Productivity is key in today's business market, and also important is having the right people and tools for the job. However, for many companies, the various necessary tools run on disparate platforms.
Microsoft's Office 2000, scheduled to be released to volume licence customers next week, is a major step up from Office 97.
Most Linux desktop systems in the enterprise are installed by adventurous techie types without blessing or support from the corporate IS department. The long-awaited GNOME 1.0 (pronounced "Gah-NOME"), however, should help spur adoption of Linux as a corporate desktop alternative.
With all of the marketing hype surrounding Intel's Pentium III processor, it is tough to know whether it will actually help your business. I compared the performance of two typical business desktop systems, from Compaq Computer and Hewlett-Packard, testing with both Pentium II and Pentium III CPUs. Many vendors are now, or soon will be, shipping business desktop machines that include the new chip.
Setting up a server is something only the IT department can do, and you need a bachelor's degree in computer science to build an intranet. Is that the view at your company? With the newest advances in server appliances, this couldn't be further from the truth. These user-friendly, Linux-based servers offer the best of both worlds: ease of use and high-quality open-source software.