Recent Articles
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The Double-edged Sword of Technology and Security
Technology and crime are uneasy partners. As hackers, crackers and sundry cyber attackers prove almost daily, turning technology into a tool of crime is a simple proposition. “Technology breeds crime. It always has, it always will,” said Frank Abagnale, the con-artist-turned-FBI-associate whose exploits were depicted in the Hollywood blockbuster “Catch Me If You Can.” Abagnale…
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IBM Knows the Meaning of “Partner”
When I go out to eat I try to treat the serving staff with the respect they deserve. They work hard for little pay and are not our personal servants. And just because they happen to be taking my dinner order on any particular night, that doesn’t give me the right to boss them around…
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Security Vendors Woo VARS at Trade Conference
Security vendors are courting VARs at this week’s CompTIA Breakaway conference to help them gain traction in the vast SMB market. Security is atop the priority list of an increasing number of VARs and integrators, who say small and midsize business customers have great security needs, even if they don’t realize they have them. For…
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Lenovo Partners Left Empty-Handed
Sales of IBM PCs under new owner Lenovo have proven so successful that the company is having trouble filling orders for some models, according to a Lenovo executive. For Lenovo Group Ltd. channel partners trying to fill customer orders, the product constraints are a hassle. Some partners worry their end-user customers will switch to other…
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IBM Changes Terms, Loses Partners
IBM Shrinks Suppliers: Round Two IBM has been offering lower margins in return for higher volumes to its staff augmentation contractors, a move that has caused some to leave the business. Keane Inc. last month dropped its staff augmentation work at IBM, citing a recent change in IBM’s direction. Another IT services provider, Ciber Inc.,…
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‘Information’ Part of IT is VARs’ Best Option
Las Vegas: The information-technology industry has always focused more on the technology than the information. But as margins tighten and customers seek more value, it’s time to shift the spotlight to information, Xerox North America President James A. Firestone told a gathering of VARs on Wednesday. “The t side [of the information-technology equation] is all…
