Editorial: Nudging the brick into a click

If you're working for a company that's likely to buckle under the dotcom pressure, here's your opportunity to make a difference. While most traditional companies took a wait and see approach last year, the intensifying pressure to turn the brick into a click is forcing most to walk the walk.

What companies need, however, is that bright shining light to guide them there. That's where you come into it.

According to a recent Gartner study, "Embracing the e-world", there are three simple, yet vital, pointers IT professionals should spell out to their superiors to get them moving.

A) Evade the dotcoms

Gartner believes that despite dotcoms possessing the speed and agility found with the Internet, there are several winning streaks traditional companies still have up their sleeve. Infrastructure, brand, relationship, to name a few and your company could avoid threats simply by further deepening its relationships with existing suppliers, intermediaries and customers.

B) Exploit the dotcoms

OK, so the dotcoms are using established businesses like yours to make more of a stash. However, it can work both ways. As Gartner puts it: "The dotcoms are creating a networked economy offering real benefits from established businesses. Companies should use the Net to also extend supply chain management and form new suppliers and intermediaries."

And most critical...

C) Evolve into a dotcom

Something old, something new, something borrowed (forget the blue)...Or, as Gartner sees it, IT professionals should consider advocating the opportunities which can be exploited by old as well as new. "Established businesses can start selling directly on the Web, become online intermediaries or create something completely new!"

ADIEU, ARRIVERDERCI...YIASOU!

It's time for me to sign off - this time for good. The travel bug's back and after working on various titles at IDG Communications for the last five years, my itchy feet are screaming for relief. I've got to say though, it's been one hell of a tough decision to make.

I cannot go without thanking several key people who have made what you're holding one of the best reads in the industry. Thanks go to Linda Kennedy, vice president of the Enterprise Group, for her endless professionalism and words of wisdom; Naomi Jackson, CW's news editor, for her incessant pursuit of quality news analysis and for being my partner in crime; Natasha David for being our star reporter who never says die; Gabrielle Wheeler, our chief production editor, for her expertise, relentless dedication and for always putting in more than she has to, and Lauren Thomsen-Moore, our latest recruit, for striving to further excel each day. Pat on the back must also go to Mark Maric for making CW look so good.

Watch this space for CW's new editor-in-chief, David Beynon, whose experience in IT journalism spans more than 10 years. Lastly, I would like to thank you for your loyalty and support and for making the IT industry what it is today. Computerworld has been the foremost IT news publication in Australia for more than 20 years. You, my friends, are the reason why.

Good luck with your careers and may life treat you kindly.

Angela Prodromou

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