Stories by Mitch Betts

Opinion: Predictions: Software development, Web services

Our call for predictions regarding the future of software development and Web services yielded a bumper crop of interesting insights.

Dirty data

There are many ways that a supplier named IBM could be entered into a supply chain database: IBM Corp., I.B.M. Corporation, International Business Machines Corp. or a host of other variations.

Kinks in the chain

You've heard the war stories of enterprise resource planning system rollouts -- they're notoriously difficult to pull off. But supply chain management system projects may be even harder, given that they must unite not only the often-warring fiefdoms within a corporation but also the thousands of suppliers outside it.

GE's Appliance Park still an IT innovator

The trucks rolled up to the brand-new, ultramodern factory in Louisville, Ky., one day in January 1954. Now, 47 years later, no one seems to remember the exact date. There wasn't any hoopla: No reporters or speeches or ribbon-cuttings.

Study: Taiwan, Estonia Good Places for E-Commerce

Taiwan and Estonia have emerged as leaders among developing countries in the ability to conduct e-commerce, while Russia and much of the Middle East and Africa are lagging badly, according to a report released today.

Microsoft Calls Antitrust Case Too Messy

Microsoft Corp. Wednesday urged the U.S. Supreme Court to let the lower U.S. Court of Appeals do the heavy-duty work of clearing the "underbrush" of messy issues in the antitrust case against the software vendor, instead of directly hearing the company's appeal of the breakup order issued last month.

Microsoft Says Case Too Messy for Supreme Court

Microsoft Corp. today urged the U.S. Supreme Court to let the lower U.S. Court of Appeals do the heavy-duty work of clearing the "underbrush" of messy issues in the antitrust case against the software vendor, instead of directly hearing the company's appeal of the breakup order issued last month.

Critics Urge Regulation of Airlines Market

Orbitz, an online travel agency being developed by the nation's top five airlines, ran into major turbulence at a U.S. Senate hearing this week. Consumer groups, travel agents, competitors - and one federal investigator - said the government should prevent Orbitz from gaining a monopoly on posting ultralow airline fares.

Critics Joust over Orbitz at Hearing

Orbitz, an online travel agency being developed by the nation's five largest airlines, ran into major turbulence at a hearing held today by the Senate Commerce Committee to examine potential antitrust issues involving the Internet venture.

FTC Keeping an Eye on B2B Markets

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) made it clear last week that it's still learning about business-to-business e-commerce exchanges - and that it's in no hurry to regulate the fledgling online markets.

Digital Signatures Law to Speed B-to-B Deals

The headlines about the new "digital signatures" law have highlighted its effect on consumer transactions. But according to experts, it will have a bigger impact on business-to-business e-commerce, including online procurement and electronic marketplaces.

Judge Kicks Microsoft Case to Supreme Court

The Microsoft Corp. antitrust case this week was kicked upstairs, all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Legal Skirmishing Continues Between DOJ, Microsoft

Legal skirmishing in the Microsoft Corp. antitrust case continued today with new court filings by both sides as they continue to battle over the potentially critical issue of where the company's appeal of last week's breakup order should be heard.

FTC, Net Advertisers Discussing Privacy Guidelines

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and leading Internet advertising networks such as DoubleClick Inc. are negotiating an industry self-regulatory scheme aimed at addressing privacy concerns about consumer profiling and Web personalization.

IT Blamed for Gore's Missing E-Mail

The White House last week admitted that it failed to make backups of Vice President Al Gore's e-mail messages for more than a year because of what it described as a "technical configuration error" on a Windows NT server.