BlueDog | The Premier WebObjects ASP

We're on a brief break...more soon!


Worked in a Health and Human Services project here.
posted by Tom Termini at 11/09/2001

BlueDog is 100% UNIX...and our systems keep on running!


Web facing new Code Red attack today / Second coming may be worse Unlike other major systems attacks, which spread via e-mail, Code Red mostly infects servers than run Web sites. So ordinary computer users -- who might thwart a virus by avoiding suspicious-looking e-mails -- can still catch the worm if they run Microsoft Corp.'s Windows NT or Windows 2000 operating systems on their home or work computers, said Marc Maiffret, chief hacking officer at EEye Digital Security, the Aliso Viejo (Orange County) company credited with identifying Code Red.
posted by Tom Termini at 7/31/2001

Welcome to the DigitalGuru Computer Bookshops How can you use ASPs for your business? The Application Service Provider-market is on the verge of becoming a multibillion-dollar business, from its position as a niche market. Hiring an application instead of buying one means that the network (i.e. the Internet) becomes crucial.
posted by Tom Termini at 7/30/2001

The Key to Encryption Encrypting data that passes over the Internet from customers to e-commerce sites is a good thing. But it's not necessarily enough.

In fact, personal data used in online transactions is often encrypted at the least significant time.

Virtually all cases of credit card theft happen when a malicious hacker gains access to an e-commerce site's server, and is then able to access the database that contains customer information -- which by then is often unencrypted and exposed.

posted by Tom Termini at 7/16/2001

Here's a good sidebar on the same topic....


ASPs: Things to consider, 03/12/01 When deciding whether to go with a multiproduct ASP or an ASP aggregator, there are several key things to keep in mind
posted by Tom Termini at 7/14/2001

Choosing an aggregator? Read over two companies' experiences...

ASPs and multiple apps: Tying things together, 03/12/01 One chose a traditional ASP, while the other chose a so-called ASP aggregator, a company that provides a range of ASP services through a single, secure portal.
posted by Tom Termini at 7/14/2001

Reason enough to use a BlueDog solution, because ALL important data -- custoemr, product, transaction -- are well out-of-reach of prying eyes. All information in BlueDog-deployed applications are behind firewalls within secure database servers. Even the content visitors see on a BlueDog-powered website is generated by compiled applications.

Small Business Computing Magazine - Online Shops Expose Customer Order Data Several small online shops are exposing their customer order data, including credit card numbers, because of improperly installed online shopping cart software.

Also check out some stuff on my home page.
posted by Tom Termini at 6/20/2001

PSINet, C&W spat causes Net disconnect | Computerworld News & Features Story PSINet, C&W spat causes Net disconnect

Internet traffic between the networks of Internet service provider PSINet Inc. and carrier Cable & Wireless PLC (C&W) came to a screeching halt for four days during the past week after the two companies couldn't come to an agreement on a "peering" contract.


posted by Tom Termini at 6/08/2001

FT.com | News and Analysis | World Article Good intentions that could kill e-commerce
A treaty to enforce laws in cross-border disputes threatens an unwieldy solution to a manageable problem.
posted by Tom Termini at 5/31/2001

An interesting interview...a meal-delivery service, using WebObjects to run the e-commerce apps.

E-Commerce Times: Success Stories E-Commerce Success Story:
Cybermeals, Inc.

posted by Tom Termini at 5/30/2001

Another reason to stick with industrial-grade Unix... we do!

News: Insurer: Windows NT a high risk Microsoft's server software is easy to install, loaded with features and fairly reliable. It may also be more costly to insure against hack attacks.
posted by Tom Termini at 5/29/2001

The single biggest threat to your servers on the net....this is an interesting study on the number of attacks on the net.

Abstract - Inferring Internet Denial-of-Service Activity - CAIDA : OUTREACH : papers : backscatter Inferring Internet Denial-of-Service Activity
posted by Tom Termini at 5/23/2001

As the premier WebObjects ASP, we are lookikng forward to a bright future with Apple's enterprise technology forming the underpinnings of our solution set.


Mac OS Rumors Another exciting chapter in the history of the Mac platform has begun today; virtually all of today's announcements and whisperings are setting the stage for future developments (more drivers and more applications for Mac OS X, a powerful new server platform, Apple moving entirely to flat-panel displays, more pervasive user of nVIDIA accelerators, etc.)....and from where we stand, the future is looking bright.

posted by Tom Termini at 5/22/2001

We're at WWDC with our developer team. Lots of big news that will impact our clients....in a good way!!

Mac OS Rumors WebObjects 5 premiered, with an emphasis on its Java technologies and the ability to merge existing Java applications and expertise into Mac OS X Server (among several other WO-friendly platforms).
posted by Tom Termini at 5/22/2001

One of the most powerful features of e-commerce...

E-Commerce News: An Online Bargain, Right Under Our Noses Why are comparison sites facing an uphill struggle? It may have to do with the adage, 'there's no such thing as a free lunch.'
posted by Tom Termini at 5/17/2001

Is this the year for unified messaging? Is this truly the year for bringing voice mail and faxes into your mailbox?

Wow, I wrote this? This is crazy, looking back from the vantage point of 2006!
posted by Tom Termini at 5/03/2001

DSL momentum may be waning, but Symmetric High-bit rate DSL (SHDSL)
could revive interest in the technology. Businesses in particular
could benefit from low implementation costs and more stringent SLAs,
and some providers are already targeting enterprises interested in
connecting telecommuters or deploying voice over DSL (VODSL)
technologies.

ITworld.com - High-grade DSL gains momentum
posted by Tom Termini at 5/01/2001

Do you agree? I am skeptical...
Analyst Columns: ASP Will Be Dead in a Year In a year's time the ASP "phenomenon" will have ground to a halt. I won't dignify it by calling it an industry, but whatever it is, will be no more
posted by Tom Termini at 4/27/2001

As usual, we're ahead of the pack.

searchASP.com For U.S.-based ASPs considering an expansion across the Atlantic there is no time like the present. That is the clear message emerging from the latest research by New York-based analyst firm Basex Inc.
posted by Tom Termini at 4/25/2001

Despite some negative press, the ASP industry's numbers actually exceeded IDC's predictions for the year 2000. Good news for the business model, but how will the future shape up, exactly? This analysis admits it is hard to tell, but using the evolution of the telecommunications model as an example, the value of services delivered across networks cannot be denied.

IDC Newsletter - xSP Advisor
posted by Tom Termini at 4/24/2001

Small seems to be better...for e-commerce success.

BW Online | April 23, 2001 | The Davids of E-Commerce
posted by Tom Termini at 4/23/2001

Ever wonder how long will it be before the 'average home user' can pay a fee for ASP service and access their programs, etc. instead of purchasing them? Check out this opinion....

searchASP.com: searchASP ATE Question And Response
posted by Tom Termini at 4/23/2001

The big boys are still workin' hard...


IDC: USi leads worldwide ASP market, 04/18/01 application service provider USinternetworking, whose customer list includes Hershey Foods, Legg Mason and Kinkos, leads the worldwide ASP market, according to market research firm IDC.

posted by Tom Termini at 4/19/2001

CRN: Daily Archives

"Technology is the starting point to accelerate the process, but successful collaborative commerce will belong to those companies whose management recognizes the holistic changes that must occur for a company to achieve true, lasting competitive advantage through e-commerce, the next phase of e-business,"
posted by Tom Termini at 4/04/2001

Groupware...an ASP natural!

News: Groupware grows up--finally "Traditional groupware was and still is centrally managed by the IT department. But when you're talking about solutions being used on fairly fast-cycle collaborative environments, you cannot afford that," says Francois Gossieaux, chief marketing officer for digital workplace developer
posted by Tom Termini at 4/01/2001

Instant Messaging Turns Web Users Into Customers - Study The study by the Cutter Consortium, an information technology (IT) consulting company, surveyed 30 executives from large IT organizations. Its respondents said the biggest business advantages to adding an IM element to a company Web site included turning e-visitors into customers, strengthening customer loyalty and shortening the sales cycle.
posted by Tom Termini at 4/01/2001

Value means more than a revenue stream:

B2B: Third time could be a charm - Tech News - CNET.com As many businesses now realize, the real gains from online B2B commerce will come not from trading but from better access to and the sharing of information. The following articles from McKinsey Quarterly take a hard look at the early failures of business-to-business marketplaces, and how such models can be successful in the future.
posted by Tom Termini at 3/27/2001

Many technologies enable you to track the
behavior of your online visitors; the Pew Internet and
American Life Project is more interested in looking into broader questions about web use.

...Rainie, director of the year-old, nonprofit Pew Internet and American Life Project, is more interested in such social questions as, why don't some people like the Internet at all?

posted by Tom Termini at 3/23/2001

Other things than pricing can draw on-line buyers.
E-Commerce News: Harnessing the Power of Online Pricing Low prices, although consistently cited by consumers as an online shopping draw, are not as important as many believe,
posted by Tom Termini at 3/23/2001

'Dot-Bomb' Stuff Could Be Another Firm's Treasure | Computerworld News & Features Story An auction of a defunct dot-com's stuff is also a place that IT buyers should visit before approving any purchase order. It quickly becomes apparent that anyone willing to pay full price for IT equipment must be mentally challenged.

These auctions aren't just for consumers.
posted by Tom Termini at 3/16/2001

Letting users acces their own 'metadata' makes them more comfortable with the notion that tracking site users is worthwhile.

FEED | Politics & Society - You Own Your Own Metadata
posted by Tom Termini at 3/14/2001

Diversity seems to be lacking in top positions...

USATODAY.com Media, high-tech and telecommunications companies are changing at breakneck speed, but the gender makeup of their top offices and boardrooms is not keeping pace, a public policy group said Wednesday.

posted by Tom Termini at 3/14/2001

BW Online | March 13, 2001 | How JustBalls Stays in the Game Just how has Justballs managed to stay in the game? By adding old-fashioned marketing techniques and a shoe-leather sales team to its e-sales of baseballs, bowling balls, bocce balls, juggling balls, and more.
posted by Tom Termini at 3/13/2001

ASPs...alive and well...

News: New report says ASP model isn't so gloomy after all Jupiter Media Metrix is expected to release a report on Tuesday that finds that the ASP model still has a successful future as Web-enabled software becomes increasingly common and more business data and information is automated online through industry-focused transaction and communication systems.
posted by Tom Termini at 3/12/2001

From the Cool Technologies File

Forget PDAs and eBooks. Electronic paper is where it's at....

Technology Review - Electronic Paper Turns the Page Although the collective imagination of the publishing industry has been captured by the current generation of electronic books, the technology that is most likely to transform reading and writing will be electronic paper.
posted by Tom Termini at 3/05/2001

So you don't think CRM is valuable? Check out this article from eCompany.com that examines the costs associated with visitors to your site...

eCompany Now - Web Articles - How Much Are Your Visitors Really Worth? If you take in the entire sea of surfers without making crucial distinctions between a buyer and a browser, you've missed the point of the Web entirely.
posted by Tom Termini at 3/05/2001

A similar article supports the notion that e-commerce initiatives are hard to implement, slow to generate results, and require patience...

E-Commerce Report: Companies in No Hurry to Buy Over the Internet A new report suggests that companies are moving more slowly than any but the true skeptics might have predicted.
posted by Tom Termini at 3/05/2001

With a recession looming, could the net be a rgeat low-cost channel, or is e-commerce just a niche?

Compressed Data: Report Challenges E-Commerce Lore The survey indicated that manufacturers sold just 2 percent of their products on the Internet in 1999 and that as late as last fall less than 1 percent of manufacturers were deeply involved in e-commerce. Only one- third of the 528 respondents were using the Internet either to sell or procure products and services.
posted by Tom Termini at 3/05/2001

Due to the newest member of my family being added, I've slacked off on the blog, but only temporarily.

Delia Born!
posted by Tom Termini at 2/07/2001

CNN.com - Technology - Small town tests TV, DSL combo via phone lines - January 22, 2001

A small town near the Georgia-South Carolina border is a testbed for technology that could change the way people receive television programs and pay-to-view movies. This is the sort of broadband initiative that will pave to way to a universal Internet.


posted by Tom Termini at 1/22/2001

Good News for Qwest!

Qwest Cyber.Solutions has received Statement of Auditing
Standards 70 Type II certification. The distinction means that Qwest Cyber.Solutions' ASP customers no longer need to have their own auditors conduct annual reviews of QCS's control structure. Since we liek Qwest so much, this is good news!

ZDNet: Sm@rt Partner - Qwest Cyber.Solutions Weathers Tough Accounting Exam
posted by Tom Termini at 1/22/2001

The New Administration

As he takes the oath o' office today, and parties late into the night, the New Pres will have to deal with the privacy issue -- just one of the many tech issues to face his administration. But is anyone there really into this stuff?


posted by Tom Termini at 1/20/2001

Redherring.com - Online privacy matters January 18, 2001

The last thing online retailers -- those still in business, that is -- need right now is more bad publicity. But even as the most solid online companies survive this drought, they're running headlong into another predicament: the whole unpleasant matter of how they manage and distribute the personal information of their customers is coming to a nasty head.


posted by Tom Termini at 1/20/2001

Salon.com Technology | Turn off the Internet! Turn off the Internet!
Is the global computer network to blame for the current electricity crisis? Lackeys of the power industry want us to think so.

Of course, several downed power plants, unbuilt ones, and a cold winter wouldn't be contributing factors, would they?


posted by Tom Termini at 1/18/2001

Alphabet, er, Acronym soup...

Do you know what all the acronyms in the ASP world stand for? ASP you should know, but what about BSP, FSP, VSP, MSP, and the other AAA? Get the answers in a commentary that is less tutorial and more of a rant.

eWeek article



posted by Tom Termini at 1/18/2001

WAP WAP WAP
Okay, some dot-com's are still getting funded...and this one deals with WAP, a shakey technology that could be overcome by 3G or iMode....
Yodlee


Meanwhile, AOL and Nokia plan to improve the WAP user experience as the Netscape team (now at Sun) will work on a new wireless browser.
AOL and Nokia improve Wap?


posted by Tom Termini at 1/18/2001

Techweb > News > French taxes > France To Tax Computers, Disks, Phones > January 15, 2001 France is planning to slap levies on the sale of computers and digital recording devices to ensure musicians and film-makers are compensated for pirate copying, its Culture Minister said in an interview published on Monday.

Oh the joys of socialist-democrats running things. So you think the U.S. has too many tax problems? You could live in France!

posted by Tom Termini at 1/18/2001

Bush faces thorny 'Net issues, 01/15/01

From online privacy to copyright protection and Internet taxation, these issues go to the heart of whether and how the Bush administration will regulate the fast-changing Internet industry. This sort of stuff will impact us all in the coming months and years.
posted by Tom Termini at 1/17/2001

Book: Application Service Providers

Because ASP offerings are business-critical, business managers need authoritative guidance in understanding the ASP industry and in choosing the right ASP for their needs. The book provides a complete "101" tutorial on ASPs. Check out this book for details...


posted by Tom Termini at 1/16/2001

ZDNet: eWEEK: Hosts strut the latest line

Top-tier hosting players like Digex Inc., Exodus Communications Inc. and Intira Corp. all have full agendas for 2001, as they and others seek differentiation and a break with their reputations as mere cage and bandwidth developers


posted by Tom Termini at 1/16/2001

Book:
Realizing e-Business with Application Service Providers

A look at the primary market drivers behind every aspect of the ASP model, including case studies of the companies that are market and industry leaders to illustrate each
component.
TechTarget.com eMarketplace: Realizing e-Business with Application Service Providers
posted by Tom Termini at 1/15/2001

While not strictly an issue for many of our business customers, one should consider all the ramifications of the merger and all the aspects of our lives AOL/TW touches.

TheStandard.com: AOL Time Warner: How Big Is Big?
posted by Tom Termini at 1/15/2001

Another Hinderance to Lowering Costs....

Turns out many organizations' own Information Technology or Management Information Systems departments thrwart efforts at outsourcing...suprised? CYA and keep your job secure...

IT department can be hurdle to ASP acceptance
posted by Tom Termini at 1/12/2001

Go Global...
A recent Jupiter report suggests that many American
businesses are missing out on the global opporunities of the WWW. From the report: "Even though only a quarter of the global Internet population will reside in the United States by 2005, only one-third of American online businesses are targeting global markets."

posted by Tom Termini at 1/12/2001

According to this write-up by Newmoon, ASPs must provide a powerful solution that combines software,
hardware and expertise into a comprehensive Internet solution. Okay, we know that, but this article discusses a methodology used by a vendor to be successful, addressing success formulas, business models and the types of organizations moving into the ASP arena.


posted by Tom Termini at 1/11/2001

Zona Reports that ASP security a customer concern (duh)

A new study from Zona Research highlights the securtiy concerns of ASP users. Zona found that most ASPs could effectively convey a sense that they are secure by offering technology infrastructure such as firewalls and encryption, like Blue Dog.

Research



Why do we like WebObjects and OS X so much? There's lots of reasons (power of Unix, legendary Mac ease-of-use, cool Java-based app server), but lots of people agree Apple is innovative.

Salon


More MacWorld: Apple is facing many major hurdles, but Microsoft gets behind the company by announcing a new version of Office 2001 just for OS X.

Office 2001 from Micro$oft


posted by Tom Termini at 1/10/2001

Looking at the next 12 months....in the ASP world. Software-as-utility, delivered over the 'pipes' of the internet. 2001 will be an interesting year for ASPs, with one prediction calling for 20% of all money spent on software going to ASPs in the near future. Some industry watchers also expect newly implemented profitability plans to have a positive impact on ASP stock prices
and ASP partnerships and mergers to increase.

http://www.aspstreet.com/archive/d.taf/what,show/id,5740>Year of Changes



MacWorld releases are cool! And Apple, though 'late to the party' in some areas, has perfected some killer enterprise technologies -- after all, the power of UNIX with Macintosh's legendary ease-of-use spells certain success. But the 'Cult of Steve' has its ups-and-downs...

CNN highlights and Steve Jobs commentaries
and More MacWorld Stuff



From the files of 'what?!' There is a book being written about its
development, yet the publishers have no idea what it is. Jeff Bezos (it "is a product so revolutionary, you'll have no problem selling it. The question is, are people going to be allowed to use it?"), Steve Jobs ("If enough people see
the machine you won't have to convince them to architect cities around it. It'll just happen.") and John Doerr (he describes the inventor as a combination of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison) are backing the company.

What the heck is it?



posted by Tom Termini at 1/09/2001

Today Blue Dog's top dog is headed to MacWorld to hear the pronoucements of Steve Jobs, a man much maligned and admired. We'll let you know what is cool at the show, and what else is happening here in S.F. As the premier WebObjects ASP, Blue Dog likes to stay on top of issues related to enterprise application serving, hardware and infrastructure.

On a lighter note... could this be the future for casual day Fridays at Blue Dog? Vincent Bethell was in court for refusing to
wear clothes in public places. He arrived in the courtroom wearing exactly...

Clothing Optional



posted by Tom Termini at 1/09/2001

A new meaning to the state of being WIRED, from your pals at Micro$oft and Starbucks! Many a virtual corporation has made Starbucks their official off-site meeting facilities. Now attendees can stay connected while getting wired!
posted by Tom Termini at 1/03/2001

Here at Blue Dog we take our pets seriously. Well, most of the time. This article in the San jose Mercury may have us reconsidering. We're one of the nternet firms that have liberal policies about bringing pets
to work -- but some are now yanking on the leash. While our dogs may not play nice at the office, they certainly don't leave unexpected 'packages' for us...

San Jose Mercury News

posted by Tom Termini at 1/02/2001

Confused about what the ASP marketplace means? This article begins by shooting down ten of the commonly
written about absolutes of the ASP world, then clears up misconceptions about just what an ASP is and does. It also talks about which market sectors are the most interested in the business model.

See Planet IT article
posted by Tom Termini at 1/02/2001