With the explosion of new technology on the market recently and talk of new iPhones, Android operating system, Windows 7, G4 technology, and on and on, it’s all pretty confusing, isn’t it? It’s difficult for the experts to keep up with all the changes – much less the people and companies dependent on it who “just need it to work.” As we move into this next phase of technology evolution, it will become less about whether you choose a Mac or a PC or an iPhone, Droid, or Blackberry. What will become more important will be the applications and access to them regardless of your technology preference of choice.

Growth of online applications to replace the large capital investment, maintenance and labor to support an Information Technology (IT) infrastructure is becoming more accepted. Initial concerns a few years back about information security, system availability and reliability have been addressed. The same consumers who have become more comfortable with online banking, online shopping and social networking are the same people making IT decisions for companies. Online applications and cloud computing provide a way for companies to take small steps toward migrating from the traditional in-house data center model. Some cloud computing providers offer application hosting and fully-managed IT services for the users to provide a complete turn-key offering.

These online services generally mean that the client is free to choose their device and operating system because the service provider has to build the systems such that they are technology agnostic. Companies can make business choices based on what application is best suited to their needs rather than having to compromise due to a limitation of the technology. Web-based applications or use of applications like Citrix or Microsoft’s Virtual Desktop (formerly Microsoft Terminal Services) provide on-demand applications to any user, anywhere, on any device. Keeping up with hardware maintenance, operating system licensing, patch updates, security patches, etc., are no longer issues. These are included as part of the infrastructure provided with cloud computing.

You may be asking, “What about my disaster recovery and business continuity?” With nearly all of these offerings it’s like Prego’s motto, “It’s in there.” The data resides on secured systems that are usually mirrored for hot stand-by for on-line redundancy and then backed up in at least one other remote location in the event of a catastrophic event. These data centers are generally in secure facilities with multiple levels of redundancy for power, cooling systems and network access. The cost to build systems individually for a company are usually cost prohibitive. In addition, there is support personnel available to provide assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year – including Christmas and New Year’s Day – for a fraction of what it would cost to hire a dedicated staff.

 Each company has to evaluate its own situation and decide for itself if this is the path it wants to go. More and more, they are choosing to “get out of IT” to focus on their core business. They also see the flexibility and engrained functionality of online services that can lead to better overall profitability and happier employees. Your choice of a solid IT provider who partners with your business for the long-term is the first and most critical decision in the process. Look for one that has been in the business a while, has a strong reputation in the industry, and has strong references with companies that are of similar size or business model so you know they understand how to best align with you.

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The Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) is a governmental entity affiliated to Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. It is responsible for growing and developing Egypt’s position as a leading global outsourcing location by attracting foreign direct investment to the industry and maximizing the exports of IT services and applications.

Located in the heart of the modern business environment at Smart Village, the six hundred acre business park on the outskirts of Cairo, ITIDA is a self sustainable entity that drives the IT industry in Egypt and raises awareness among the Egyptian people of the benefits and use of ICT to advance socio-economic welfare of the whole community.

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It’s unlikely that everyone will ever agree on the most important dates in the history of IT. I know my IT timeline has a personal and professional bias. But I’ve tried to be objective in examining the events that have served to shape the current landscape of the modern computing industry. Some of the milestones on my list are debatable (depending upon where you are looking from), but some of them most likely are not. Read on and see what you think.

Note: This article is also available as a PDF download.

1: The development of COBOL (1959)

There are many languages out there, but none has influenced as many others as COBOL has. What makes COBOL stand out is the fact that there are still machines chugging along, running COBOL apps. Yes, these apps could (and possibly should) be rewritten to a modern standard. But for many IT administrators, those who don’t have the time or resources to rewrite legacy apps, those programs can keep on keeping on.

2: The development of the ARPANET (1969)

It is an undeniable fact that the ARPANET was the predecessor of the modern Internet. The ARPANET began in a series of memos, written by J.C. R. Licklider and initially referred to as the “Intergalactic Computer Network.” Without the development of the ARPANET, the landscape of IT would be drastically different.

3: The creation of UNIX (1970)

Although many would argue that Windows is the most important operating system ever created, UNIX should hold that title. UNIX started as a project between MIT and AT&T Bell Labs. The biggest initial difference (and most important distinction) was that it was the first operating system to allow more than one user to log in at a time. Thus was born the multi-user environment. Note: 1970 marks the date the name “UNIX” was applied.

4: The first “clamshell” laptop (1979)

William Moggridge, working for GRID Systems Corporation, designed the Compass Computer, which finally entered the market in 1991. Tandy quickly purchased GRID (because of 20 significant patents it held) but then turned around and resold GRID to AST, retaining the rights to the patents.

5: The beginning of Linus Torvalds’ work on Linux (1991)

No matter where you stand on the Linux versus Windows debate, you can’t deny the importance of the flagship open source operating system. Linux brought the GPL and open source into the forefront and forced many companies (and legal systems) into seeing monopolistic practices as well as raising the bar for competition. Linux was also the first operating system that allowed students and small companies to think in much bigger ways than their budgets previously allowed them to think.

6: The advent of Windows 95 (1995)

Without a doubt, Windows 95 reshaped the way the desktop looked and felt. When Windows 95 hit the market the metaphor for the desktop became standardized with the toolbar, start menu, desktop icons, and notification area. All other operating systems would begin to mimic this new de facto standard desktop.

7: The 90s dot-com bubble (1990s)

The dot-com bubble of the 90s did one thing that nothing else had ever done: It showed that a great idea could get legs and become a reality. Companies like Amazon and Google not only survived the dot-com burst but grew to be megapowers that have significant influence over how business is run in the modern world. But the dot-com bubble did more than bring us companies — it showed us the significance of technology and how it can make daily life faster, better, and more powerful.

8: Steve Jobs rejoining Apple (1996)

Really, all I should need to say here is one word: iPod. Had Jobs not come back to Apple, the iPod most likely would never have been brought to life. Had the iPod not been brought to life, Apple would have withered away. Without Apple, OS X would never have seen the light of day. And without OS X, the operating system landscape would be limited to Windows and Linux.

9: The creation of Napster (1999)

File sharing. No matter where you stand on the legality of this issue, you can’t deny the importance of P2P file sharing. Without Napster, file sharing would have taken a much different shape. Napster (and the original P2P protocols) heavily influenced the creation of the BitTorrent protocol. Torrents now make up nearly one-third of all data traffic and make sharing of large files easy. Napster also led to the rethinking of digital rights (which to some has negative implications).

10: The start of Wikipedia (2000)

Wikipedia has become one of leading sources of information on the Internet and with good reason. It’s the single largest collaborative resource available to the public. Wikipedia has since become one of the most often cited sources on the planet. Although many schools refuse to accept Wiki resources (questioning the legitimacy of the sources) Wikipedia is, without a doubt, one of the largest and most accessible collections of information. It was even instrumental in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, when the candidates’ Wiki pages became the top hits for voters seeking information. These presidential Wiki pages became as important to the 2008 election as any advertisement.

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WASHINGTON, – The Economist Intelligence Unit’s annual study, sponsored by the Business Software Alliance (BSA), reveals that countries in Asia, Latin America and Europe are taking deliberate steps to improve their technology environments, although the U.S. remains the leader in providing the most competitive conditions for the information technology (IT) industry.

The United States still ranks first in the world in the annual IT Industry Competitiveness Index, which was conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the business information arm of The Economist Group. The United States scored a 78.9 out a possible 100 in the index. However, the U.S. lost ground to competitors in a number of areas, while Finland jumped from 13 in the 2008 rankings to number two in 2009 and surpassed the United States in the quality of its business environment.

Source: Reuters