Napster dominates news
The Windows 2000 rollout in the latter part of the year didn't start with the bang Microsoft had expected. Instead there has been a steady migration of Windows 2000 throughout the Australian market.
According to Gartner Director of B2B Research Bruce McCabe, corporations and government enterprises in Australia were so sick of turning over PC's every three years, which is why they didn't jump on it.
Application Service Providers (ASPs) hit the top of the hype cycle late in 1999 and gained momentum in 2000. There was a new understanding that software should be delivered on an ASP model or a rental basis, rather than buying a lifetime license. The shift to ASPs won't happen overnight according to McCabe, however it will happen.
Napster scoured the music scene with a simple software program known as MP3, creating a new technology trend called P2P (peer-to-peer computing). This new craze provided endless free music downloads to fans worldwide, causing major record labels to run for the courts to have Napster shut down, permanently.
However, with the recent merge between Napster and BMG signalling the end of Napster as we know it, what will 2001 hold for the music industry online?
Controversy was hot in Australia as the Government tried to bring about a 12 month freeze on Internet Gambling start-ups. In recent months, the curtain finally came down with the passing of a moratorium which effectively prevented any new licences being granted.
