Development of an Internet Payment Processing System

This article describes the author’s experience with the development of the first Yugoslav Internet payment processing system. The system’s architecture is very similar to the Three Domain (3D) model that started to emerge later. This success story is worthwhile sharing with a wider audience.

Digital Revolution or the Wild, Wild West?

Article starts with an entertaining story of CIO mis-management and then goes on to discuss the problem of lack of management processes and centrally available decision support information to competently manage rapid deployment of change to the mission critical technology infrastructure.

Internet consumer contract law favours the cyber-merchants above individual users

“Consumer contracts in cyberspace often include terms that paper contracts would blush at. They may deprive users of intellectual property rights, exclude consumer warranties and severely limit liability . . . Merchants have all the power and consumers have little. Agreements can be changed without warning, and even without notification. Customers are supposed to keep checking back, on the off-chance that something has changed. … [ Read more ]

E-Commerce: The Plot Thickens

As businesses’ online experience grows, some common themes emerge, including:
– Channel harmony
– Flat organizational structures
– Strategy first
– Performance measures

New Light-Based Computer Runs At Quantum Speeds

A simple computer that marries the mind-boggling computing power of quantum mechanics with the ease of manipulating light has been built by researchers at the University of Rochester. The device proves that a specific quirk of atoms, which lets scientists conduct huge computations almost instantly, can be perfectly mimicked by light, which is much more practical to control than individual atoms. The result could … [ Read more ]

Pan For Gold In The Clickstream

Article examines the issues involved with analyzing how customers navigate and interact with e-commerce websites. Explains at a high-level the issues involved with data mining and the challenges of dealing with the underlying data produced by web server logs. Also includes a reference table of leading vendors offering software in this field.

XML-Like The Air That We Breathe

XML will change the appearance and substance of corporate systems. A big part of the language’s appeal is in being able to meld business processes with application.

CEO Perspectives: The Catch 22 of IT Cost Management

Article discusses three recent trends in managing IT within companies:
1. A move from isolating IT spending from overall business process costs.
2. Some companies are viewing IT cost management on a different basis than simply controlling the growth in absolute spending.
3. Companies are seeking to dramatically reduce the cycle time before benefits start to be realized.

A Hunger For Integration

Companies that deal with franchisees have to walk a fine line with their IT initiatives. The challenge: How to leverage technology with independent affiliates.

Ian Morrison (consultant and author)

In any revolutionary technology, the pace of change is overestimated in the short run, and the magnitude of change is underestimated in the long run.