A towering decision
For Tower Records, the question was whether to develop or outsource a better search engine WHEN KEVIN ERTELL went looking for a better navigation and search tool for TowerRecords.com, he faced a question familiar to every chief technologist: Build or…
Networking CTOs lead the way
Increasing numbers of corporate CTOs are trading in dreams of building the perfect, internal NOC (network operations center) for more pragmatic outsourcing plans. Devoting precious funds into advanced networking capabilities has become a luxury many enterprise officials feel they can…
Rules engines get power users running
Once the exclusive domain of developers, the rules management arena may soon be opened to business users via emerging technology designed to allow nontechies to change business rules without altering code or waiting for a new application release. Vendors are…
Check the fine print
Language contained in Microsoft’s Product Use Rights document raises concerns about security issues and privacy BILL GATES SAYS security is Microsoft’s top priority, but just whose security does he have in mind? Consider some of Microsoft’s recent boilerplate legalese —…
Games people play
Does bringing game shows to your cell phone make wireless carriers savvy or just plain desperate? See correction below IF SCOFFING AT someone else’s pedestrian taste makes you feel better, then read this column. I myself am trying mightily to…
Virtual virtuosity
Advances in Unix-and Intel-based server virtualization take aim at the overblown costs of server hardware MAINFRAME AND high-end Unix server administrators have long relied on the ability to logically partition systems in order to distribute application workloads and make efficient…
Changing the rules
Blaze Advisor 4.0 and other rules engines give business users a direct hand in rules management DEFINING, IMPLEMENTING, AND maintaining business rules in the enterprise typically is left up to developers and database administrators, who include such rules in software…
Managing on the edge of change
CTOs are leading IT at a critical time as Web technologies reach a new level of maturity CTOS TEND TO personify the best — and sometimes the worst — attributes of people who choose to make their living building and…
Java Tip 123: Dial into the wireless world
Execute a simple phone book application with WML and JSP We have all heard the phrase killer wireless application. Unfortunately, those killer apps are more complicated than they look. Competing standards, myriad devices, and different browsers create a difficult development…
Exceptions: Don’t get thrown for a loss
Catch the differences between checked and runtime exceptions February 8, 2002 Q: Please explain the difference between checked exceptions and runtime exceptions? When would I throw them, and when would I catch them? A: Java provides two main exception types:…
