Inside the Channel

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News, how-tos, advice for VARs, systems integrators, preferred partners

by Dan Blacharski

Dan Blacharski has been a professional writer for over 20 years, ever since the corporate world unceremoniously booted him out of his cubicle in 1991. He divides his time between South Bend, Indiana and Bangkok.

ERP vendors cut support fees

Posted May 11, 2009 - 08:50 am

Both Oracle and SAP have trimmed their support fees--a good thing for customers, who often cringe at the support and maintenance costs of enterprise ERP installations.
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- Channel, Oracle, SAP
How Microsoft will shake up the security industry

Posted May 08, 2009 - 01:58 pm

Microsoft's ForeFront integrated security suite, currently in beta (code named "Stirling"), won't be available in its prior release until the end of the year, but it's likely to shake up the security business when it does.
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- Channel, ForeFront, Microsoft
Rumors abound of Android netbooks

Posted May 07, 2009 - 12:11 pm

Bsquare, a developer of mobile software, issued a press release yesterday that seemed to imply that Dell was going to release an Android-based netbook.
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- Channel, Bsquare, Dell
Acer and the Channel

Posted May 05, 2009 - 08:41 am

This will be a fun one to watch. CRN editor Robert DeMarzo drew a line in the sand in his blog last week, effectively daring Acer CEO Gianfranco Lanci to respond. Is Acer clueless about the American channel community?
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- Channel, Acer
Netbook market share grows

Posted May 04, 2009 - 10:35 am

Last week I wrote about Apple's COO calling netbooks junky and unusable--but it would be a good idea for Mr. Cook to take a look at the most recent sales figures from IDC.
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- Channel, netbook
Atlanta-based VAR certifies its vendors

Posted May 01, 2009 - 09:27 am

It's been quite common for vendors to require VARs to become certified on their product before taking them on as a partner, or giving the VAR a higher-level partner status, and in the long run, this is not a bad system--besides the education gained from the certification, it also gives the VAR bragging rights, and a good marketing tool.
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- Channel, undefined
Microsoft planning rival to iPhone

Posted Apr 30, 2009 - 10:29 am

There has long been speculation that Microsoft would launch its own smartphone, but that speculation was for the most part dismissed. Until yesterday. Yesterday's Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft and Verizon are talking about launching an iPhone competitor. The new device will also be a touch-screen, multimedia smartphone.
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- Channel, iPhone, Microsoft
Apple COO blasts netbook concept

Posted Apr 28, 2009 - 05:27 pm

Netbooks run counter to the general trend of progressively larger and more powerful computers, but they are nonetheless gaining popularity. And why not? They're cheap--and for ordinary people who don't need to run power applications, more than adequate for day-to-day use. And in today's economy, cheap is good.
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Oracle-Sun deal: VARs Positive

Posted Apr 24, 2009 - 03:52 pm

Some early reports are coming in that VARs are on board with the Oracle-Sun deal. to date though, neither Sun nor Oracle has said much of anything about how the deal will affect the sales channel, but it seems to be welcome.
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- Channel, Oracle, Sun Microsystems
MX Logic study shows optimism for 2010

Posted Apr 22, 2009 - 03:51 pm

Managed email and web security solution provider MX Logic conducted a survey in March, and the results show a surprising level of optimism in the reseller channel.
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- Channel, MX Logic

February is...
Open Source Month

FEATURE: Spotlight on open source
TRAINING: Win FREE Java training from ITworld and Webucator
CAREER: What to Include in Your Open Source Resume
LIST: 10 best (unknown) open source projects

Will Do Not Track kill the 'free' Internet?

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Why a chain of brick & mortar Amazon stores makes little sense

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MegaUpload takedown didn't slow pirate downloads, just moved them offshore

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How to kill Web trackers dead

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Even after rewrites, Google Wallet retains gaping security holes, mainly due to Android

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