OmniVue Business Solutions' Pyden Advances to Next Round of Inc. Award

Jeff Pyden, founder and managing director of OmniVue Business Solutions which specializes in the implementation, hosting and support of financial and operational management software -- Microsoft Dynamics GP, SL and CRM -- was selected by Inc. Magazine to advance to the next round of the publication's 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year search. Pyden's entrepreneurial story has been posted on Inc.com and can be accessed at http://www.inc.com/entrepreneur/2007/profile/index.php?pyden249

Pyden was recently honored as a finalist for the AeA (formerly the American Electronics Association) Southeastern Spirit of Endeavor Award in the Technology Innovation category. He was recognized for his achievements in making enterprise-level business software more accessible to small and midsized businesses.

Founded in 2003, OmniVue leads the Southeast in hosted deployments of Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly Great Plains), SL (formerly Solomon) and Microsoft CRM. By offering businesses a choice in how they deploy their business management software, either on-premise or on-demand, companies are able to tailor the solution that’s best for their business with the flexibility to change as needs dictate.

A Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, OmniVue is the provider of choice for businesses looking to automate and streamline financial and customer relationship management to help drive business success. , Please visit www.omnivue.net for more information about OmniVue Business Solutions.

Microsoft picking up rivals' CRM users

How's it going?

Microsoft CRM: Friend or Foe?
Destination CRM - Feb 15, 2007
In addition, Microsoft's Great Plains division, which was set up when the company acquired accounting software maker Great Plains in December 2000, currently resells and comarkets Siebel Systems Inc. 's enterprise CRM offering. Microsoft made its foray into the CRM space official on February 25 by unveiling plans to deliver Microsoft Customer Relationship Management, a CRM solution built on its. Slated for release by the end of the year, Microsoft is aiming the CRM solution at small and medium-size businesses. The product, which Microsoft has not yet announced pricing for, will initially be sold through the Microsoft's Great Plains division. Most analysts estimate that pricing will start at $500 per user... Microsoft made its foray into the CRM space official on February 25 by unveiling plans to deliver Microsoft Customer Relationship Management, a CRM solution built on its. Slated for release by the end of the year, Microsoft is aiming the CRM solution at small and medium-size businesses. The product, which Microsoft has not yet announced pricing for, will initially be sold through the Microsoft's Great Plains division. Most analysts estimate that pricing will start at $500 per user.
http://www.destinationcrm.com/articles/default.asp?ArticleID=2229

Microsoft picking up rivals' CRM users
Computerworld Australia - Feb 15, 2007
Global Comfort Systems plans to replace its Siebel call center application with the latest Microsoft CRM software for its integration with the other applications and its relatively lower cost, said Andrew Fralick, Information Technology Director at Global Comfort unit Webasto Product North America. Global Comfort, based in Stockdorf, Germany, expects the cost of installing Microsoft CRM to be about the same as it would be to upgrade its Siebel call center software, he said. Fralick's own unit has been using the Microsoft CRM software for about two years through multiple versions; He called the newly installed Version 3. 0 an enterprise class product. Fralick said the Fenton, Mich. unit's sales force did suffer through the defects of earlier versions of the software. "The [initial] product wasn't a flop... Despite the cost of licensing, end user retraining and data cleansing associated with the cutover, it was "worth it in the end," said Kretchman, a panelist at the Convergence conference. He said customization of the Siebel software by sales personnel led to IT support problems. The more rigid Microsoft CRM process improved the efficiency of its 60 users, Kretchman said. Wilson intends to upgrade to Microsoft CRM 3. 0, most likely this fall, Kretchman said. Helene Cole, CEO of Altara, a Basking Ridge, N.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1516427329

Salentica Systems First CRM Partner to Join Microsoft's Insurance...
PR Web - PR Web (press release) - Feb 15, 2007
DistributorDesk allows insurance industry users to work with Microsoft CRM in a manner that reflects their normal business dealings within all their sales channels -- supporting proprietary or non-proprietary sales distribution models. Whether a distributor, broker, captive or non-captive agent, or part of the management team, the Salentica industry-specific modules, will allow access to all the information that you need. "Our intent with Salentica and Microsoft has always been to expand our deep domain expertise to develop effective, easy-to-use, client management solutions which make a difference in the financial services marketplace" said Bill Rourke, President Salentica Systems. "We are very pleased to be a partner in the Insurance Value Chain as it enhances our relationship with Microsoft, adds further depth to our solutions and therefore our customers.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/12/prweb487182.htm

Elucid Software Triggers Eight-Week Payback for Axminster Power Tools
PR Web - PR Web (press release) - Feb 15, 2007
L) and was formed out of the Enterprise Resource Planning software division of Kewill Systems just after 2000. As software authors for ERP and accounting software, K3 has approximately 1600 customers in the UK and abroad. SmartVision CRM, based on the standard Microsoft CRM application, is a product specifically developed for the manufacturing and supply chain industries over and above standard Microsoft CRM. Elucid software is the UK�s market leading, multi channel business solutions with 1,100 users across the UK. Elucid has specialist functionality to support companies that have multiple channels to market covering catalogues, web, call centres, retail outlet, direct mail and much more. All Elucid products are developed around core Microsoft technology. For more information please visit.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/11/prweb178446.htm

Best Buy Selects Microsoft
EFYTimes - Feb 15, 2007
�Microsoft technologies such as Windows Mobile are playing a key role in enabling Geek Squad to deliver on its fundamental commitment: to give the customer a superior service experience,� said Rich Christensen, vice president and business information officer at Best Buy. �It provides our field personnel with rapid and constant access to comprehensive real-time customer information, an obvious competitive advantage over businesses that don�t. �Best Buy also recently decided to add Microsoft Dynamics CRM to its own IT services and solutions offerings. This will enable Best Buy For Business customers to benefit from the same features and functionality within the product that the major retailer uses in managing its customer relationships. Best Buy also offers Microsoft Dynamics � Point of Sale, an easy-to-use, affordable single-store application that enables small retailers to track and manage sales, inventory and customer information. Microsoft Dynamics � Point of Sale 2. 0 will be demonstrated in select Best Buy For Business stores.
http://www.efytimes.com/efytimes/fullnews.asp?edid=16284

TECH ED - Microsoft begins to ship Dynamics AX 4.0
Computerworld Australia - Feb 15, 2007
While he estimates that the "majority" of the Dynamics AX installed base runs the software on Microsoft's SQL Server, some users still run the applications on top of Oracle's rival offering so Dynamics AX 4. 0 includes support for the Oracle 10g database. While Microsoft has talked up hosting capabilities for its Dynamics CRM 3. 0 software of late, the vendor hasn't been so vocal about hosting for its ERP applications. However, McKee pointed out that Microsoft partners Unisys and OneNeck IT Services have been hosting Dynamics AX 3. 0 for a number of customers since July. Computerworld Buyer's Guide - Vendors Matched to this Article.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;726466261

Survey: What (Potential) Apex Developers Want from Salesforce
eWeek - Feb 15, 2007
"By making the Apex platform and programming language available, Salesforce. com is enabling the ecosystem to lead the way for the next level of innovation in on demand. "
The Apex technology will, if it takes hold, propel Salesforce from an on-demand CRM supplier into the realm of platform provider. Appirio's Weinstein believes that what Salesforce has today is "very appropriate" for developers. "It's a matter of more and more incremental capabilities," he said. But the cost of those services is still in question—and it's a key point for ISVs [independent software vendors] looking to build a business around Salesforce's platform... Net or J2EE nowhere on the site does it say, 'made by Microsoft,' or 'made by Sun. ' Nor are users charged every time they click on that site. As it stands now, that's not the case with Salesforce development. "That matters to our clients," said Fox. As one of Salesforce's largest system integrators with a mainline into customers who may also consider Apex as a development platform beyond CRM, Fox said he is looking for Apex to have the same level of development tools that he would find with Java.
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2095479,00.asp

Invensys Gives Baan CRM Another Chance
Destination CRM - Feb 15, 2007
Whereas Aurum once competed to set the standards in sales automation, Invensys CRM employs Microsoft Outlook as the contact management front-end. Karulf admits up front that Invensys will have to compete in a "best of breed" rather than total solution role. He highlights patented technologies in mobile database synchronization and configurators as potential advantages to developing a true PRM (partner relationship management) system ahead of the competition. The improvements in the first (version 4. 2) Invensys release of the former Baan FrontOffice suite are modest, with better integration between the pricing and marketing functions, expanded international language support, some bug fixes and performance optimizations.
http://www.destinationcrm.com/articles/default.asp?ArticleID=1108

Take care.

Open-source firms team up for interoperability

Nice meeting you!

Salentica Systems Extends its CRM Functionality to “Anywhere, Anytime”
PR Web - PR Web (press release) - Feb 8, 2007
Following the release of CRM Mobile Express for Microsoft® Dynamics ™ CRM 3. 0, Salentica will extend the functionality of its solution. Extending the core functionality of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3. 0 to mobile devices will allow Salentica users to access and update all the information they need from their CRM, anywhere, anytime. Salentica Mobile Express is device independent and only requires the mobile device to support HTML web pages. Firms can deploy a zero foot print application and let the users decide their mobile device of choice, whether Windows Mobile or other device. Updates from the mobile client are written directly into the CRM database, eliminating the issues around synchronization... "About Salentica Systems Inc. Salentica provides client management solutions for buy- and sell-side financial service firms, built around the Microsoft. NET platform and Microsoft CRM. Salentica extends the platform by creating purpose built components to address specific needs of the financials services market. Salentica’s customer base includes many of North America’s largest financial services firms in mutual fund wholesaling, investment banks, institutional asset management, private wealth management, retail brokerage and insurance. Contact: Bill Rourke, President Salentica Systems Inc. 212-672-1777 ext 222416 366-3456 ext.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/10/prweb445594.htm

Open-source firms team up for interoperability
CNET News.com - Feb 13, 2007
Founding members of the group--called the. OpenSolutionsAlliance. The companies plan to announce the group's formation Wednesday at the Open Solutions Summit, an open-source conference in New York.
http://news.com.com/2100-7344_3-6159182.html

Build Customer Relationships--Just Don't Call It CRM
Destination CRM - Feb 8, 2007
and it's just so cheap," he says. "From what I'm hearing so far it's extremely similar to Siebel in its basic use and the features it has. "In fact it was so tempting, according to Ziegele, that Consolidated ordered it in early April. "We're [getting] going with five people, for like five grand," he says, adding that a small pilot was probably the only approach for which he could have gotten approval. He thinks of the pilot as a way to try before you buy. Ziegele finds the features appealing, as well: "It has a Web interface, but also runs through Outlook.
http://www.destinationcrm.com/articles/default.asp?ArticleID=4100

365 Days of CRM
Destination CRM - Feb 9, 2007
And industry leaders' earnings were lackluster at best. But through it all CRM continued to mature, vendors shook up the market, and many companies garnered their share of ROI. What follows is a look at the highlights--and low lights--of the year in CRM.
http://www.destinationcrm.com/articles/default.asp?ArticleID=2734

Regional business news, at a glance
Arizona Republic - Feb 11, 2007
The upgrades offer direct integration with Microsoft Outlook, simplified administration and field-level data security. Sage also said the new Sage CRM SalesLogix v7 product suite is available. The new version includes interactive sales dashboards, mobile support and productivity enhancements. ACT! contact-management software and SalesLogix customer-relationship-management software are produced by Sage's Scottsdale office.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0926biz-regionalbriefs0926.html

Wi-Fi and VOIP near full convergence
InfoWorld - Feb 14, 2007
Now let's look at those applications. See, here I'm a little pessimistic. Sure, we'll see more IP telephony-capable features in stuff like CRM and vertical apps, but I'm doubtful about seeing anything truly revolutionary. At least not this year. This is going to be the year that phones start talking to customer databases, scheduling client appointments, talking to inventory systems.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/02/14/08OPenterwin_1.html?PHONES

IN BETA: May the Force Be With You
Destination CRM - Feb 8, 2007
com: IN BETA: May the Force Be With You. com is reinventing itself with what CEO Marc Benioff says is the company's most significant release since launching its hosted CRM product... The S3 upgrade represents what CEO Marc Benioff says is Salesforce. com's most significant release since launching its hosted CRM product in June 2000. Some of the upgrades under the S3 umbrella include HTML rich-media emails designed to enable salespeople to send email massages consistent with the messaging that the marketing department has created, and to enable marketing folks to track the emails; upgrades with Microsoft Outlook so users can click to add any email to S3 for organizationwide visibility and search Salesforce. com's contacts or leads database within Microsoft Outlook; and a shared document library for marketing collateral, presentations, sales tools, and customer support materials that catalogs files into different folders without having to log into a separate file system.
http://www.destinationcrm.com/articles/default.asp?ArticleID=3326

PRM Is Not So Different From CRM After All
Destination CRM - Feb 8, 2007
Paul Greenberg is fine, thank you. But, I want to change the moniker of the class of CRM applications known as partner relationship management (PRM) to something else: CRM for collaborative sales (CRM-CS). I know you are thinking, "This is worth writing about?" Believe me, it is, because CRM-CS is too important to your business for you to ignore... Paul Greenberg is fine, thank you. But, I want to change the moniker of the class of CRM applications known as partner relationship management (PRM) to something else: CRM for collaborative sales (CRM-CS). I know you are thinking, "This is worth writing about?" Believe me, it is, because CRM-CS is too important to your business for you to ignore. Bite on it--I'm going to give you something to chew.
http://www.destinationcrm.com/articles/default.asp?ArticleID=3163

destinationCRM.com: New & Noteworthy
Destination CRM - Feb 8, 2007
comOnline CRM Salesnet announced that it has integrated instant messaging capabilities from AOL, Microsoft, and Yahoo! into its wireless CRM application. The addition is designed to allow sales teams to IM the Salesnet database for real-time contact information and other sales data, as well as to IM updates to that information back to the system.
http://www.destinationcrm.com/articles/default.asp?ArticleID=3331

OSBC - Sun seeks to woo HP to Solaris
Computerworld Australia - Feb 8, 2007
Following Schwartz's presentation, Microsoft's Bill Hilf, director of the vendor's Platform Technology Strategy organization, focused on the concept of "coopetition," through which competitors can share a common business interest. "It's the idea of cooperating and competing often in the same breath with the same people," Hilf said. Microsoft certainly has not been a major proponent of open source. But Hilf pointed out that Microsoft can benefit from it just the same. Open source companies JBoss and SugarCRM have partnered with Microsoft, as have more traditional vendors such as Sun and IBM, Hilf noted. SugarCRM, for example, will offer a version of its CRM package on Windows via Microsoft's Shared Source license, which allows some access to source code. Microsoft, however, is conscious that new business models in computing may not generate as much as older models, Hilf said... But Hilf pointed out that Microsoft can benefit from it just the same. Open source companies JBoss and SugarCRM have partnered with Microsoft, as have more traditional vendors such as Sun and IBM, Hilf noted. SugarCRM, for example, will offer a version of its CRM package on Windows via Microsoft's Shared Source license, which allows some access to source code. Microsoft, however, is conscious that new business models in computing may not generate as much as older models, Hilf said. Product differentiation still is key and making money matters, he said. "I don't believe selling tech support phone calls is a model [that is] sustainable," said Hilf. "You must differentiate in your product to sustain growth.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1409875335;fp;16;fpid;0

Computerworld - Reviving CRM
Computerworld Australia - Feb 9, 2007
(Let's not kid ourselves: The customer list is what you're spending those billions for. ) With a change in ownership, every Siebel customer is suddenly in play. And with competitors like SAP, Microsoft and especially Salesforce. com lusting after every one of those customers, either you give them a reason to stay or you lose them. A truly visionary future would be one heck of a reason to stay. Besides, you know how the alternative plays out. You've already seen it.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;114960255;fp;16;fpid;0

… POP3 Email Integration Within it's On-Demand Sales...
PR Web - PR Web (press release) - Feb 13, 2007
The new feature allows ClienTracker. com users to create information repositories that track complete history of all communications company-wide. The combination of email and CRM in a single application comes as good news to companies who are currently using multiple software applications to track email, manage clients, and maintain schedules... The combination of email and CRM in a single application comes as good news to companies who are currently using multiple software applications to track email, manage clients, and maintain schedules. Plus, the web-distributed model of ClienTracker. com allows users to access their data and email from any computer with an internet connection, freeing them from complicated remote access processes such as Microsoft Exchange and VPNs. "Recording and tracking inbound and outbound corporate e-mails, and being able to view complete histories along side associated prospects, clients or opportunities no longer requires an expensive solution like Siebel or SAP, nor does it require the user to operate multiple applications at once. " said David Anderson, CTO of ClienTracker. �Plus, we can implement the solution in a matter of days, while those packages take months or years to install and configure. �Companies across all industries are under pressure to develop policies concerning retention and audit procedures regarding their e-mail and electronic documents.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/3/prweb221975.htm

Aspire Technologies, Inc. and MasterMine Software Announce Launch of...
PR Web - PR Web (press release) - Feb 8, 2007
About Aspire Technologies and QuoteWerks™Aspire Technologies, the creators of the award winning QuoteWerks™ sales quoting software, is the leading provider of sales quoting software with its award winning QuoteWerks™ application deployed to thousands of businesses and enterprises worldwide. QuoteWerks™ integrates with all major and leading CRM packages including ACT!™, Goldmine®, Maximizer®, MS CRM, Outlook®, TeleMagic®, salesforce. com® and SalesLogix® enabling businesses in all industries to integrate QuoteWerks™ seamlessly into their existing environments. Aspire Technologies is headquartered in Orlando, Florida and is a Microsoft Certified Partner. For more information please visit... QuoteWerks™ integrates with all major and leading CRM packages including ACT!™, Goldmine®, Maximizer®, MS CRM, Outlook®, TeleMagic®, salesforce. com® and SalesLogix® enabling businesses in all industries to integrate QuoteWerks™ seamlessly into their existing environments. Aspire Technologies is headquartered in Orlando, Florida and is a Microsoft Certified Partner. For more information please visit.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/7/prweb413478.htm

Talisma Starts 2006 Strong With Record Customer Growth Company Laps...
PR Web - PR Web (press release) - Feb 13, 2007
Talisma also extended its global reach by signing agreements with new channel partners in Australia, Belgium, China, France, Israel, Germany and the United Kingdom. The 2006 Talisma Customer Conference, held in March, garnered record-breaking attendance and featured dozens of customer presentations. Companies including AOL, Microsoft, Dell, Epson, eSignal, Pitney Bowes, and ShareBuilder detailed how they use the Talisma solution to increase customer satisfaction, drive revenue, and increase business efficiencies. Additionally, analysts from Forrester Research and eVergance gave keynote presentations and moderated panel discussions. Talisma also received industry accolades in the first quarter, capturing CRM Magazine's 2006 Service Leader award for Web-support services and Call Center Magazine's "Best of Call Center Demo & Conference Austin 2006" for Talisma Professional Edition, designed to meet the needs of small and mid-sized businesses. "The dramatic growth across our strategic CIM business and on-going CRM vertical businesses, new key partnerships, and expanded sales geographies position Talisma for still greater success in 2006," said Dan Vetras, CEO, Talisma Corporation. "Our momentum just continues to intensify and Talisma is now being looked upon as the thought leader in our strategic markets... Additionally, analysts from Forrester Research and eVergance gave keynote presentations and moderated panel discussions. Talisma also received industry accolades in the first quarter, capturing CRM Magazine's 2006 Service Leader award for Web-support services and Call Center Magazine's "Best of Call Center Demo & Conference Austin 2006" for Talisma Professional Edition, designed to meet the needs of small and mid-sized businesses. "The dramatic growth across our strategic CIM business and on-going CRM vertical businesses, new key partnerships, and expanded sales geographies position Talisma for still greater success in 2006," said Dan Vetras, CEO, Talisma Corporation. "Our momentum just continues to intensify and Talisma is now being looked upon as the thought leader in our strategic markets. " About TalismaTalisma is a global provider of Customer Interaction Management (CIM) solutions that enable businesses to deliver a truly exceptional customer experience. Talisma's solutions integrate the power of email, phone, chat, and self service with a robust and mature customer interaction management Web services platform, comprehensive analytics, and a system-wide knowledgebase. Talisma's global customers include AOL, Aviva, Betdaq, Canon, ChevronTexaco, Citibank, Dacorum Borough Council, Daimler-Chrysler, Dell, DHL, E.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/4/prweb374722.htm

Bye.

Upgrading to Vista? Proceed with caution

Hi!

SAP looks to better serve information workers
InfoWorld - Jan 24, 2007
Moore expects that Microsoft will work on further integration between Office and its Dynamics ERP and CRM families. At present, he doesn't see much conflict between SAP's mySAP products and Dynamics. "We generally don't serve the same market," Moore said. "There is some overlap with Business One and All-in-One. "Business One is SAP's offering for small businesses, while All-in-One is aimed at the midmarket, both areas where Microsoft's Dynamics has an established presence.
http://www.infoworld.com/archives/emailPrint.jsp?R=printThis&A=/article/07/01/24/HNsapinformationworkers_1.html

Upgrading to Vista? Proceed with caution
InfoWorld - Jan 22, 2007
“I’m a cautious guy, and typically, I’d be doing the server upgrades first, one at a time, and follow those with the desktop upgrades. But Microsoft releasing three new platforms at once doesn’t happen very often. That’s put us in a spot, plus we were moving to Microsoft CRM as well. ” So at the moment, Connelly has separated his server upgrades from his desktop upgrades, but he is forced to roll out several new desktop platforms simultaneously while still testing a new server back end. “So far, it’s working fine, but it’s definitely a worry. ” The cautious perspective to be sure, but that’s not to say it can’t be done. Justin Ainsworth, senior IT manager at Sierra Nevada Brewing, is in the same boat but is taking the Redmond product blitz in stride.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/01/22/04FEvista_6.html

Salesforce.com goes from sizzling to merely hot
iT News - Jan 22, 2007
Oracle last month reported that new license sales of business apps in its fiscal second quarter rose less than it had predicted. And new rivals are coming on. Microsoft just released a preview version of CRM software it says can be updated to all customers simultaneously using "multitenant" technology. By midyear, Microsoft plans to host the software from its own data centers, putting it in direct competition with Salesforce. Meanwhile, online accounting software company NetSuite - owned in part by Benioff's ex-boss, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison - is preparing to go public. All of which raises the question of whether Salesforce will need to dip into its US$4. 7 billion market cap for an acquisition that can help it expand.
http://www.itnews.com.au/newsstory.aspx?CIaNID=44651&src=site-marq

SmartCatalog™ Releases Powerful and Intuitive New Rule Manager
PR Web - PR Web (press release) - Jan 19, 2007
com), a best of breed guided selling and configuration solution for CRM and eCommerce, announced today the full version release of the new SmartCatalog™ 6. In order to provide an easy, intuitive experience during the rule building process, the Rule Manger has been re-architected to utilize a tree view, drag and drop GUI along with a simple, easy to use, rule dialog builder. The new version will allow users to create rules in four easy steps and requires no coding or programming... In order to provide an easy, intuitive experience during the rule building process, the Rule Manger has been re-architected to utilize a tree view, drag and drop GUI along with a simple, easy to use, rule dialog builder. The new version will allow users to create rules in four easy steps and requires no coding or programming. The Rule Manager has been completely designed in Microsoft. 0 Forms Application and is written in Microsoft's C# language. The Rule Manager connects directly to any Product Catalog or database in order to retrieve the necessary variables required to build and execute complex rules. SmartCatalog™ enables companies to increase revenues and profits by making the quote-to-order entry process fast, easy and 100% accurate.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/1/prweb498713.htm

Salesforce ups the ante
InfoWorld - Jan 22, 2007
com delivered on its 2006 promise to give ISVs and corporate developers a new programming language called Apex with its. Apex will allow developers to build any kind of SaaS (Software as a Service) application on the Salesforce AppExchange platform... Because it is a fully hosted solution, Apex will also allow coders to create data models and automate business logic and user interfaces without needing to tune it to any specific hardware, database, or operating system. Denis Pombriant, principal at Beagle Research, called Apex part of the New Garage movement that is bringing innovation to the smaller ISVs and hit larger ISVs wedded to older architectures, Pombriant said. Like Siebel before them, Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP are trying to co-opt the innovation, engaging with customers only to convert them. “That is the state we are in with these big companies. They are trying to blunt the impact by making it a checklist,” Pombriant said. But there are still many IT professionals voicing objections to deploying a SaaS solution. Pitfalls still exist from storing critical data offline and from the possibility of downtime which requires ironclad SLAs with punitive provisions for lack of service, Pombriant said.
http://www.infoworld.com/archives/emailPrint.jsp?R=printThis&A=/article/07/01/22/04NNwinter07_1.html

Tectura joins Serenic Navigator partner channel
Earthtimes.org - Jan 23, 2007
-based Tectura, Inc. has become a reselling partner for Serenic Navigator. Tectura is a leading Microsoft Dynamics partner and provider of Microsoft-based ERP, CRM, and technology solutions to mid-market companies, larger enterprises and their divisions. Tectura provides software, consulting, and IT implementation services to more than 5,000 clients in a multitude of industries, including not-for-profit. Through these services, Tectura delivers business process improvements, greater efficiency, and a clear competitive edge to clients in over 60 countries. Customers benefit from unmatched experience and a solid commitment from more than 1,750 dedicated Tectura employees with over 70 offices throughout 21 countries across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. "We are thrilled to now represent Serenic Navigator, clearly one of the leading financial management products for nonprofit organizations," said Kathy Nohr, Dynamics NAV Practice Lead at Tectura.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,48570.shtml

CRM News: Government: SaaS App Growth Expected in Public Sector
CRM Buyer - Jan 19, 2007
CRM Buyer features CRM product information, reviews and comparisons. It is an independent source updated each day.
http://www.crmbuyer.com/story/dzW3jFKNq4px4R/SaaS-App-Growth-Expected-in-Public-Sector.xhtml

E-Commerce News: Portals & Search: Yahoo Earnings Beat Street
E-Commerce Times - Jan 24, 2007
1 million unique visitors per month in the quarter, the firm said. Sterling Market Intelligence analyst Greg Sterling noted that Yahoo CFO Sue Decker -- who will soon leave that post to head the company's advertising business -- sounded a fairly conservative tone in looking ahead for Google. Yahoo has areas to build on as it wars with Google and, to a lesser degree, Microsoft, including strong foundations in local search and mobile search, which could be a key to unlocking the value of local search, Sterling said. Yahoo scored a victory when Google shut down its live-answer service -- Yahoo Answers now garners more than 90 percent of open ended search query traffic, which may be important in social networking settings, he added.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/As8eIpAfCfAd3r/Yahoo-Earnings-Beat-Street.xhtml

NewsFactor Network | Belgian Newspapers Take On Yahoo
NewsFactor Network - Jan 19, 2007
According to Copiepresse, Microsoft has been working with the newspaper group on a compromise solution. Representatives from Copiepresse, Google, and Yahoo were not immediately available for comment.
http://www.newsfactor.com/news/Belgian-Newspapers-Take-On-Yahoo/story.xhtml?story_id=103009GRQQN6

Why Good Times Are the Most Dangerous
BusinessWeek - Jan 23, 2007
Times were indeed good, or so we thought. Then the bottom fell out. One February morning, our CEO handed me a letter from the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the organization empowered by major software companies like Microsoft (.
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jan2007/sb20070123_476563.htm?chan=smallbiz_smallbiz+index+page_keith+mcfarland

Good luck!

Microsoft Debuts Multitenant CRM Offering to Partner Community

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.

GreenHomes America Goes Live with Microsoft Dynamics CRM from...

How are you?

BEST OF ECT NEWS Sage CRM's Dave Batt on New Migration Products
CRM Buyer - Dec 24, 2006
Our first product was for Goldmine. We planon delivering two other competitive migration productsin the upcoming quarter. CRM Buyer: For which vendors?Batt: Two vendors we are considering are Salesforce. comand Microsoft CRM. CRM Buyer: It's not likely that Salesforce. com -- and certainly not MicrosoftCRM -- will be acquired. So, what case can you make for customers to jump to Sage?Batt: We will target areas that their customers don'tfeel comfortable with.
http://www.crmbuyer.com/story/54868.html

GreenHomes America Goes Live with Microsoft Dynamics CRM from...
PR Web - PR Web (press release) - Dec 21, 2006
As energy conservation continues to be a top priority across the country, GreenHomes America is meeting customer's needs by delivering solutions to help customers improve the indoor comfort, health and safety of their homes while at the same time reducing energy usage by at least 25%, guaranteed. The heightened demand for their services lead them to quickly consolidate their disparate customer management databases for a single repository that easily integrates with their existing business and financial management systems. By implementing Microsoft Dynamics CRM, GreenHomes America now has a scalable solution that provides real-time visibility into their daily operations. All departments within the organization now enjoy the benefits of an integrated solution that enables them to be proactive in their customer service efforts and helps improve efficiencies throughout the company. Microsoft Dynamics CRM enables them to easily access and manage their customer communication, quickly schedule home energy advisors, manage lead generation programs, capture sales pipeline information and trend customer data. By leveraging technology in all facets of their business GreenHomes America is able to consistently deliver the highest level of service to their customers. Brett Knox, President of GreenHomes America explains, "We selected Iteration2 because they have a strong track record for successful implementations and an exceptional service delivery team.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/12/prweb493457.htm

123Together.com First to Offer Free Microsoft Outlook 2007 with Their...
PR Web - PR Web (press release) - Dec 27, 2006
com First to Offer Free Microsoft Outlook 2007 with Their Exchange Hosting Service. com, the leading provider of Hosted Microsoft Exchange, Sharepoint and CRM services is now offering a free license of the new Microsoft Outlook 2007 E-mail client to every user of their Exchange Hosting service. (PRWeb) December 29, 2006 -- 123Together.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/12/prweb494056.htm

CRM News: Must Read: Solid-State PCs: Computing's Next Horizon
CRM Buyer - Dec 21, 2006
CRM Buyer features CRM product information, reviews and comparisons. It is an independent source updated each day... This will be the next new horizon in computing," he predicted. No Microsoft KillerEven if Linux were to become the primary OS for solid-state PCs, the new technology probably would not destroy Microsoft's dominance in any so-called operating system war. Hoffer does not think a solid-state PC would destroy Microsoft. "The notion of shifting architecture of the PC won't impact on Microsoft," he surmised. "Developers won't abandon Macs or Windows computers. We will still need a viable desktop workstation. When Microsoft is confronted with new technology, it is infamous for developing its own brand and continuing to control the market, said Partridge.
http://www.crmbuyer.com/story/must-read/54830.html

Victoria Murphy Barret On IT
Forbes - Dec 24, 2006
His vision is quickly becoming reality. Young companies aren’t buying traditional software. Older companies are trying out the new stuff where possible, and could switch big time when Oracle (nasdaq:... Many Web software firms targeting classic business problems like inventory management and spending patterns will go public in 2007. Others will be bought or merge. The big question: Will there be a Microsoft of Web software? Benioff, of course, has one answer. More On This TopicCompanies:.
http://www.forbes.com/2006/12/09/information-2007-predictions-sneakpeek_sp07_19_victoriabarret_information.html

Gears of Success
BusinessWeek - Dec 26, 2006
He then teased us about downloadable content, saying, "Without getting into lots of details, the teams at Epic and Microsoft Game Studios have a robust plan for downloadable content in the coming weeks and months. Let's just say that the already ardent Gears fan base will not be disappointed. Geared Up for Sequels?In trying to make Gears of War a success, Microsoft spared no expense in its ad campaign. The game had its own elaborate microsite which provided back-story on the game's protagonist Marcus Fenix and set the stage for the situation on planet Sera. Finally, the marketing campaign was punctuated by a TV ad that features a surprisingly lugubrious music choice in Mad World, but it's hard to argue with the result. "One of the great things about the Gears effort was that it was a fully integrated marketing effort," explained Subramoni. "Advertising, PR, Promotions, CRM, sponsorships, etc... Finally, the marketing campaign was punctuated by a TV ad that features a surprisingly lugubrious music choice in Mad World, but it's hard to argue with the result. "One of the great things about the Gears effort was that it was a fully integrated marketing effort," explained Subramoni. "Advertising, PR, Promotions, CRM, sponsorships, etc. were all carefully orchestrated over the past two years on a global basis by John Dongelmans, the Global Product Manager. It's hard to pinpoint the specific contribution of any one area of the marketing mix, but in totality, they all contributed immensely to the success that the title has achieved to date. Specific to advertising, the two areas that stand out are the online efforts and the television ad. "The former, specifically the microsite which was developed by AKQA Interactive, was in many ways a breakthrough piece of work, providing an immersive experience into the world of Sera (through the eyes of Marcus Phoenix) without actually being the game.
http://www.businessweek.com/@@fE4QImUQjOOu8wUA/innovate/content/dec2006/id20061226_534118_page_2.htm

Epicor Places Sixth On RIS Software LeaderBoard
TMCnet - Dec 27, 2006
In October Epicor and Microsoft jointly announced the introduction of Epicor Information Worker, a new desktop productivity product that delivers Epicor's enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications on the 2007 Microsoft Office system, providing information workers improved access to business data. Scott Smith, senior manager, product marketing for Epicor, said that using Microsoft technology, "we're offering service-oriented architecture and Web services-based solutions like Epicor Information Worker. "

Rob Bernard, general manager, Worldwide ISV group at Microsoft, noted that Epicor "continues to be an early adopter of the latest technology from Microsoft, participating in numerous technical adoption programs like Windows Vista, the 2007 Office system, Office Project 2007, Windows Workflow and more. "

David Sims is contributing editor for TMCnet. For more articles please visit David Sims’ columnist page.
http://news.tmcnet.com/news/-epicor-crm-/2006/12/27/2199285.htm

CRM News: Global: Vodafone Shares Stumble on India Expansion Reports
CRM Buyer - Dec 21, 2006
CRM Buyer features CRM product information, reviews and comparisons. It is an independent source updated each day.
http://www.crmbuyer.com/story/RB9qIWvhRRQjM6/Vodafone-Shares-Stumble-on-India-Expansion-Reports.xhtml

FinanceVisor - Markets > News > News Detail
FinanceVisor.com - Dec 23, 2006
Clients are now experiencing a five-time performance increase with this version. ” A new version of the SmartCatalog™ Rule Manager is scheduled for October. The Rule Manager will be completely overhauled in Microsoft. 0 Forms Application that is written in Microsoft’s C# language. The Rule Manager connects directly to any Product Catalog in order to retrieve the necessary product information required to build complex rules.
http://www.financevisor.com/market/news_detail.aspx?rid=45023

Sci-Tech Today | Windows Vista Flaw Not Cause for Major Concern
Sci-Tech Today - Dec 27, 2006
The Linux operating system, which is fast becoming Windows' chief rival for control of laptops, desktops, and servers, tends to curtail the user's power to install software, leaving those permissions in the hands of system administrators. Five More Flaws


Security firm Determina reported five more flaws in Vista, including one that would let hackers install rogue software through Microsoft's Internet Explorer 7, the Redmond firm's latest Web browser. Microsoft has touted IE7 as a "sandbox" that won't give hackers access to a user's system even if the browser itself has been compromised. Determina's discovery appears to negate Microsoft's claim. Mike Reavy of Microsoft's Security Response Center downplayed the problem on Microsoft's Web site, according to the Times. "Currently we have not observed any public exploitation or attack activity regarding this issue," he wrote. "While I know this is a vulnerability that impacts Windows Vista, I still have every confidence that Windows Vista is our most secure platform to date.
http://www.sci-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=12300CLQ3SLU

Innovative Technologies in Unified Communications Applications and...
CRM Directory (press release) - Dec 21, 2006
LiteScape’s applications uniquely connect solutions from disparate vendors to enable users to link business applications to any IP device. Founded in 2004, the company is privately held and primarily funded by SOFTBANK Capital, Telesoft Partners and Blumberg Capital. In additional to being a certified WebEx and Microsoft partner, LiteScape has strong global relationships with Cisco, Avaya and many resellers including AT&T and Bell Canada. For additional information, please visit.
http://www.crmdirectory.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=609&Itemid=56

See you soon.

National Business Review (NBR) - Business, News, Arts, Media, Share...

Give me five!

Vista, Office and Exchange 2007 to help struggling Brits
Register - Nov 30, 2006
In other words, Microsoft is using a new interface to expose many existing functions in Office that users didn't know existed or found too hard to use. Office replaces many menus with a "ribbon" and icons. Among the genuine improvements, integration between Office and Microsoft's CRM means that users can view business data at the same time as their Outlook diary and to-do-lists. Also, there's improved search in Windows Vista and SharePoint, and online collaboration through Groove Workspaces for employees and partners, which offers threaded discussions, issue tracking, and document libraries shared with SharePoint. Microsoft stressed security by working virtually, and of using BitLocker in Windows Vista to encrypt a PC hard drive in case the machine is lost or stolen, plus the ability to specify who can access documents to prevent leaks and stolen IP. ® Track this type of story as a.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/30/microsoft_cure_for_uk_productivity_gap/

National Business Review (NBR) - Business, News, Arts, Media, Share...
National Business Review - Dec 4, 2006
And it’s only because I’m an old fogey who has written about Great Plains, Navision and Axapta in the past that I care much. The IT industry in general is little interested in history – it’s what works and can be sold now that counts. Welcome, then, to Microsoft Dynamics CRM. It was introduced a couple of years ago but a it’s portion of the Microsoft Dynamics line that comes unencumbered with history. Microsoft developed it itself, in such a way that it will work with the existing Dynamics suite. Dynamics needed customer relationship management, so here it is. Dynamics CRM may not have history (yet) but it does have background.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=16875&cid=3&cname=Technology

Vista's Many Turnoffs
BusinessWeek - Dec 1, 2006
He says that the involvement of dozens of people, operating in too many teams, led to what he calls "the lowest common denominator. "Microsoft executives were not available to comment for this story. However, its supporters point out that each menu option—switch user, log off, lock, restart, sleep, hibernate, and shut down—does do something slightly different. "Restart," for example, shuts off and then immediately reboots the computer. "Sleep," on the other hand, puts the computer in a lower power state, saving battery juice while enabling the user to quickly resume activity. That's different from "hibernate," which saves work before, essentially, shutting down.
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/dec2006/tc20061201_625122.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_businessweek+exclusives

Taipei Times - archives
Taipei Times - Dec 3, 2006
If your hard disk crashes, your laptop gets stolen or any other disaster strikes, your valuable online work is stored safely on some big server probably on the other side of the Atlantic. That, admittedly, raises other security questions, but I've more faith in Google not losing my data than I do my own infrequently backed-up hard drive. Microsoft can be more of a hindrance than a help for bloggers. Cutting and pasting from Word is seldom straightforward, as there are often hidden formatting commands which interfere with the appearance of blog text. All the online packages I've looked at make inserting text and even graphics into a blog far more straightforward. Browser-based software should also make collaboration inherently simpler. Files such as word processor documents or spreadsheets are treated essentially as password protected Web pages... It includes Zoho Writer, Sheet and Show, the last being a lightweight PowerPoint-style presentation program. It also has a collaboration program called Zoho Virtual Office. On top of these there are Web-based business tools, including Zoho CRM and a well-featured online organizer called Planner. The spreadsheet seems more polished than Google's effort. It's certainly easier to produce charts, although that's not something I often do. There are occasions, however, when Sheet doesn't quite behave as expected, highlighting the wrong cells and so on. The software is still shown as being in beta test, but even when these problems are ironed out, it's not going to be a challenger for Excel's crown.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2006/12/03/2003338939

Oracle: On-demand world the future
InfoWorld - Nov 30, 2006
We see partners take that platform for applications across the entire enterprise. We have on-demand versions for all of our applications including the ones we acquired. We've a revamped release of PeopleSoft Enterprise On Demand and we have Oracle On Demand for Siebel CRM as well as Siebel CRM On Demand. We have all our retail 'on-demanded' -- Retek and ProfitLogic -- and our G-Log logistics. We're working on a Portal solution. IDGNS: Who does the bulk of the hosting of your on-demand software -- Oracle or your partners -- in percentage terms?Rottler: In most cases where partners are hosting, it's because the customer already has someone to outsource their software. Depending on the geography, it's in the 20 to 30 percent range... IDGNS: Who do you see as your primary competition both now and in future?Rottler: Ultimately, it will be the same people we compete against today. SAP has been a bit unfocused and haphazard and it'll take them some years to come up to scratch. We're waiting to see if Microsoft [Corp. ] can successfully enter the market. The rest of the competition are niche players. The challenge for them is can they broaden their products and be relevant in a broader context? We're a huge company that can provide an individual on-demand service or a multitenant solution securely; others don't have those options. Some players won't be around in future.
http://www.infoworld.com/archives/emailPrint.jsp?R=printThis&A=/article/06/11/30/HNoracleontap_1.html&source=searchresult

Quest Software Unveils New Version of Quest's Vintela Authenticati...
TMCnet - Dec 4, 2006
Wilson said since most of these enterprises are also heterogeneous, the ability to extend the powerful capabilities of Microsoft technologies to non-Microsoft platforms is key to their success. Microsoft has purposely chosen to base its solutions, such as Active Directory, SMS and MOM, on established industry standards, which creates an ideal platform upon which to build a unified management infrastructure for the heterogeneous enterprise. “Quest provides the enabling technologies that allow organizations to get the most from their investment in Microsoft infrastructure by extending the reach of those capabilities across platforms. We’re very pleased to be among the founding members of the Interop Alliance,” concluded Wilson. 1 of Quest’s Vintela Authentication Services was introduced in October, and is now generally available.
http://news.tmcnet.com/news/2006/12/04/2135090.htm

NewsFactor Network | Samsung Intros New Windows Mobile Smartphone
NewsFactor Network - Dec 4, 2006
"Microsoft's strategy with Windows Mobile is to line up device manufacturers to extend the reach of this operating system," Ryan said. 0, Microsoft has added push e-mail capability, which is critical for business users. Connecting through Exchange should prove popular to the large number of organizations using the Microsoft communications.
http://www.newsfactor.com/news/Samsung-Intros-Windows-Smartphone/story.xhtml?story_id=010000ZEE0NE

Goodbye.

Dynamics NAV first MS business app on Vista

How are you?

Is it time for customers to relate to CRM?
VNUNet.com - Jun 9, 2006
Is it time for customers to relate to CRM? With the growth of companies such as Salesforce. com and Microsoft’s attemptsto drive sales of its own CRM solution, there is dizzying hype surrounding thesoftware. But is the industry finally ready to embrace it? Simon MeredithreportsSimon Meredith,.
http://www.vnunet.com/articles/print/2157950

Dynamics NAV first MS business app on Vista
ITworld.com - Jun 12, 2006
0 appears early in 2007, Microsoft expects to come out with Dynamics GP 10 ERP software, according to James Utzschneider, general manager of Microsoft Dynamics marketing. He and colleague Darren Laybourn, general manager, Microsoft Dynamics tools, spoke Monday at the vendor's Tech Ed user conference in Boston. Microsoft is hoping to boost usage of its ERP and CRM (customer relationship management) applications by making the software easier to use and integrating it more closely with its other products, notably its Office desktop application suite, its SQL Server database and its SharePoint Web portal as well as its Windows operating systems. The company is gradually moving out proprietary pieces of its applications and replacing them with common Microsoft functionality. For example, Dynamics AX 5. 0 due out next year, will rely on the vendor's Visual Studio development tools not the current MorphX tools. The upcoming release will also enable developers to use Microsoft's Visual C++ or Visual Basic programming languages, although Microsoft has no plans to discontinue support for the current X++ offering used at present in Dynamics AX.
http://www.itworld.com/App/670/060612dynamics/

SugarCRM comes of age
BusinessWeek - Jun 1, 2006
com and SugarCRM is how well they integrate with other applications. Roberts is trying to best Benioff in that area, as well. Three months ago, he announced a deal with Microsoft to tune his products to work well with Microsoft's. Now he's working on the same kind of deal with corporate software giant SAP. Roberts has been laboring in the CRM vineyards for 14 years--earlier at E. piphany, BroadVision, Baan, Aurum, and IBM. Maybe, this time, he got it right... Three months ago, he announced a deal with Microsoft to tune his products to work well with Microsoft's. Now he's working on the same kind of deal with corporate software giant SAP. Roberts has been laboring in the CRM vineyards for 14 years--earlier at E. piphany, BroadVision, Baan, Aurum, and IBM. Maybe, this time, he got it right.
http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2006/06/sugarcrm_comes.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat

Online CRM sales up - vnunet.com
VNUNet.com - Jun 1, 2006
Microsoft is also trying to stake its claim. ‘SAP’s entry into the on-demand CRM market shows that large enterprises areincreasingly demanding software-as-a-service CRM,’ said. But vendors will have to develop their online products further, she says.
http://www.vnunet.com/computing/analysis/2157276/online-crm-sales

Do not hurry to the hosted party
VNUNet.com - Jun 7, 2006
”That said, Exchange has its problems too. I was reminded of this recentlywhen I participated in a software evaluation for a small business. The companyuses Microsoft’s Small Business Server (SBS), which includes Exchange. It nowneeds more specialist customer relationship management (CRM) software within itsniche, and the ability to publish selected internal data to its web site. It was soon clear that integration was the key problem. The on-premisessoftware integrated badly with the web, while the hosted solutions integratedbadly with Exchange and Microsoft Office. The answer, according to one vendor,was to dump Exchange and do everything online.
http://www.vnunet.com/itweek/comment/2157691/hurry-hosted-party

Palm Barks Up the Right Treo
BusinessWeek - Jun 7, 2006
The operation of the 700p will be familiar to anyone who has used a Treo 600 or 650, since the programs and functions are essentially the same. The device comes with Documents To Go software that lets you view and edit Microsoft Office files. But in one small way, the 700p is actually a step back from the 650: The older model had all of the navigation keys clustered at the top of the keyboard. When Palm embraced Windows on the 700w, the Menu key annoyingly ended up at the bottom right of the keyboard, and Palm failed to rectify this with the 700p. The 700p gives Palm's software a new lease on life, though its long-term future remains clouded. Networking features, in particular, are primitive compared with what's available with Windows Mobile, and the next generation of products, which will be expected to switch freely between Wi-Fi and cell-type networks, may be a real challenge for Palm.
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2006/tc20060607_305355.htm?sub=techmaven

BEA Systems Rides Software's New Rage
thestreet.com - Jun 14, 2006
PayPal gives away the Web applications and eBay charges a small fee, and both then charge on a per-use basis, he says. SOA and Web Services never would have arisen without the rise of standard programming tools and languages like Java, Ajax and XML. Although Microsoft (MSFT:Nasdaq) is seen as something of a laggard when it comes to supporting such industrywide standards, BEA's Gerraso says the software giant is one of the competing vendors he sees the most when his company goes after an SOA-related contract. But Microsoft, says Gartner's Plummer, "doesn't even use the term (SOA) at all. They run the risk of being stuck with the same old stereotype, a nonenterprise toy. " There's also some disagreement about Oracle's position as an SOA vendor. Some analysts say the company is too wedded to its own technology stack too succeed in this venue, while others say its enormous customer base and technological prowess give it a leg up.
http://www.thestreet.com/p/pf/tech/software/10291531.html

Keeping an Eye on the Snoops
BusinessWeek - Jun 5, 2006
The companies -- AT&T (T), BellSouth (BLS), and Verizon (VZ) -- all deny that they are illegally providing NSA with information. Now, the Administration is pushing for access to more Web-surfing records. On June 2, government officials met with representatives from Verizon, Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), and others to persuade the companies to retain the records of people's Internet activities for as long as two years. The companies, which now hold onto that data for a few weeks or months, are continuing discussions with the Administration on the issue, says one source from a company involved. In the end, though, all the fuss is much ado about not very much -- at least for longtime watchers of NSA, an arm of the Pentagon created to dig up foreign intelligence. NSA's trespassing in U.
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2006/tc20060605_901175.htm

DOJ, Net firms fail to agree on data retention | CNET News.com
CNET News.com - Jun 2, 2006
The participants in the two-hour meeting spoke to News. com afterward on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations. (Participants included AOL, Comcast, Google, Microsoft, Verizon Communications and trade associations. )




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ISP snooping time line


In events that were first reported by CNET News. com, Bush administration officials have said Internet providers must keep track of what Americans are doing online. Here's the time line:.
http://news.com.com/DOJ,+Net+firms+fail+to+agree+on+data+retention/2100-1028_3-6079585.html

Wall Street Beat: Novell hits rough waters
InfoWorld - Jun 1, 2006
Investors so far are buying into Red Hat's strategy to offer tools and move up the software stack. It is offering software-testing tools and plans to sell Java application server vendor JBoss software with its planned acquisition of the company. Analysts and investors, meanwhile seem to be taking a wait-and-see approach to Novell's plan, announced last month, to challenge Microsoft Corp. 's dominance on the corporate desktop with the Novell Open Workgroup Suite. There is, finally, a whole ecosystem of interesting startup and niche players in the open source software arena, many of which -- like Pentaho Corp. -- operate innovative business models that call for charging customers only for high-end versions of their products, or offer users pay-as-you-go options... Analysts and investors, meanwhile seem to be taking a wait-and-see approach to Novell's plan, announced last month, to challenge Microsoft Corp. 's dominance on the corporate desktop with the Novell Open Workgroup Suite. There is, finally, a whole ecosystem of interesting startup and niche players in the open source software arena, many of which -- like Pentaho Corp. -- operate innovative business models that call for charging customers only for high-end versions of their products, or offer users pay-as-you-go options. If Novell's products don't start showing market-share gains soon, doubts about the company's future can only grow.
http://www.infoworld.com/archives/emailPrint.jsp?R=printThis&A=/article/06/06/01/78868_HNwsbnovell_1.html

Good luck!