Open source and proprietary software backers are going head-to-head for all the wrong reasons, and their resources and efforts could be better spent concentrating on beefing up applications, says Gartner Research.

Meanwhile, instant messaging and Wi-Fi are two technologies poised for increased penetration in Australian enterprises.

According to Bob Hayward, senior vice president and research fellow at Gartner Asia-Pacific, companies should evaluate corporate versions of IM packages and not rely on free or low cost alternatives which can be downloaded from the Internet.

Wi-Fi is another technology earmarked for growth next year but like instant messaging, it still suffers from security weaknesses but Hayward said there could be light at the end of the tunnel as work on an enhanced security protocol is in the pipeline.

Open source campaigns fought on wrong territory
 Proponents of open source and proprietary software are exchanging blows on the wrong battleground, says Gartner Research vice president Andrea Di Maio.

Enterprises should embrace IM: Gartner
 Despite nagging concerns about its security, instant messaging applications are now mature enough for corporate use if Australian companies change their perception of the platform, says a senior Gartner analyst.

Adapt or die: Gartner
 Australia's information technology departments had better brace themselves -- the whirlwind pace of change in the business world is not going to slow and companies must adapt or die.

Is cyberterrorism a phantom menace?
 Gartner's information security and risk research director has reduced cyber-terrorism to a mere "theory", saying that despite the incidence of high profile digital attacks, cyber terrorism is a phenomenon that has never occurred.

Lack of tools hampers storage management
 The main barrier to managing the explosion in data is a lack of storage management tools, says research firm Gartner.

Of sales quotas and CIOs
 At the rate the role of CIOs are changing, non-traditional responsibilities such as sales and marketing could soon come under their purview.

Linux: The reality in Australian enterprises
 The maturity of open-source software tools and services has created a groundswell of Linux users in corporate Australia, a senior Gartner analyst said.

Microsoft: An open-source champion?
 Open-source software is the industry's most notable "disruptive innovator", says Gartner. Will Microsoft be forced to advocate the platform?

Is this the RHEL deal?
 Has Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) finally come of age with its latest release and will enterprises in Australia start taking Red Hat seriously? Research firm Gartner believes the company is improving but points out its weak spots.

Ex-cybersecurity czar issues gloomy report card
 This year alone, cyberattacks have shut down an ATM network, slowed the railroads, cancelled airline flights, and forced a nuclear power plant offline. If current trends continue, the cybersecurity situation will worsen exponentially.

Gartner predicts the future of IT
 Gartner sees the next wave of technology--the confluence of wireless, real-time infrastructure, and service-oriented architecture--as a catalyst that could transform or kill entire industries.

HP touts 'Adaptive Enterprise,' whatever that is
 Six months after Hewlett-Packard revealed its new computing strategy, a clear definition of "Adaptive Enterprise" still remains somewhat elusive, Carly Fiorina, HP's chief executive, acknowledged on Tuesday.

Intel CEO cautions against global competition At Gartner's Symposium/ITxpo in Orlando, Florida, Intel CEO Craig Barrett urges the U.S. to continue investing in research, education and infrastructure to stay competitive with countries such as China and India in IT. See video

MCI vows to regain public trust after bankruptcy At Gartner's Symposium/ITxpo in Orlando, Florida, MCI CEO Michael Capellas says winning back the public's trust will be a "top priority" when the company emerges from bankruptcy. See video

Fiorina clarifies 'Adaptive Enterprise' strategy At Gartner's Symposium/ITxpo in Orlando, Florida, Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina tries to clear up the confusion over her company's new "Adaptive Enterprise" computing strategy. See video

Ballmer questions open-source code security At Gartner's Symposium/ITxpo in Orlando, Florida, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer disputes the idea that open-source code is easier to secure than that of Windows. See video