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Biting the hand that feeds IT

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:58:30 +0100

.::Enterprise storage is for the little people too::.

Not the boxes, the thinking...

Reg primer Small and medium-sized businesses are the great untapped market for the computer storage industry. They remain untapped, for good reason. Money.…

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:26:24 +0100

.::Law firm argues links to its website abuse its trademarks::.

Jones Day wrestles BlockShopper.com

One of the world's biggest law firms is suing a small Chicago-based website for naming the firm and linking to two of its associates' biographies. A judge rejected an attempt to have the case thrown out last week.…

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:12:04 +0100

.::Trademark owner loses domain name claim against unauthorised reseller::.

Court rules against ITT

Dealers and resellers can use a manufacturer's trademark as a domain name even when their sales are not authorised by the manufacturer, an arbitration panel has ruled.…

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:48:16 +0100

.::UK govt cuts web shoppers a break::.

Customs Duty threshold raised

The banks may be unwilling to pass on their tax breaks, but at least the Government has one for internet shoppers importing goodies from outside the EU.…

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:13:17 +0100

.::MoD seeks 'budding Qs' in SME engagement push::.

Pops open porkbarrel small tin of spam

The UK Ministry of Defence says it is keen to hear from "budding Qs who think they could supply the armed forces of the future with high-tech gadgets and gizmos". To that end, the MoD has organised an "innovation day" at Glasgow University.…

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:52:32 +0100

.::SMBs split on tech spending plans::.

IT glass half empty, half full

Just as The Meltdown was ramping up to full swing back in September, the Computing Technology Industry Association thought it was a good time to bug small and medium businesses in the US, Canada, and the UK about their businesses' prospects and their IT spending plans in the next twelve months.…

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:46:28 +0100

.::UK lists preferred occupations for immigrants::.

Bring us your huddled fish filleters

The Home Office has confirmed the list of preferred jobs for would-be immigrants to the UK - and non-EU techies need not apply.…

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:50:41 +0100

.::CBI warns of harsh winter for small biz::.

Prising cash out of the banks

Business group the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) called on banks to free up lending to small and medium enterprises this winter, warning that many firms will be looking for funding.…

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:13:09 +0100

.::Sacking suspected ageist not ageism, EAT rules::.

Appeal tribunal finds for management

If an employer dismisses an employee on suspicion of age discrimination, that in itself is not age discrimination, an Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) has ruled.…

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:11:04 +0100

.::EPO to give definitive ruling on software patents::.

An end to all the fuss?

The European Patent Office (EPO) has asked its ultimate legal authority to look at the European Patent Convention (EPC) and issue advice on the patentability of software. The EPO said that such advice was necessary to ensure the uniform application of the EPC.…

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:39:03 +0200

.::Europe gives temps same rights as permanent staff::.

So much for UK gov's small biz promises

The European Parliament has passed a proposal to give temporary staff and contractors the same employment rights as permanent staff.…

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:52:03 +0200

.::Bank of England prescribes 'boredom'::.

Will sliding pound make exciting IT kit more expensive?

Sterling hit a five-year low against the dollar this morning after Mervyn King, the Bank of England’s governor, admitted that Britain was headed for a recession.…

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:45:20 +0200

.::Mandelson puts reassuring arm around small firms::.

Hopes to give 'backbone of economy' government leg-up

Comeback kid Lord Peter Mandelson will tell MPs later today that he is attempting to speed up the release of £1bn of European Investment Bank money for small businesses.…

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:36:21 +0200

.::PayPal glitch freezes sellers' cash for weeks::.

Cock-up not conspiracy

A problem with some PayPal payments being held by the company was just a glitch, not a cunning plan to claw more money out of buyers.…

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:02:03 +0200

.::No IT budget for faster SME payments::.

Gov tightens fists

The government is not allocating funding to upgrade payment systems to meet the prime minister's commitment to pay small suppliers faster during the credit crunch.…

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:24:04 +0200

.::Ruling makes it easier to get software patents in the UK::.

Court of Appeal upholds Symbian software patent

The Court of Appeal has refused to accept the UK Intellectual Property Office's rejection of a patent for a piece of software in a move which experts say will open the door for more software patents in the UK.…

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:03:27 +0200

.::Brown promises £250bn bailout will save SMEs::.

Hello, is that the Titanic? Your bucket's on its way

Downing St has put SMEs at the centre of its bank bailout plan, but is relying on European funds and the banks' own word to deliver much needed relief to small business.…

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:02:03 +0200

.::EU Commissioner wants to ease SMEs' red tape burden::.

Keeping the credit crunch wolves at bay

The European Union yesterday called on Member States to participate in a major review of the accounting directives for small biz firms to help reduce the administrative burden on SMEs.…

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:57:11 +0200

.::Marketing body condemns 'draconian' Olympic law::.

'Will squeeze small biz'

The law that restricts use of words associated with the 2012 Olympic Games in London is heavy-handed, too restrictive and will damage the interests of businesses across the UK, the Chartered Institute of Marketers (CIM) has said.…

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:48:54 +0200

.::Cambridge tech boss rips gov over innovation cash::.

'We'll all be painted blue and dancing for tourists'

The head of one of the UK's top innovation centres has predicted a future for British citizens as impoverished peasants, painted blue and dancing for tourists because funding for high tech innovation has been pulled.…

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:51:30 +0200

.::Freelancers might be taxed as employees after High Court ruling::.

IT contractor hit with £99,000 bill

An IT contractor has been hit with a £99,000 tax bill after the High Court ruled that he should be taxed as an employee of the company he undertook work for.…

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:36:42 +0200

.::Road warriors offered office in a suitcase::.

Crazy case contains printer, laptop stand, power

Travelling salespeople have a hard time, often working from their car, without enough space for laptop, let alone use of a printer. But now all their problems have been solved - with one suitcase.…

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:15:40 +0200

.::eBay changes anger smaller sellers::.

Goodbye Mom and Pop

Online tat bazaar eBay is changing how it charges to encourage more fixed price sales instead of auctions.…

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:55:50 +0200

.::Yelp 'pay to play' pitch makes shops scream for help::.

User generated discontent

When it debuted in July of 2004, Yelp reinvented the notion of online city guides, giving "real people" the power to write "real reviews." For many, it represents the best of something called Web 2.0, a site built by you and me and everyone else. But in its struggle to turn clicks into cash, the San Francisco startup has been known to hedge this egalitarian ideal, playing games with the very concept that made it so popular.…

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:13:37 +0200

.::eBay wins right to not police counterfeit goods::.

Tat seller wins rights to tat

A court in Belgium has thrown out a complaint by L'Oreal that eBay was not doing enough to combat sales of fake versions of the cosmetics giant's products on its site.…

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:45:14 +0200

.::Rude financial firms to pay, Ombudsman vows::.

Distress grounds for additional compensation

Delays, rudeness and poor claims handling are grounds for ordering financial services firms to compensate customers, the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has said. Payments can be ordered in addition to other remedies.…

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:46:49 +0200

.::MessageLabs mulls float as economy sinks::.

Says Saas bucking market

MessageLabs, the utility messaging service, said it is ready for an IPO if and when market conditions improve.…

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:38:53 +0200

.::Ubuntu gets into unified comms, chides Microsoft::.

Says new suite more sweet for SMBs

Canonical has signed an agreement with Unison Technologies to offer a complete unified communications suite for small to medium-sized firms running Ubuntu Linux.…

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:13:28 +0200

.::Sage brushes off credit crunch::.

Despite 'uncertain and challenging markets'

Sage told the London Stock Exchange this morning that it expects to hit targets for the year but remains cautious of the impact of the credit crunch on its business.…

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:51:09 +0200

.::Treasury coughs £80m tax credit for R&D::.

Eagle pulls small biz up by scruff of its neck

The UK government will dish up an extra £80m a year in tax credits to encourage small businesses to invest in more research and development.…

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:02:03 +0200

.::IT career virgins need a cherry on top::.

Oversubscribed employers demand overqualified workers

Any Reg readers looking to change their job or simply start work their career will be left confused by the latest batch of news from UK recruitment experts.…

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:26:26 +0200

.::Southeast London is card fraud cesspool::.

UK danger zones named

London is the biggest single centre for credit card fraud with southeast London - particularly Thamesmead (SE28) - becoming notorious as the place with the most fraudulent activity in the UK, according to a new survey.…

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:02:05 +0200

.::HMV lines up a few VAT-free CDs and DVDs::.

How not to cannibalise your sales

HMV is planning to put kiosks into some of its stores to allow customers to order out-of-stock CDs and DVDs which will be fulfilled VAT-free from the Channel Islands.…

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:38:21 +0200

.::FT forgets law of small numbers in tech collapse scenario::.

No spike in titsupometer

The number of UK technology firms suffering financial problems was up 371 per cent for the second quarter of 2008 compared to last year.…

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:54:04 +0200

.::RSA domain glitch derails UK online retailers::.

Unverified by Visa

RSA has apologised for a domain name registration glitch, which left clients of its securesuite.co.uk payment processing service unable to process payment as normal last Thursday.…

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:46:13 +0200

.::eBay UK pimps users' privacy for targeted ads::.

When opt out means locked out

Updated: eBay users in the UK will start seeing adverts targeting them based on the kind of items they view and bid for while browsing the online tat-house.…

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:10:18 +0200

.::Judge sides with eBay in fake jewelry spat::.

Trademark at Tiffany's

A federal judge has sided with eBay in its long-running legal battle with jewelry giant Tiffany & Co.…

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:53:06 +0200

.::Microsoft tells SMBs Vista isn't a risky business::.

You may end up dancing round the living room in pants

Microsoft isn’t going to let the small detail of sluggish sales and take-up among businesses of its Windows Vista operating system get in the way of its latest attempt to woo the little guys.…

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:23:26 +0200

.::Lower VAT could help small businesses amid recession fears::.

Rates cut lifeline for small PC shops?

Small computer outfits could see VAT rates slashed to as low as five per cent under new proposals put forward by the European Commission yesterday.…

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:26:03 +0200

.::eBay Australia ditches PayPal scheme::.

Seller fury prompts backdown

eBay Australia has given up on its attempt to force virtually all payments through its subsidiary PayPal.…

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:18:59 +0200

.::eBay Australia faces PayPal fury::.

Aussies unconvinced by PayPal-only policy

eBay Australia's attempt to force all sellers to use PayPal is failing to win over users and still faces a competition investigation.…

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:37:49 +0200

.::Merchants call credit card industry's bluff on compliance::.

PCI DSS off the agenda

Nine in ten (88 per cent) European firms have failed to achieve compliance with a credit card industry standard for processing ecommerce transactions.…

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:45:21 +0200

.::eBay calls for end to grey import laws::.

One bid to rule them all

eBay is calling on the European Union to change trading laws which it describes as being "digital protectionism".…

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:02:33 +0200

.::Lenovo throws arms and legs around SMBs::.

Plans to dish up SL series to pump up sales

Lenovo yesterday revealed plans to launch a new Thinkpad laptop line that will come loaded with features and support services pitched towards the small and medium-sized biz market.…

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 18:56:22 +0200

.::Network Solutions writes hypocrisy into press release::.

Master of its domain. And many others

After spending the last six months front-running internet domains, Network Solutions has announced that ICANN should prevent people from front-running internet domains.…

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:53:29 +0200

.::eBayer slaps $714 price tag on $630 in cash::.

Will Microsoft pay the difference?

In an attempt to game Microsoft's new Live Search Cashback program, an eBayer has put a $714 price tag on $630 in cash.…

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:47:31 +0200

.::Bosch, Siemens: Vorsprung durch kinder und technik::.

Blighty giggles, says 'I've always been hopeless at sums'

Remorseless Teutonic engineering firms, already desperate for engineering talent and seeing worse times ahead, have now moved their recruitment efforts into the kindergarten. Companies such as Bosch and Siemens believe that the post-industrial rot has now gone so deep that children must be put on the hard and righteous path at the pre-school stage.…

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:00:07 +0200

.::Business failures to rocket as growth nosedives::.

Tech sector to the rescue?

UK economic growth will soon slow to its lowest level since 1992, while a drop in consumer confidence combined with a hike in costs could signal a near 20 per cent rise in businesses going bust, two new reports have warned.…

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:02:03 +0200

.::PayPal ambushes users with mystery Skype charges::.

Glitch or breach?

Vulture Central is keeping its eyes peeled for some sort of PayPal glitch or security breach, following reader reports their accounts were debited overnight to pay for Skype services they never ordered.…

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:20:51 +0200

.::Labour isn't working for IT contractors::.

Leave my heap of cash alone

Outraged contractors have slammed Labour’s policies on freelance work in the UK and claimed that the government’s stance threatens their livelihoods.…