devil in comment and analysis
Devil's Advocate: IP disputes wholly unsatisfactory
Comment Penalising software developers for creating identical code is like punishing writers for occasionally using the same turn of phrase. It's just one more reason why software patents kill innovation, says Martin Brampton. [19 Jul 2005]
Devil's Advocate: ID cards won't stop terrorists
Comment As with the war on drugs, the government has apparently made little progress in stopping terrorist attacks thus far. The latest remedy, ID cards, will not change this state of affairs, says Martin Brampton. [12 Jul 2005]
Devil's Advocate: Your PC will never be safe
Comment How can you protect your PC when hackers target the very security software that's supposed to be doing the job? Martin Brampton discusses this great conundrum of the security industry. Think your PC is safe because it has the latest security software? [05 Jul 2005]
Devil's Advocate: It's time for reliable computing
Comment The latest computer offerings - media centre and home automation PCs - can sound intriguing at first. But, says Martin Brampton, their appeal soon fades once one realises the cost and risk of using insecure systems for critical data and tasks. [27 Jun 2005]
Devil's Advocate: Bluephone's bright future
Comment Despite criticisms, BT's new Bluephone could do quite well in the long run, says Martin Brampton. Never underestimate the power of a familiar brand. It is about a year late but BT has finally unveiled its Bluephone. [21 Jun 2005]
Devil's Advocate: Who owns blogs?
Comment Blogs are the latest in online publishing - and as with most new technologies there are many particulars still to work out, says Martin Brampton, such as who owns the content the bloggers produce. Have you started blogging? [14 Jun 2005]
Devil's Advocate: Microsoft's foolish patent policy
Comment Microsoft's XML-related patents seek to convince the public it believes in open formats while requiring them to pay for access to their data. The solution, says Martin Brampton, lies with the user. Is it really true that Microsoft has patented the... [07 Jun 2005]
Devil's Advocate: A little black book of passwords
Comment Keeping track of dozens of user names and passwords is tricky. Martin Brampton asks if there's a better way than writing them down. After all those years when we ridiculed people for writing their computer passwords on sticky notes under the... [24 May 2005]
Devil's Advocate: Does the UK need a knowledge minister?
Comment Before the UK decides it needs a minister in charge of the knowledge economy, says Martin Brampton, we must further ponder the relationship of business and society. Some people are saying the UK needs a knowledge minister. [17 May 2005]
Devil's Advocate: How wrong were the DrinkOrDie pirates?
Comment To many, the recent sentencing of the DrinkOrDie software pirates was the end of a drawn-out trial. But to Martin Brampton it was just the beginning of a larger discussion on the true nature of the software industry and the vagaries of intellectual... [10 May 2005]
Devil's Advocate: Biometrics offer false hope
Comment Banks may talk of using biometrics but doing so would hardly be a foolproof means of providing secure transactions, says Martin Brampton. There seems to be as much window dressing as there is clear thinking in the security arena. [03 May 2005]
Devil's Advocate: The e-auction game
Comment A lot has been made of the public sector making big savings on procurement by purchasing items such as PCs through electronic auctions. But, asks Martin Brampton, is this approach as beneficial all round as it sounds? [26 Apr 2005]
Devil's Advocate: Theory into practice
Comment Martin Brampton recently had call to try his hand at developing an open source software project - and in the process testing out some of theories he advocates. How did they stand up? After my website was hacked a couple of months ago, I needed a... [19 Apr 2005]
Devil's Advocate: The true information age
Comment The coming of the information age promised many things - most of which were supposed to make business and our lives better. But Martin Brampton fails to see the upside of how it's really played out. In last week's column, I baulked at the... [12 Apr 2005]
Devil's Advocate: Who controls companies?
Comment As industry competition heats up, Martin Brampton looks at whether power to drive change within organisations now lies primarily with high-level executives. Last month the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) published a study claiming their research... [05 Apr 2005]
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