Archived Industry Notes: Technology
Published in 2010

1 in 10 IT pros cheat firewall audits, survey finds

In a survey of IT professionals, nearly 10 percent admitted cheating to pass a firewall audit. But what is called cheating may be the result of a lack of time or resources more so than malicious intent. Cheating on a firewall audit can be tempting. So much so that roughly 1 in 10 IT pros surveyed by firewall management vendor Tufin Technologies admitted to cutting corners to get an audit passed. The results of the latest survey, which included responses from 242 IT pros that were mostly from organizations with 1,000 to 5,000 or more employees, is actually an improvement compared to last year’s study, which found twice as many had cheated. Those who cheated cited a lack of time and resources as the main reasons. But the complexity of firewall audits means “cheating” may not necessarily be the right word, a Forrester Research analyst said.

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first published week of: 06/14/2010

10 Best Hacks of 2010 (So Far)

In honor of Geek Pride Day, Towel Day, and the Glorious 25th of May, here are ten of our most favorite hacks featured in Geek Tech in the last five months, running the gambit from phone, car, and CPU mods. Read on for some great moments in geek!

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first published week of: 05/31/2010

10 Emerging Technologies 2010

Each year, MIT’s Technology Review selects what it believes are the 10 most important emerging technologies. The winners are chosen based on the editors’ coverage of key fields. The question that they ask is simple: is the technology likely to change the world? Some of these changes are on the largest scale possible: better biofuels, more efficient solar cells, and green concrete all aim at tackling global warming in the years ahead. Other changes will be more local and involve how we use technology: for example, 3-D screens on mobile devices, new applications for cloud computing, and social television. And new ways to implant medical electronics and develop drugs for diseases will affect us on the most intimate level of all, with the promise of making our lives healthier.

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first published week of: 05/03/2010

10 Most Uncool Moments in Tech

Tech companies, … try with all their might to come across as cool. Sometimes, they succeed--Apple’s “I’m a Mac” ads managed to project an air of coolness that stuck for years--but equally often, their attempts to connect with consumers make them look more out of touch than Mr. Magoo at a Megadeath concert.

Ultimately, it all comes down to something I call “The Dude principle of coolness”: If you’re actually trying, odds are, you’re failing. And the harder you try, the greater those odds become.

Here are 10 times when tech companies’ attempts failed miserably.

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first published week of: 07/05/2010

10 Ridiculous New Tech Acronyms
Every so often, you have to SYH (shake your head) at the acronyms created by technology companies. Just don't be an -aaS about it.

Is it any surprise that acronyms have taken over our lives? They fit perfectly in our fast-paced, multi-tasking society. Why say something in words if you can say it in letters? Even more acronyms, or TLAs (three-letter acronyms), were ushered in to the cultural lexicon as instant messaging and text messaging became popular. Hello LOL, OMG, BRB and OTP. If something is surprising and disturbing, that's a WTF. A friend revealing too much detail about personal grooming habits? That's TMI.

The tech sector, with its long and winding names for products and services, has always been a breeding ground for acronyms. Tech acronyms can be inscrutable, unintentionally funny, accidentally crass, or just goofy. In total, they add up to a big steaming bowl of alphabet soup.

Here, in no particular order, are 10 new acronyms that make you say hmmm. 1. GAPE
Actually stands for: Google (GOOG) Apps Premier Edition, Google's Web-based productivity apps and e-mail suite for businesses.
Sounds like: At first glance, Grape or Ape. And Gape makes you think of a disaster you can't help but look at. Or a gaping hole ... in a plot, an argument or a product's performance. Gap would have been better, but that was taken.

TRAH (the rest are here)

first published week of: 08/23/2010

10 Strategies for Managers of Mobile Workers

By 2011, the mobile workforce in the U.S. is expected to reach 120.1 million people. Embracing this trend is more of a question of “how” rather than “if”: How will you measure, manage and build relationships with increasingly distributed teams and workers?

Fortunately, there are many strategies to help managers adapt to developing their mobile teams. And while it requires some tactical changes, management of remote employees can be very rewarding.

Download the Mobile Workforce White Paper to learn: