can bring down your network, why there is safety in grey hair, and how to train hackers without losing them to the 'dark side'.

EU plans to avert tech eco-disaster

The information technology boom and bust of the 1990s is leaving a lot more than worthless shares and frustrated investors in its wake; it is producing a mountain of electronic waste as technological advancements make computers and other devices containing toxic products obsolete at an increasing pace.

Net bloodhounds: Online people finders

We've all gotten the e-mail: "Find anyone, anywhere on the Web!" But how much truth is there in the promises? We track down the Web sites, the software, and the scams related to online background checking.

Higher intelligence

Business Intelligence software gives managers the tools to draw from many data sources and take a snapshot view of their company's performance. Why are BI vendors defying the industry trend and continuing their stellar growth?

Inside the dot

Forget floating to achieve dotcom success. Gloating can be a far more rewarding fund-raising activity. Witness a commentary on life as a dotcom survivor.

Lords of the Rings

It's not enough to say the Internet is changing the Olympics experience. The Web is creating an entirely new state of mind for the century-old gathering. But can it one-up television?

George Bush talks tech with ZDNet

When it comes to technology, US Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush is like a lot of people. He owns a PC, e-mails his family and friends, and lists privacy violations among his top concerns.

Upstarts Shake Up Networking Industry

Network equipment start-ups are exerting increasing influence on the balance of power in the networking industry

MS digs itself a hole, McGeady fills it

Holley should have learned early on that his cross-examination of McGeady had to be precise to the final decimal point.

Leap of faith: Why B2B went bust

Costs and cultural complexities scared off many marketplace potentials and doomed the industry.

Web services: Messiah or mirage?

Software vendors keep telling us that Web services are the answer. But what is the question? ZDNet Australia explores the state of Web services today.

The small-guy squeeze

Looking to create a bit of breathing room during these tough economic times, managers are relying on big companies, not small players, for safe products.

Why your CIO could be your secret weapon

Your CIO can do more than just formulate an IT strategy. When it's time to pitch your expertise to CEOs, CFOs and other C-level customers, sending in a CIO can achieve real results.

ROI: You can teach a New Economy old tricks

In these tough times, customers will no longer trust you on the basis of VC referrals or your phone manner. It's time to prove that your customers need your services. ROI-based sales pitches of the past make a resurgence in the dot-com downturn of the present.

Deflating Bandwidth Glut Predictions

That giant sucking sound you hear is the collective gasps of enterprises and service providers that were expecting the massive build-out of the public network to produce bandwidth in quantities as plentiful as the air they breath.

PCs don't have to be ugly

They don't have to be ugly ... but they usually are. PCs and PC accessories, I mean. Relentlessly and needlessly. And I'm tired of it. Period.

Net revolution poised to pounce on TV

The Internet revolution is moving to television, forcing companies to adopt interactive strategies for a medium that for the first time merges advertising, entertainment and electronic commerce into a single platform.

Idea to reality: Get to market faster

It's scary but true: Half of all new products are destined to fail. Don't let yours be one of them. A new generation of digital tools improves your odds of success.

Dialogue with an online brain

Technology supergenius Mark Lucente wants to give your Web site a brain so it can have a nice, profitable conversation with customers. Any questions?

Hollywired: Movies on the Net

Hollywired takes a look at where the online film industry is now and where it's headed. Check out our interview with Angelina Jolie, the confessions of a would-be movie pirate, a look at online animation and our guide to film download sites.

Green Design

Energy and environmental concerns have refocused U.S. corporations and the design communities on sustainability issues in construction, renovation and existing buildings. A program, backed by more than 1,400 organizations, has formed to provide a standard for adoption of green design...

Turning Green

The Children's Medical Center of Central Texas is a case study in environmentally friendly hospital construction-from the ground up. In December 2003, Boulder (Colo.) Community Foothills Hospital became the first healthcare facility in the nation to earn a U.S. Green...

The Opposite of Green Is Purple?

The conventional understanding of opponent colors has red and green as one axis and yellow and blue on a second axis. This perceptual opponency is a result of the trichromatic nature of human color vision in combination with subsequent processing...

ALM Software Solutions for Green IT

Being a responsible corporate citizen today means more than reducing smokestack emissions and toxic waste. There must be a concerted effort to further reduce damaging carbon emissions throughout the enterprise. As such, visionary organizations are building a business case for...

Green on the Grand Office Building

Green on the Grand demonstrates that offices can be attractively lit through the use of daylighting, energy-efficient light fixtures and task lighting. Electricity use for lighting is 50% lower than that typically used in offices. Green on the Grand is...

Green IT Survey: Executive Summary

In government, being environmentally conscious has moved from being a "Good" thing to do to having policymaker imperative behind pursuing green technologies. The U.S. Conference of Mayors reports that now more than 850 mayors have signed onto the organization's Climate...

Examining the Value and Drivers Behind Green IT

With research indicating that the non-renewable resources cannot support the energy consumption trends, governments and businesses are recognizing the need for Greener IT practices. The adoption of environmentally sustainable, energy-saving technology practices has become increasingly important to IT departments in...

Green IT: Power Management

Most PC users don't take advantage of even minimal power management settings. Even when the monitor is turned off on a desktop PC, or when it is set to Standby, a PC will consume almost as much energy as a...

Green Meetings Made Easy

There is more concern about the rapid decay of the environment today than ever before. As individuals, one has a responsibility to respond to these concerns and there is no better place to start than in the hospitality industry. There...

Green Grows Saddleback Valley

Saddleback Valley Unified School District needed to refresh its aging HP server farm in an environment of severe budget cutting. Existing servers were poorly utilized and required extensive amounts of power and cooling. The district consolidated and virtualized its HP...

Going Green: A Strategic Guide to Green IT Management

Green IT solutions have established themselves as important - and in some cases, critical - deployments for increasing energy efficiencies in order to reduce operational costs, achieve power utilization objectives and ensure sustainable value in IT investments. Rising energy costs...

Go green, save green through energy efficiency

Learn how to cut your ever-growing energy costs. This IBM ForwardView webshow describes areas where IBM can help you maximize savings without minimizing your competitive edge. Like selecting machines with a sleep mode, reducing server sprawl with virtualization, investing in...

Construction Cost Savings With Green Building Products

This article explains how to save on construction costs while building a residence that contributes to your health, well-being, and a cleaner environment, by using green building products. Not only can green building products be healthier for people and good...

Metro Record Management Green, Transparent

Metro Regional Government is a directly elected regional government that develops policies and programs related to the planning, development, and infrastructure needs of 25 cities, three counties, and 1.4 million residents in and around Portland, Oregon. Metro Regional Government wanted...

Green Healthcare Construction Case Studies

This article describes about special construction for patients. Patients with environmentally induced medical problems come to the Center seeking Western and Eastern remedies. Many have multiple allergies, making it all the more critical for Guenther Petrarca to "push the envelope"...

Making Green IT a Reality

"Green IT" is a popular concept today, as data centers worldwide face rising costs for power, cooling, and space and companies strive to meet public demand for improved environmental stewardship. Many IT organizations, however, are just starting to understand the...