How's things?
Microsoft previews next version of Dynamics CRM
InfoWorld - Jan 11, 2007
Titan, which will probably be officially known as Dynamics CRM 4. 0 will be the first Microsoft CRM release based on a multitenant architecture and using a single code base to support three types of usage -- on-premise, hosted by partners or Microsoft. The Microsoft-hosted offering will be called Dynamics Live CRM, the third member of the vendor's growing Live software-as-a-service (SAAS) product family, joining Windows Live and Office Live. Multitenancy is the ability of a SAAS vendor to host multiple customers' applications on a single server instead of dedicating servers to individual customers. Since multitenancy requires fewer servers, it's a cheaper way for vendors to run their hosting operations and they can pass some of those savings to customers, offering them a less costly service. Microsoft plans to give around 300 of its partners early access to Titan in the first quarter of this year, increasing the number to reach more than 1,000 partners during the second quarter, Wilson said. The idea is to give partners time to get comfortable with the concepts of multitenancy and hosted software in general as well as to encourage them to start building extensions to Titan and providing Microsoft with feedback on the new version... "We want to make sure we do terrific job getting CRM Live up and running in North America and get all the operating kinks out," Wilson said. "We aim to move it out internationally as fast as we can. "Microsoft will offer an online marketplace as part of the CRM Live service where partners can offer users technology extensions and as a way to build a community, Wilson said. The marketplace is similar to what Salesforce. originally established with its AppExchange site, as a place where users could access add-ons to its on-demand CRM software. Like rivals SAP and Oracle, Microsoft is looking for ways to give more users more ways to access its CRM applications.
http://www.infoworld.com/archives/emailPrint.jsp?R=printThis&A=/article/07/01/11/HNmicrosoftnextcrm_1.html
Microsoft Debuts Multitenant CRM Offering to Partner Community
CRM Today - Jan 15, 2007
“We can deliver the right CRM solution for different companies based on their size, their business requirements, their user roles and their IT capabilities. If their needs evolve over time, we can grow with our customers, and provide them with a CRM platform that fits their needs for the life of the business. ”
Availability
The “Titan” release of Microsoft CRM and the new Microsoft Dynamics Live CRM service are targeted for mid-2007. The Microsoft Dynamics Live CRM service will initially be available in North America; plans for international expansion of the service will be announced at a later time... today announced that it is previewing the next major release of Microsoft Dynamics™ CRM – code-named “Titan” – with a broad range of partners through the company’s Technology Adoption Program (TAP). The new version introduces an advanced multitenant architecture, and uses a single code base to support on-premise deployments as well as software-as-a-service (SaaS) deployments through hosting partners and through the upcoming Microsoft Dynamics Live CRM service. It also uses a single code base to support on-premise deployments as well as software-as-a-service (SaaS) deployments through hosting partners and the upcoming Microsoft Dynamics Live CRM service. The “Titan” release is an evolution of the popular Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3. 0 product, and will offer a smooth upgrade path for existing on-premise and SaaS customers. It reinforces Microsoft’s long-term strategy to provide customers with the power of choice, with the ability to choose on-premise or SaaS deployments and access rich CRM capabilities within Microsoft® Office Outlook®, through a Web browser, and from a broad range of mobile devices.
http://www.crm2day.com/news/crm/121073.php
Salesforce.com launches Winter 07 release
InfoWorld - Jan 16, 2007
com launches Winter 07 release | InfoWorld | News | 2007-01-16 | By Ephraim Schwartz. com released its Winter 07 upgrade to its CRM software as a service on Tuesday, with immediate availability. But customers waiting for the release of one of its key components, the Apex programming language, will have to wait a little bit longer... html","leftColumn"); Calling Apex a developer preview, with Beta not promised until "later this year" Salesforce. com is trying to extend its reach by establishing itself as a "platform" company, according to Ariel Kelman, senior director of platform product marketing, not unlike other major enterprise platform vendors such as SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/01/16/HNsalesforce_1.html
SAP paints new UI face for mid-market
VNUNet.com - Jan 17, 2007
Although the software is available in the UK withimmediate effect, users will have to wait up to six months for the more advancedProject Muse interface that was first shown off last June. Project Muse is thecodename for a new GUI that taps Adobe Flash and other tools to create a richerfront end. The user-interface changes are in line with broader efforts to demystify SAPby offering simpler tools for accessing data. SAP has a partnership withMicrosoft called Duet that builds bridges between Office applications and SAPback-end data, for example... Project Muse is thecodename for a new GUI that taps Adobe Flash and other tools to create a richerfront end. The user-interface changes are in line with broader efforts to demystify SAPby offering simpler tools for accessing data. SAP has a partnership withMicrosoft called Duet that builds bridges between Office applications and SAPback-end data, for example. SAP will also apply its Best Practices portfolio of horizontal and verticalbusiness scenarios so that firms can mimic the activities of peers and largeroperations. “It’s a very strong market for SAP and the challenge for these customers isto keep the functionality of [enterprise SAP installations] but keep thedeployment time down to two to three months,” said Dale Vile of analyst firm.
http://www.vnunet.com/itweek/news/2172792/sap-paints-ui-face-mid-market
Enterprises Bridge the Gap Between CRM Systems and Survey-Based Data...
CRM Directory (press release) - Jan 14, 2007
The software also ensures customer feedback is reliable and uses security mechanisms from cookies to complex ballots to prevent multiple submissions. 0 can be integrated with various enterprise database solutions such as Microsoft's SQL Server, Active Directory and Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Zumbrunn added that, in 2007, Data Illusion plans to roll out an updated version of Feedback Server that can integrate with CRM systems from Siebel, Oracle, SAP and SalesForce.
http://www.crmdirectory.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=632&Itemid=59
SAP Business One Support Chicago, IL - Alba Spectrum
24-7PressRelease.com - 24-7PressRelease.com (press release) - Jan 13, 2007
This feature makes MRP application very attractive for European companies: German, Italian, French, Spanish, who establishes subsidiaries in the USA
� eCommerce and Web Based CRM. These modules are in process of being incorporated into SAP Business One set of modules. When CRM is fully available in web interface - it will be very strong competitor to Microsoft Dynamics CRM - Microsoft Dynamics GP Great Plains tandem, however with lighter functionality and potentially more easy implementation and deployment
Alba Spectrum, supporting Microsoft Dynamics, SAP Business One clients in USA and Brazil, Oracle E-Business Suite customers in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil. We would be happy to help you with cross platform integrations: SAP-Oracle-Microsoft Dynamics, cross platform data conversions, when you are switching from one of the major ERP platform to the competitor - supporting both Microsoft and Java worlds. In Chicago area we support clients in Naperville, Aurora, Wheaton, Joliet, Downers Grove, Lisle, Alsip, Villa Park, Lyons, Chicago downtown, Cicero, Schaumburg, Springfield, Batavia, St Charles, Warrenville.
http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/view_press_release.php?rID=22931
IT-Director.com - CommuniGator - small but perfectly formed!
IT-Director.com - Jan 11, 2007
They have a web-based solution, which keeps to the essentials of e-marketing. As such it enables people who have no wish to become IT technicians to create, execute and measure highly effective closed loop campaigns. In essence if you are a marketer who feels comfortable with Microsoft Outlook, then Communigator will enable you to generate collateral, identify targets, execute the campaign, manage the closure and measure the effectiveness. The outcome, if you follow their lead, will be a highly targeted campaign with a double digit response rate, and customers who are more likely to become advocates than if they were mass marketed to with bland offerings on a hope and see basis. Communigator should not be seen as just being about emails, they are about all of the digital channels which can be used as touch points with customers and prospects. The solution is configurable, so that customer preferences can be recognised. It is designed to target receptive customers with quality messages at times when they will be happy to receive the message... It comes as no surprise to find that these solutions are being looked on with great interest by the British Tourism industry, facing as it does the vagaries of the British weather. Obviously using such devices also opens up the opportunity for two-way interactions in real-time, which creates new opportunities unavailable with traditional channels. The solution is not a standalone silo, but is intended to be used to augment and complement many of the key CRM solutions found in the mid market. This is the niche for Communigator at present, so users of solutions such as Sage (who also OEM the product), Microsoft, and Siebel, amongst others, will find that the digital marketing solution is designed to fit. They will also find that Communigator can provide the professional services that are required to help ensure that the solution is integrated and adopted as part of the workflows of an effective marketing organisation. Because Communigator believe that they are capable of ensuring that people do see the sort of returns that have always been spoken of with digital marketing, they encourage people not to take up their offer of providing the solution on an outsourced basis, but encourage people to bring it in-house. To date, Communigator have developed predominately in the UK, based on a solid collection of finance, tourism and high-tech companies, but this is a solution with wide appeal.
http://www.it-director.com/technology/applications/content.php?cid=9129
Burglar-Proof Windows?
BusinessWeek - Jan 11, 2007
This is a good thing. Microsoft, similarly, tried to clean up its act in 2004 with a major upgrade to XP called Service Pack 2, and again with Internet Explorer 7 last fall. But Windows has always been promiscuous about loading software from dubious sources without asking questions. Vista won't install anything, from any source, without explicit permission. (You can turn account control off in a control panel, but it's not wise.
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2007/tc20070111_523048.htm?chan=technology_technology+index+page_more+of+today's+top+stories
Salesforce says it's beating, mirroring Microsoft
MarketWatch - Jan 16, 2007
Chief Executive Marc Benioff casually trashed rival Microsoft Corp. Tuesday, while acknowledging that his own company is following the footsteps of the software giant. While dismissing Microsoft's announced move into Salesforce's on-demand software turf, Benioff also said that his firm is akin to Microsoft (.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/salesforce-says-its-beating-mirroring/story.aspx?guid=%7BA7713533-8E00-4506-A0EA-525F1935AAA7%7D
Tech stocks finish mixed; Symantec falls sharply - MarketWatch
MarketWatch - Jan 16, 2007
Intel, while expected to show declines in sales and profit compared to the year-earlier period, is also expected to show some improvements related to restructuring and new product releases. Tech bellwether Microsoft Corp. also saw a slight gain in its shares Tuesday, rising to $31.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/tech-stocks-finish-mixed-symantec/story.aspx?guid=%7BE44BF1AE-EE94-4C25-BDB7-E3D9310F2154%7D
JIT? What ever happened to compiled byte code?
CNET News.com - Jan 15, 2007
Don't see Fortress as yet another language to write business software in. And that doesn't include the 4GLs like Informix, 4Js, Sybase's tool, etc... It will be interesting to see what Fortress can and can't do. Most likely the performance gains won't be noticed until you start having multi-core and multi-cpu desktops en mass.
http://news.com.com/Suns+Fortran+replacement+goes+open+source/5208-7344_3-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=24206&messageID=228161&start=0
See you later.
