Predictions 2008 – Second Guesses

From Anna Cook, Partner, Wedlake Bell: www.wedlakebell.com I think that the suppliers of outsourced services are gaining confidence and they are being less flexible in the provision of services.   Also, services are becoming more commoditised.   In turn, this is giving rise to simpler contracts.  Customers are also seeking to negotiate shorter term contracts and more…

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Russian Software Development: A Personal View

I don’t like the taste of straight vodka, however expensive. This can be a social obstacle while working in Russia, I’ve found. But apart from one’s particular taste in alcohol, I’ve found that there’s much to recommend outsourcing one’s software development there. The country is loaded with brainy, entrepreneurially-minded engineers who yearn for bigger and…

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Predictions 2008: Early Birds

From Roger Bickerstaff, Partner at Bird & Bird and SCL Trustee: www.twobirds.com 1. I predict an increasing focus on open source software in the business applications environment for major corporate users – not for cost or ideological reasons – but more for vendor independence reasons. Open source gives major corporate users an opportunity to develop…

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Data Loss: Changing the Economic Balance

The loss of CDs containing the personal information of 25M UK citizens has rightly caused an out-pouring of ‘Shame on you’ on HMRC and prompted questions like ‘How could you let this happen?’ The real question that the British people should be asking though is this: ‘Who else has lost my data that I haven’t…

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Olswang Consumer Convergence Survey

The Olswang Convergence Consumer Survey 2007 is an online survey of 1,793 GB consumers, aged 13 to 55. What follows is an edited version of its Executive Summary and a link to the full survey appears below. Currently in its third year, the annual survey was conducted for Olswang by international polling agency YouGov Plc,…

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Multi-actions against File-sharers – in the UK

Acting for Nevada-based games company Topware Interactive Inc, Davenport Lyons obtained a disclosure order from the High Court in London in February of this year requiring the relevant ISPs to disclose the identity of individuals owning the internet connections used to upload and illegally distribute Topware’s Dream Pinball 3D game….

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Data Protection and the HMRC Fiasco

We asked a number of data protection experts for comment on the controversial loss of disks with details of 25 million individuals. The overwhelming reaction was that it was proof positive that greater care is needed and that a deeply ingrained cultural shift may be required in many organisations. Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, who described…

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