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What's news: Six of the best from ZDNet UK

Michael Parsons ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 02 Jul 2004 10:35 BST

One of the odd things about the Internet boom was the way it got the entire technology industry focused on one story -- the impact of the Net on everything else. After that bubble burst, there was a collective crisis of confidence. Nobody, to use Michael Lewis' phrase, could spot the New New thing. People tried setting up nanotech, mobile telephony and Wi-Fi in that starring role, but none really fit the bill, and all seemed uninspiring after the massive disruptive change created by the Net.

Things have finally moved on. When I talk to people in the industry, nobody asks me about the next big thing -- people have figured out that there really won't be another Internet along any time soon, and that in fact we're still working out what to do with the first one.

At the same time, other themes are emerging. Technology investment has picked up, the IPO market has picked up, and tech is more interesting than it's been for the last three years. Here are six of the best stories we see shaping up at ZDNet UK. They're not the New New thing, but they are news. We look forward to following these stories for you.

1. Microsoft Matters
Whether you're a fan or foe, there's no doubt that Microsoft is going through big changes. The open-source movement's argument that maybe free software is of more use than the stuff you have to pay for is beginning to bite. The EU monopoly ruling also hurt, but an even bigger challenge is that Microsoft has had to postpone it next major upgrade to Windows, Longhorn, set for release in 2007, in a bid to put the rest the claim that it has neglected the security that IT managers demand from true enterprise systems. Microsoft is showing signs of doubt, perhaps for the first time since the challenge from Netscape during the browser wars of the 1990s. Yet this time it doesn't have one opponent to rally against, but must face a host of distracting problems, from licensing issues to security scares.

2. The War Against Malware
We're all fed up with spam, with viruses, and with worms. I don't know about you but this is one issue that hits the ZDNet UK team where we live. We all have bulging inboxes where the rising tide of spam is pouring in through the gunwales: it's overwhelmingeveryone's networks. There's a global conflict going on between the the spammersand the corporations, and we find ourselves in the position of war correspondents monitoring the asymmetrical struggle between the conventional forces of corporate security, those attacking corporate and consumer networks, and the legislators. Spyware, zombie PCs, phishing, organised crime: it's getting tough out there.

3. Going Unplugged
We're seeing organisations finally begin to sweat the detail of going truly wireless. Wireless is something you really have to get involved with to understand. I have a Wi-Fi network at home, and when I switched it on, proud to be the First Kid on My Block to get such a cool toy up and running, the first thing I saw was the other networks my neighbours had set up. Wireless technology is going to get faster as new kinds of high speed data services evolve, such as 4G, and it's creating new security problems that require innovating thinking – including secure wallpaper that allows mobile calls to penetrate, but blocks Wi-Fi signals . And as faster networks evolve, security will continue to be an issue.