tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1 2008-07-15T18:45:49Z Ara Trembly - www.insurancetechguru.com Movable Type 3.34 tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.82 2008-07-15T16:22:08Z 2008-07-15T18:45:49Z

A recent story in USA Today notes that "civil liberties advocates" are concerned that a color laser printer technology will lead to government spying on political dissidents, whistleblowers, or "anyone who prints materials that authorities want to track."...

Ara Trembly A recent story in USA Today notes that "civil liberties advocates" are concerned that a color laser printer technology will lead to government spying on political dissidents, whistleblowers, or "anyone who prints materials that authorities want to track." ]]> laser printers leave microscopic yellow dots on each printed page to identify the printer's serial number--which could presumably lead to identification of the printer's owner. Invisible to the naked eye, the dots can only be seen using a blue LED light and are used by agencies such as the Secret Service to identify counterfeit bills created with a laser printer. I asked computer hardware expert Lou Slawetsky, president of Rochester, N.Y.-based Industry Analysts, for his take on the privacy fears. "I don't see it as a threat, but I'm not a dissident," he quipped. "The only people worried about being found out are those who are doing stuff they shouldn't be doing. Manufacturers used to embed a chip in copiers that would not allow currency to be copied--it would turn out blank--but since we have changed our currencies, that doesn't work any more. So now we have the dots. "There are many ways to identify where a document came from," he explained. "You can go back and look at the URL. You can identify every server that e-mail or document came through to be printed. It's really not the printer itself that is the leak into your life, it's the computer." I'm inclined to agree with Lou, who noted that the dots used to identify a laser printer are similar to the old methods of identifying a particular typewriter's output by unique characteristics of a certain letter, say a broken "e." Identifying the typewriter or printer, of course, doesn't positively prove that a certain individual wrote the document, but looking behind the scenes in the computer or network could do just that. And, let's face it, does anyone out there seriously believe that someone with sufficient technology acumen--say the U.S. government or a 14-year-old hacker--couldn't easily find out this and much more information via legal and illegal incursions into your computer systems? That's one reason why no one should send an e-mail that he or she doesn't want his family, friends, boss, government or the rest of the world to be able to see. Privacy in cyberspace is a comforting illusion that many cling to, but the reality is cold, hard and unrelenting. That doesn't mean we don't try to protect privacy of our personal and business communications. It does mean, however, that we cannot be foolish enough to think that we are then completely secure. With so many other threats to corporate and individual privacy out there, I have to admit that identifying dots for laser printers are not high on my list of worries. But perhaps you feel differently. Either way, post your comments here. ]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.81 2008-07-08T20:18:14Z 2008-07-08T20:37:52Z

According to a recent report in Computerworld, Microsoft Corp. has outlined new security features that it plans to add to Internet Explorer next month, including anti-malware protection and a filter said to block most cross-site scripting attacks....

Ara Trembly According to a recent report in Computerworld, Microsoft Corp. has outlined new security features that it plans to add to Internet Explorer next month, including anti-malware protection and a filter said to block most cross-site scripting attacks. ]]> malware blocking to the antiphishing protection already embedded in the software. The new feature will warn users when they're about to visit a site known or suspected of spreading malicious code and then block any download from that site. Also to debut next month in IE8 Beta 2 is an integrated filter that Microsoft said would prevent most cross-site scripting attacks, which are most commonly used by identity thieves and have been on the upswing, said Computerworld. The first feature should be useful in enterprises where employees are permitted to visit outside Web sites--which is just about every enterprise out there. The anti-identity-theft filter should make the individuals themselves feel a little less threatened by cyber-criminals. Will these enhancements effectively reduce problems? What's your take?]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.79 2008-06-20T20:51:35Z 2008-06-24T14:51:33Z

While the insurance industry and high-profile political candidates bow their heads at the altar of global warming (witness the baffling obeisance of Senator McCain), the senior meteorologist at AccuWeather.com has published an open letter to the presidential candidates calling...

Ara Trembly While the insurance industry and high-profile political candidates bow their heads at the altar of global warming (witness the baffling obeisance of Senator McCain), the senior meteorologist at AccuWeather.com has published an open letter to the presidential candidates calling for an unbiased looked at the alleged phenomenon. ]]> AccuWeather Web site. Mr. Bastardi suggests that within the first 100 days of taking office, the new president should assemble five top scientists on both sides of the debate in the Oval Office and let them argue the issues. The key, he notes, is to "get the politics out of it." While some may decry the simplicity of this approach, I believe it represents an elegant solution to what has really become much more of a political football than a scientific debate. Does anyone seriously think that any politician is better qualified than real scientists to comment on what some claim is a potentially disastrous trend? How can anyone take seriously the rantings of a man who claimed to have "created" the Internet and now is raking in megabucks by making people and corporations feel frightened and guilty about the industrialization of modern society? But what if Al Gore is right for a change? Well maybe our new president can get a clue on that score by listening to people who have a scientific axe to grind, rather than a political one. Do I seriously believe that most scientists will not try to wax political when it comes to this issue? Of course not! So, I would add to Mr. Bastardi's recommendation that any scientist-presenter who strays into the political realm at the White House meeting be unceremoniously shown the door. Is this a perfect solution? Hardly. But I like the effort to get down to the real science, as far as we know it--putting money and politics aside. Take a look at Mr. Bastardi's letter (see link above) and weigh in on this weighty--or perhaps weightless--issue. ]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.78 2008-06-13T20:23:04Z 2008-06-13T21:29:07Z

Two U.S. House of Representatives members reported recently that their computers on Capitol Hill containing information about political dissidents had been hacked by sources "apparently working out of China," several stories said this week....

Ara Trembly Two U.S. House of Representatives members reported recently that their computers on Capitol Hill containing information about political dissidents had been hacked by sources "apparently working out of China," several stories said this week. ]]> Associated Press report. The two lawmakers are longtime critics of China's record on human rights, the story noted. Rep. Wolf suggested the problem was likely to be shared by some in the Senate. AP reports that he is calling for hearings in both the House and Senate, and well he should. This is not the first time that hacking accusations have been thrown at China, however. Last September, several sources, including Fox News, reported that the Chinese government had hacked a non-critical Defense Department computer, according to a Pentagon source. Combine this information with widely circulated stories about the Chinese shipping tainted seafood and dangerous toys to the United States (repeatedly), and it makes you wonder why we are so anxious to do business with that nation. Even the normally conservative insurance industry is drooling like a Pavlovian dog in a bell tower at the prospect of expanding operations in China. Sad to say, but in the end, money rules. Who cares if we get tainted food? Who cares if our kids eat lead paint off of poorly designed or manufactured toys? Who cares if a foreign government with less than friendly intent toward the U.S. is hacking into sensitive computer systems that contain information vital to the defense of our nation? Apparently no one cares. We keep lapping up the inexpensive Chinese goods in our stores and ramping up a huge trade deficit with that nation. We allow all this to happen without holding the Chinese government accountable for serious security breaches and potentially serious health problems from shoddy products. And somehow, we all believe that's OK, because, well, think of the size of the market that awaits in China. Well, it's not OK, and our weak-kneed federal government needs to step up and do something--yesterday. What's your opinion? Share it here. ]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.77 2008-06-10T16:03:48Z 2008-06-10T17:08:16Z

Competition to sell technology in the insurance industry is fiercely intensifying, as more players enter the fray and the specter of recession-induced cuts in IT budgets looms on the horizon. When considering the vendor-dominated steel cage match that the...

Ara Trembly Competition to sell technology in the insurance industry is fiercely intensifying, as more players enter the fray and the specter of recession-induced cuts in IT budgets looms on the horizon. When considering the vendor-dominated steel cage match that the ACORD LOMA Systems Forum has become, however, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on what the big dogs are doing. ]]> Microsoft Corporation and IBM, and surprisingly—or perhaps not so surprisingly—the longtime rivals were pretty much doing the same things at this year’s event in Las Vegas. I say it may not be so surprising, since the last few years have demonstrated that vendor exhibitors who do best at this conference are those whose customers are other vendors. Just change the word “vendor” to “partner,” and you’ve already mastered the vocabulary that will enable you to understand the actions of the big two. Microsoft has certainly made no secret of its strategy to leverage relationships with vendor partners to produce free beta research and development for its software products, and to support its platform. After a year of being absent from the ACORD LOMA show floor, Microsoft was back and touting the Insurance Value Chain/Partner Advisory Council, described by its chairman, Kevin Kelly, as “a stand-alone body that will provide marketing and technical feedback and interaction for Microsoft’s insurance vertical team.” Mr. Kelly, who coincidentally was formerly global insurance industry manager for Microsoft, is now executive vice president of enterprise markets for XDimensional Technologies, Inc., Brea, Calif. He further stated that, “This will enable the partners to have a more unified voice toward Microsoft and to behave ‘in-market’ as a formal body of solutions, related to one another via the Microsoft platform.” At the same time, Microsoft released its IVC Software Factory for ACORD Standards, a set of development tools and assets that use Microsoft’s .NET framework. According to Mr. Kelly, it is targeted at both the property-casualty and life and annuity businesses. IBM, meanwhile, also announced “a solution for improving operational efficiency and a framework for process acceleration,” both designed to help providers handle core processes such as claims and policy processing more efficiently. So where’s the partner connection? Further into the press announcement, we read the following: “IBM’s broad independent software vendor (ISV) ecosystem also enables leading software providers to participate in the framework.” Two technology giants with but a single thought: Get as many vendor partners as possible to buy into your framework in this vertical, thereby increasing your leverage for generations to come. But the similarities in strategy do not stop there. ACORD LOMA also saw the release of the Insurity-Microsoft “Millennials in Insurance Survey 2008.” This research found that Millennials (those born between 1981 and 2000) want new and innovative technologies in the workplace. In addition, they have high expectations of how insurers will interact with them as customers, including the ability to view their accounts online, Web-based support and the ability to send instant messages to agents. IBM, not to be outdone, did its own research, the “2008 IBM Global CEO Study,” which found, among other things, that “three quarters of CEOs view the rise of the informed and collaborative consumer positively, rather than as a threat.” That fits in nicely with Microsoft’s research, which seems to indicate that the coming generation of consumers will demand nothing less than rapid, high-tech interactions. In a very real sense, ACORD LOMA provided the perfect stage on which both tech giants could win vendor converts to their platforms—frameworks which would then form the infrastructure needed to serve the consumers of the next generation. It’s almost as if IBM and Microsoft had a clandestine meeting at which they planned—New World Order illuminati-style—the very future of our industry and others (they work in other verticals as well), with technology as the celestial hammer that will fashion their shared vision. But surely we don’t really believe they would collude to take such blatantly manipulative actions, do we? Where is Dan Brown when you need him? ]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.76 2008-05-29T19:29:55Z 2008-05-29T20:23:25Z

Popular new devices like Apple’s iPhone have reignited the debate over ‘consumerization’--where new technologies are introduced into the consumer market and then brought into the enterprise market--with employees determined to integrate their personal devices with their enterprise applications. However,...

Ara Trembly Popular new devices like Apple’s iPhone have reignited the debate over ‘consumerization’--where new technologies are introduced into the consumer market and then brought into the enterprise market--with employees determined to integrate their personal devices with their enterprise applications. However, IT managers are reluctant to take on the responsibility of managing these devices, according to a new report by independent market analyst Datamonitor. ]]> satisfaction and encourage more of them to embrace mobile devices and improve their productivity when away from the office." Security concerns, however, are the largest barrier to mobility deployments, said Datamonitor. The company noted that in a survey it conducted to establish issues that are currently preventing enterprises from investing in mobility solutions, the majority of the 467 respondents rated security as the greatest barrier to adoption of mobility solutions. Datamonitor suggested that IT Managers need to have mobile device policies in place. "So far very few IT departments have yielded to these requests and are refusing to be responsible for managing such a wide variety of mobile devices. However, the iPhone has set a new standard for device userability and the trend of ‘consumerization’ is going to continue," the company said, adding that the ability to lock, wipe and remotely diagnose devices is crucial Clearly, these developments will surprise no one who follows the technology market, but the larger question remains: What do we do with the glut of consumer devices that will almost surely penetrate our enterprises--whether we like it or not or whether we know about it or not? The relatively poor state of security for most mobile devices suggests that insurance enterprises should keep them far away, so a policy certainly makes sense. But is such a policy really enforceable? Share your opinions here!]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.75 2008-05-21T19:22:18Z 2008-05-27T17:27:39Z

If you were there, or if you've been reading the online news, you may have a fair idea of what went on at this year's ACORD LOMA Insurance Systems Forum, but if you've read this blog at all, what...

Ara Trembly If you were there, or if you've been reading the online news, you may have a fair idea of what went on at this year's ACORD LOMA Insurance Systems Forum, but if you've read this blog at all, what you're really after is the underlying trends, secret murmurs and inside scoops that swirled about the conference in Las Vegas. Not being one to disappoint, I will be happy to share. ]]> LOMA (an educational body that grew out of the life insurance community)--who nonetheless have committed to running a joint conference. Why they continue to do this baffles me. An apt comparison might be combining a convention for neurosurgeons with a gathering of hospital candy stripers. Sure, they're both involved in healthcare, but it's doubtful that either group would have much to say to the other. Nowhere were the differences at ACORD LOMA more evident than in the opening remarks of the groups' respective leaders. In short, the content of their speeches showed few, if any, commonalities between the organizations--a fact that did not go unnoticed by audience members in my immediate vicinity. That being said, both groups did a fine job of advancing the causes of their own very different audiences in the educational sessions. Those sessions I looked into (not including my own, of course) were generally informative. The divide between ACORD and LOMA was also evident on the exhibit floor, where one booth denizen told me he was really glad that he "didn't get stuck on the LOMA side of the floor." I wasn't aware that such a segregation existed, but in trade shows as in many areas of life, perception is reality. Indeed, when I wandered near the LOMA booth, the atmosphere did seem more placid than that in other parts of the exhibit hall. Several exhibitors commented on what they believed was a high ratio of vendors to customers--a complaint that has arisen in previous years with regard to this conference. Of course, that ratio wasn't a problem for vendors whose customers are other vendors, but for many, such was not the case, and these folks said they weren't getting the sales leads they needed. Other exhibitors complained that traffic on the show floor was light, with some attributing the difference to what they felt were inadequate exhibit floor hours. An ACORD spokesperson told me, however, that the total attendance (2,400+) at ACORD LOMA was slightly up from last year's figure (2,350). This year's totals included representation from 200 insurance companies and 175 vendors, the spokesperson added. Not bad for an economy that is at least flirting with recession. Another trend that emerged during this conference is the proliferation of consultants. Of course, the usual suspects (Gartner, Celent, Tower) were on hand, but I also noticed a couple of newcomers vying for the business. This was not at all surprising, given the large number of technology vendors in our space and the resulting confusion that must beset firms who want to make sure they buy the best products. In fact, newly-minted consultant Wendy Corman told me after the conference that the demand for consulting services regarding technology in insurance today is "huge." So, what are your thoughts? Were you there? Feel free to post your comments here!]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.74 2008-04-28T16:01:59Z 2008-04-28T17:24:01Z

Data—specifically customer information—is the very lifeblood of the insurance enterprise. Not surprisingly, then, ownership and stewardship of that data is a subject on which many in our industry disagree....

Ara Trembly Data—specifically customer information—is the very lifeblood of the insurance enterprise. Not surprisingly, then, ownership and stewardship of that data is a subject on which many in our industry disagree. ]]> HIPAA system. They allow us access to it, but it is their information. In some cases, the agency and the carrier both store copies of that data, but it is still [the customer’s] and we are responsible to protect it.” Where, then, should that data reside? “In my opinion, the fewer places it is stored, the better, because [having it in multiple locations] makes it more difficult to access,” said Mr. Fox, a former president of the AMS Users’ Group. “Being that a majority of agencies are small-to-mid-sized—18 to 20 employees and under—that does not allow them to have significant budgets for data security. Carriers have those resources available to provide proper security for the data and that’s where it should reside.” According to Mr. Fox, “Future technologies dictate that data shouldn’t be residing in multiple locations, so agents should not be storing the data.” He added that he doesn’t believe that the insurance industry currently has the technology to allow carriers to be the only entities to store customer data, however. Assuming the technology does develop and is implemented, Mr. Fox said the key is that insurers must give agents unrestricted access to the data. If that doesn’t happen, he noted, “then I will end up with it” by default. Data security is also an issue in the debate over where data should be stored. “We need to push the technology to be where we want it to be so [agents] can access the data and not have to store it, because every time there is a copy of the data, there is another place for intruders to get it,” said Mr. Fox. “In addition, every time you move it, something will be missing, because there are database structure inconsistencies. So where is the correct data? Something has changed.” While he advocates insurers holding customer data, Mr. Fox also sees problems with that situation for agents. Sometimes, agents may not be able to access the data, “especially if you no longer have a contract with that company,” he explained. “This can be resolved, however. We need industry cooperation carrier-to-carrier, consistent solid security, and a means of authentication for all carriers. Right now they are all different. “Overall,” he added, “there are way too many holes in security for both agents and carriers. A carrier changes passwords every 30-90 days; how do I keep up with that?” The solution, he noted, is “an electronic certificate that would authenticate me, even though I don’t have a contract with them any more.” Penn National Insurance CIO and vice president-Information Technology William R. Jenkins takes a somewhat different view. “Technically, the agent (independent agent, I assume) owns the data of the book it writes,” he stated. “Carriers, however view the agent as an “extension” of them (the carrier) getting to the policyholder. As such, carriers rely on the data collected from the insured in the furtherance of their business. “In other words, insurers need this data in order to properly identify the most profitable products, most profitable customers, and to identify new products and customers, i.e., perform business intelligence.” According to Mr. Jenkins, “There has an ongoing debate for years as to who really owns the customer. A number of carriers believe and act as if they own the customer. This thinking seems to have evolved as carriers began to provide more and more services directly to the insured, including direct billing, policy changes, first reporting of loss, loss control services, and claims analysis. In effect, they are managing the customer experience.” Mr. Jenkins also pointed out direct writers continue to make gains against the independent agency carriers, and this may result in independent agent carriers “seeing the need to become much more protective of their books.” In terms of where data is kept, Mr. Jenkins asserted that, “The data today, in my opinion, should reside with both the agent and carrier. Both parties need to thoroughly understand their respective books of business so that cross-selling and profitability targets can take place.” He added, however, that most agents lack the expertise and time needed to do these types of analyses. “They basically rely on their carriers to do these analyses,” he noted. The critical question is “what can each party (carrier and agent) do with the data?” he said. According to Matt Josefowicz, director, Insurance Core Team, for Norvarica, based in New York, “Agents and insurers should focus more on creating value and less on trying to hoard information. “I think it's a mistake to think in terms of "ownership" of data,” he continued. “Neither the agent or the insurer "owns" the data. They are both given stewardship of data by an insured. If they can use that data to provide additional value in a way that the insured has given them permission to do, then that's good for the insured.” Mr. Josefowicz asserted that both the agent and the insurer should have copies of customers’ data. “Obviously, some agents are afraid that insurers will dis-intermediate them if they give up control, and some insurers are afraid they are more likely to have their policies churned if they don't have direct relationships with the customers,” he observed. “But exclusive control of information is not a defensible position in a world of Google, Lexis-Nexis, and ChoicePoint.” ]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.73 2008-04-21T17:14:19Z 2008-04-21T19:30:29Z

When strong wind gusts knocked out power to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on April 14, attendees at the AMS Users’ Group National Conference had every right to complain, but even after some additional body blows from Mother Nature, agents...

Ara Trembly When strong wind gusts knocked out power to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on April 14, attendees at the AMS Users’ Group National Conference had every right to complain, but even after some additional body blows from Mother Nature, agents and other guests refused to give up the ghost. ]]> bizarre string of natural events that occurred between April 14 and 15 during the conference in Reno. The windstorm began early on Monday, April 14, after local forecasters had predicted a sunny day with temperatures in the 60s. The same forecasters, however, also warned of high winds gusting up to 90 miles-per-hour. Later television weather reports would place the gusts at 100 m.p.h., although the National Weather Service reported a top figure of 60 m.p.h. Having experienced hurricane winds first hand, let me assure you that the higher figures were, at least at times, more accurate. The winds were strong enough to knock out power to several areas, downing power lines and trees, and damaging construction sites, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. The paper also said roofs were blown off of some local buildings. A local television news broadcast showed one car crushed by a falling tree. Power to the convention center began blinking out in mid-afternoon, finally leaving the exhibit hall completely dark, except for a few emergency lights near the exits. While some at the conference went for the exits and the daylight outside, many remained inside and searched out giveaway flashlights that would enable them to continue roaming the show floor. Several exhibitors held the flashlights above their booth tables to draw in the remaining traffic. Attendess actually looked like groups of trick-or-treaters going house-to-house on Halloween night. Through it all, AMS Users' Group employees were everywhere, helping to disseminate information and keeping everyone up to date on what was happening. Power to the convention center remained off for the rest of the day and into the middle of Tuesday. On Tuesday morning, however, three earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more hit the area, the newspaper said. Few among the conference-goers seemed aware of the tremors, however, and no damage was reported. Adding insult to injury, Tuesday morning also brought a brief snowstorm that dumped about an inch of the white stuff Reno, after a relatively mild—if extremely windy—day on Monday. Still that wasn't enough to scare the customers away. Once power was restored, conference organizers shifted and expanded the schedule to get in as many classes as possible. In a very classy move, AMSUG also sent a letter of apology to the attendees at their hotels, attaching a $25 certificate to be used for hotel meals. No one could have blamed showgoers for complaining about their luck, but in reality, I heard very few complaints. Instead, these hearty attendees made the best of the situation--as agents will do--and did a fine job of making lemonade out of some pretty sour lemons. All in all, the AMS Users' Group also deserves tremendous credit for keeping their wits about them and making what could have been a harrowing experience into a memorable adventure for most showgoers. How about you? Were you there? Comments, as always, are welcomed. ]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.72 2008-04-11T20:32:42Z 2008-04-11T21:23:51Z

Global warming advocates and opportunists were no doubt shocked and dismayed to learn in recent weeks that, rather than warming up, the Earth's temperature appears to have decreased over the past decade....

Ara Trembly Global warming advocates and opportunists were no doubt shocked and dismayed to learn in recent weeks that, rather than warming up, the Earth's temperature appears to have decreased over the past decade. ]]> Eastern Arizona Courier, Two new studies of temperatures and ice cap movement in Antarctica indicate that global warming is not the case. In fact, Antarctica is becoming colder. A team of scientists has determined that since 1986, temperatures have been dropping an average of 1.2 degrees Fahrenheit per decade, and downturns have occurred since 1978 in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of east Antarctica, the article notes. Well, isn't this an inconvenient truth (pun totally intended)? Here we have global warming advocates telling us of impending tropical temperatures at the poles, and insurance companies falling all over themselves to appear to be responsible citizens, but it appears the doom may have been slightly overadvertised. Wow. What are all those people and companies going to do with their carbon credits? My suggestion: sell them on e-Bay as curiosities of a 21st Century eco-fad. Now let's be fair. This period of cooling could be followed by a period of warming that would counteract it. Problem is that none of these scientists told us about the cold before the heat, which tells you how fractious this science is in the first place. Anyway, if we do get that sudden upturn in temperatures, I suppose Al Gore and company can say "nyah, nyah." Meanwhile, though, I think I'll remain open-mindedly skeptical of the global warming predictions, not to mention the hucksters who seek to profit by them. What say you? ]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.71 2008-04-01T16:56:48Z 2008-04-02T15:43:49Z

Microsoft Corporation stunned the insurance technology industry today with the announcement that it has agreed in principle to purchase the full assets of ACORD, the insurance data standards body headquartered in Pearl River, N.Y....

Ara Trembly Microsoft Corporation stunned the insurance technology industry today with the announcement that it has agreed in principle to purchase the full assets of ACORD, the insurance data standards body headquartered in Pearl River, N.Y. ]]> "Resistence," said Mr. Hartnett, "is futile." Meanwhile, the upcoming ACORD LOMA Systems Forum has been renamed "Microsoft's ACORD LOMA Windows Systems Forum," although the role of LOMA in the revamped conference has yet to be determined. "This isn't about us," said LOMA Vice President Ann Purr. "We don't do standards, and we want no part of a hostile takeover, although I will say that Bill Hartnett is a great guy and I have always admired the genius he brings to the insurance industry." Respected industry analyst Matt Josefowicz of Novarica was equally taken aback. "This must be a joke," he asserted. And he was correct... APRIL FOOL'S! HAVE A HAPPY DAY!]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.70 2008-03-31T19:58:30Z 2008-03-31T21:17:39Z

InformationWeek reports that in a contest of hackers, a MacBook Air was easily compromised within two minutes using a zero-day vulnerability (a vulnerability that is exploited for hacking before it generally becomes known) in Apple's Safari 3.1 Web browser....

Ara Trembly InformationWeek reports that in a contest of hackers, a MacBook Air was easily compromised within two minutes using a zero-day vulnerability (a vulnerability that is exploited for hacking before it generally becomes known) in Apple's Safari 3.1 Web browser. ]]> Sony Vaio VGN-TZ37CN running Ubuntu 7.10, or a Fujitsu U810 running Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1. The victorious team won $10,000 from security firm TippingPoint Technologies for compromising the MacBook Air. The undisclosed vulnerability in Safari 3.1 has been shown to Apple and no further information about it will be revealed until Apple can issue an update, said InformationWeek. So much for the Mac's reputation for security robustness. Every Apple user I know (and some I don't know) are so fond of telling me that their systems are so much more secure than Windows or other platforms. How ironic, then, that the winners chose to crack into the Mac machine, rather than the Windows Vista unit. And they were able to get in almost effortlessly. To be sure, both machines have their flaws, but the much touted security mojo of the Mac OS is now just another technology myth, and may now take its rightful place alongside tales of alligators living in the New York City sewer system. And what a relief that the annoying Mac supporters must now slink silently away, all the while cursing the pantheon of Apple programmers. OK, I know it's rather childish of me to be celebrating the Mac's embarrassing exposure. I'll try to act a little more mature next time. Meanwhile, what say you? ]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.69 2008-03-20T18:29:32Z 2008-03-20T20:00:24Z

The March 17 issue of Computerworld reports that Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates asserted before Congress recently that U.S. companies may lose jobs if they can't bring in "world-class engineers" from abroad via more H-1B visas. That begs the question:...

Ara Trembly The March 17 issue of Computerworld reports that Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates asserted before Congress recently that U.S. companies may lose jobs if they can't bring in "world-class engineers" from abroad via more H-1B visas. That begs the question: What's wrong with U.S.-based engineers? ]]> gorilla lurking behind the idea that we must bring such people in from abroad is that American IT pros just can't hack it, and that "world-class" engineers either don't exist or are in critically short supply in the U.S. I find all these statement difficult to believe, but maybe that's just because I don't want to see the country I love besmirched. I wonder what constitutes a "world class" engineer, and why we seem to have so few of them. Yes, I know that current graduates in computer science are at a low in the U.S., but surely the "world-class" people would have graduated some years ago, now having valuable experience under their belts. And I feel compelled to add that I have met some extremely capable and impressive IT people in the American insurance industry--NOT an industry known for being on the cutting edge. Perhaps the key to understanding why Mr. Gates should be petitioning Congress for more access for foreign workers lies in a question the Microsoft whiz apparently declined to address--namely that Microsoft and other companies could pay such workers substantially less than U.S. citizens. While I can understand Mr. Gates' and others' desire to import cheap labor, I really don't get why an American company would not want to grow its own talent. I also don't get why American companies would want to turn their backs on our citizens who need work. Is this what is meant when we hear the phrase "global economy"? Are we saying that the dollar (or some stronger currency unit) overrides all questions of national interest? Are we saying, ultimately, that our people don't matter--or perhaps that they should move to Bangalore if they want jobs? You know, despite the starry-eyed ravings of John Lennon, we really can't "imagine there's no countries." Reality tells us that we do indeed have a country, and that is a good thing when the nation truly protects the best interests of its citizens. That's why it is critical that American government AND American industry get their heads and their hearts together and start doing things that benefit our economy and our citizens. But, maybe I'm just being starry-eyed myself. If you have feelings and opinions on this topic, share them right here!]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.68 2008-03-07T19:49:19Z 2008-03-11T16:52:55Z

As someone who deals with language and its vagaries on a daily basis, I am sometimes amazed at the way certain widely-used terms creep into—or unexplainably flee from—the vernacular....

Ara Trembly As someone who deals with language and its vagaries on a daily basis, I am sometimes amazed at the way certain widely-used terms creep into—or unexplainably flee from—the vernacular. ]]> cool,” where it denotes that something is really good or excellent. Surely it means more than that, however. There is a sense of excitement, a sense that the object of coolness is uniquely timely and hip, a sense that this person or thing is excellent on a very subtle level that nonetheless resonates strongly with us. Coolness is a state unto itself, a way of life, the Golden Calf of the modern age—which is to say that we worship it in spite of its being unknowable. Why should this be? For one thing, coolness makes us feel good. It validates us among our peers and those who are not are peers. It is happy juice for the ego. All of this coolness engenders in us the knowing smile, the affirming head nod, the thumbs up, the high five, the fist bump, the tipped hat, or some variation of the horns created by extended pinky and thumb. Why, the expressions of coolness are almost as numerous as its definitions! Has there been a more enduring piece of slang on the planet in the last 60 years or so than the term “cool”? Big bands and jitterbugs were cool in the 1940s, Elvis and poodle skirts were cool in the 1950s, hippies and mind-altering drugs were cool in the 1960s, disco dancing and flared pants were cool in the 1970s, big hair and greed were cool in the 1980s, and the Internet was cool in the 1990s. Here’s the point: When it comes to the popularity of anything, never underestimate the “cool” factor. Especially when it comes to young impressionable minds, there is perhaps no greater motivating force than the belief that a person, creation, idea or course of action is cool. Come to think of it, coolness is a pretty powerful motivator for many of us with less impressionable minds. So why all this cool talk? A recent article in Computerworld noted that the college-level computer science graduating class of 2007 is the smallest of any year this decade. According to this piece, in the 2006-2007 academic year, only 8,021 students graduated with computer science degrees from the 170 institutions surveyed. Compare this to 2003-2004, when 14,185 students earned bachelor’s degrees in computer science, the article notes. Clearly, computer technology is playing an increasingly critical part in nearly every aspect of modern life, so why do our young learners seem less and less interested? To me, the answer seems obvious: Technology just isn’t as cool as it used to be. Think about the rise of computer technology over the last half century. When computers were the size of banquet halls, few even knew they existed, much less what they did. But as science and science fiction writers started paying attention to the potential benefits of “thinking” machines, the coolness level began to rise. Then the technology grew smaller and far more powerful. The average person could actually have one of these devices at home, or use one to boost productivity in the office. No doubt about it, this was cool on both a personal and business level. Still, only a select few could grasp the inner workings of computers and software, and that in itself made technology a cool thing. Going to school to learn about and master this powerful force was even cooler. Again, it put the learners in an appealing position of power and uniqueness. This coolness factor has continued unabated since the 1980s, but in recent years, something else has happened. More and more people do understand the basics of computers, and to those who have grown up with this knowledge, this is a big ho-hum. Sure, young people love tech gadgets and the neat things they do, but the sad fact is that they are no longer fascinated with the arcane workings of a technology that they have taken for granted since they crawled. For those of us who are a bit older, it’s like saying that we have ceased to be fascinated with the inner workings of the television set, because most of us grew up taking the boob tube for granted. It’s there and it works; that’s all we need to know. And when it comes to computer technology, that’s all many of our young people care to know. What to do? The only way to avoid creeping technology boredom and malaise is for our country and our companies to stay on the bleeding edge of technology, to keep breaking new ground, and to continue making new discoveries. Instead of looking to others to make the discoveries, we need to encourage our own students and researchers to make them and build on them—and then to move beyond them. Ours has been a nation of new ideas and vital energy, and we must maintain this world view if we are to continue to thrive. Now what could be cooler than that? What's your take on the lack of interest in computing education and the deadly coolness factor? Share your ideas here!]]> tag:www.insurancetechguru.com,2008://1.67 2008-02-27T21:00:41Z 2008-02-28T19:34:52Z

IBM has announced the launch of its new System z10 mainframe computer, delivering what the Armonk, N.Y.-based company claims is "up to 100 percent performance increase" and a design that will "drastically increase efficiency."...

Ara Trembly IBM has announced the launch of its new System z10 mainframe computer, delivering what the Armonk, N.Y.-based company claims is "up to 100 percent performance increase" and a design that will "drastically increase efficiency." ]]> enterprise data center. It will "dramatically increase data center efficiency by significantly improving performance and reducing power, cooling costs, and floor space requirements. It offers unmatched levels of security and automates the management and tracking of IT resources to respond to ever-changing business conditions." IBM also announced it has invested $300 million in architects, technical skills, as well as design and benchmarking centers to help clients transform to a new enterprise data center. Qualified clients can receive free assessment services to prioritize and take action to implement a more efficient, shared and dynamic IT infrastructure. "IBM's next-generation, 64-processor mainframe, which uses Quad-Core technology, is built from the start to be shared, offering greater performance over virtualized x86 servers to support hundreds to hundreds of millions of users," the company stated. The z10 also supports a broad range of workloads. In addition to Linux, XML, Java, WebSphere and increased workloads from Service Oriented Architecture implementations, IBM said it is working with Sun Microsystems and Sine Nomine Associates to pilot the Open Solaris operating system on System z. From a performance standpoint, the new z10 is designed to be up to 50% faster and offers up to 100% performance improvement for CPU intensive jobs compared to its predecessor, the z9, with up to 70% more capacity, the company said. "The z10 also is the equivalent of nearly 1,500 x86 servers, with up to an 85% smaller footprint, and up to 85% lower energy costs. The new z10 can consolidate x86 software licenses at up to a 30-to-1 ratio." There's no question that the venerable mainframe still maintains some advantages in computing power and security over many distributed systems, and IBM is banking on the IT buyers out there to recognize that fact. The training and incentives should provide an additional boost. What's your take? Is this a positive development for an insurance industry that is still dominated by mainframes at its largest carriers? Share your views here. ]]>