Jim Rapoza, Chief Technology Analyst, eWEEK.For nearly fifteen years, Jim Rapoza has evaluated products and technologies in almost every technology category for eWEEK. Mr Rapoza's current technology focus is on all categories of emerging information technology though he continues to focus on core technology areas that include: content management systems, portal applications, Web publishing tools and security. Mr. Rapoza has coordinated several evaluations at enterprise organizations, including USA Today and The Prudential, to measure the capability of products and services under real-world conditions and against real-world criteria. Jim Rapoza's award-winning weekly column, Tech Directions, delves into all areas of technologies and the challenges of managing and deploying technology today.
Less than a year ago, I wrote a column extolling the virtues of Windows 98, calling it probably the most successful Windows operating system of all time and proudly proclaiming the fact that one of my home systems was still running the aged but still-spry OS. But, like many other users, I bid Windows 98 […]
This year has seen more than its share of high-profile Microsoft beta releases, including Office 2007, Internet Explorer 7 and, of course, Vista. A beta version of another Microsoft product was recently released, but its gone mostly unnoticed, despite the fact that the application is the core engine for most of Microsofts enterprise applications strategy: […]
The war of the browsers continues with a series of beta skirmishes, as Firefox 2.0 Beta 1 enters the fray. Maybe we should call this the prequel for the next battle for browser supremacy—”Browser Wars: Attack of the Betas.” The latest volley in this not-quite-ready-for-prime-time conflict comes from the Mozilla Foundation, which released the first […]
Collaborate good times, come on! Its a collaboration. OK, so Kool and the Gang werent actually singing about collaboration. But there is a party going on round here. And, to a very large degree, its all about collaboration. The party that Im talking about is Web 2.0. Nowadays, you cant read a tech site or […]
During the weeks leading up to our IT stack testing, eWEEK Labs tried out several performance testing tools. We considered several commercial (and often pricey) products, and decided ultimately to use Borlands SilkPerformer. One tool that didnt make the cut for our tests but is worthy of consideration for internal application and product testing is […]
Can your organizations IT stack stand up to the burdens placed upon it? Do the components in your IT stack provide the best possible performance? Do you have a choice? Its time to find out. There are all kinds of stacks out there, from network stacks to code stacks. But in recent years, the stacks […]
If you looked at Microsofts rebuilding of its Internet Explorer Web browser as if it were an automobile, then the early alphas and betas were initial construction phases with new engines and frameworks added, and the Beta 2 releases added all the features and components in essentially the way theyll end up in the final […]
I recently attended a technology awards event in Boston where Nicholas Negroponte, founder and chairman of One Laptop Per Child, showed a working model of the $100 laptop. From a humanitarian outlook, there is a lot to like about this project: Putting a powerful tool like a laptop in the hands of disadvantaged children can […]
This year could prove to be a seminal one in Web browser development, as the browser wars heat up once again. The Mozilla Foundation will release Firefox 2.0 within the next few months. And, by the end of the year, Microsoft is expected to release Internet Explorer 7, arguably the first real upgrade to the […]
Just like people, software providers are followers or leaders. Some are cautious about real innovation, always reluctant to try out new things, while others are constantly seeking ways to improve their products and to innovate in their technology areas. Click here to read the full review of Opera 9. 2 Just like people, software providers […]