Ireland's IT industry is threatened by a lack of senior skilled staff, according to a survey by the Irish Software Association. The survey of over 60 software companies found that growth in the industry is being restricted by nearly 30 per cent due to a lack of sufficiently skilled staff.
The chairman of the ISA, Gerry Jones, has called on the Government to reduce taxation on share options to 20 per cent after the study indicated that 93 per cent of firms believed it would have a positive impact on the recruitment and retention of staff. The ISA contends that Ireland's competitive position on the international IT market is seriously threatened by unfavourable tax treatment, especially following the British government's recent reduction in taxation of share options.
ADVERTISING GLORY: Web design companies Webfactory and Labyrinth won seven of the 11 "mice" at the first Irish Internet Advertising Awards last week. Other winners at the Mouse Awards included the Belfast Telegraph, for best use of the Web by a media company, and Build-Online for the creation of an online business.
MERGER REVIEW: The merger of AOL and TimeWarner could help keep the US government from having to regulate high-speed Internet services, according to the chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission, Bill Kennard. He also warned that his agency would review the merger to ensure that "first and foremost the public interest is served."
SEARCH FOR SPEED: AOL and Gateway are to start trials of high-speed Internet service products. The companies will begin offering high-speed access using digital subscriber line (DSL) technology to consumers in San Diego, where the DSL service will be sold at Gateway shops.
MICROSOFT DISAGREES: Microsoft has "respectfully" disagreed with Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's ruling that the company is an abusive monopoly, arguing that it doesn't control the price or availability of software. Microsoft's lawyers repeated earlier assertions that the judge inappropriately considered as the company's only competition other software that runs Intel-based PCs.
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH: The number of Internet users in China more than doubled in the last half of 1999 from four million to 8.9 million. The number of websites in China rose from 9,906 at the end of June to 15,153 in December. The growth has come despite government controls limiting access to foreign sites considered politically sensitive.
HUMAN RIGHTS SURVEY: Deirdre Ni Chuanachain, a post-graduate student in UCC researching online communities and their use in human rights activism, is conducting a survey to see how people connect with others through online communities and discussion forums. Info - nichuana@tinet.ie
HACK TO SCHOOL: US cracker Kevin Mitnick, released from prison last Friday, wants to study computing in college. However his probation rules bar him from touching computers for the next three years.
Y2K CENTRE SHUTDOWN: The Russian-US centre established to monitor potential Y2K-related missile mishaps has closed.
DINOSAUR SALE: A T-Rex skeleton is for sale online through Lycos Auction, with bidding for the 25-foot-tall, 40foot-long skeleton starting at $5.8 million. The price includes shipping from the skeleton's home in a Kansas warehouse.
DARKLIGHT'S NEW DAWN: Darklight, the forum for creative digital work, is seeking submissions for its second digital festival in May. Alongside screenings in the Irish Film Centre, the festival will also populate Dublin's Temple Bar with interactive pieces. Details from info@darklight-filmfestival.com
BOSMAN RULING: The World Wrestling Federation has won the first case to be brought by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers under its uniform dispute resolution policy. The dispute involved a claim by the WWF against Michael Bosman, who registered the name www.worldwrestlingfederation.com in October 1999 before offering to sell the name to the WWF. A panel found that he couldn't claim a right to the name which was "identical or confusingly similar" to the WWF's trademark.
IN BRIEF...Oracle and Cap Gemini are to deliver integrated software for the telecommunications industry in Europe based on Oracle's Portal-toGo. . . Norkom Technologies has announced a further equity investment of $3 million, by Trinity Venture Capital. Former Netscape CEO James Barksdale plans to give $100 million to help Mississippi children learn to read. . .Circle-Network is to invest $10 million developing an Irish and British eKiosk infrastructure. . .