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AT THE CENTER
The electronic newsletter of the
Silicon Valley World Internet Center

Tuesday, April 15, 2003

 

The Silicon Valley World Internet Center thanks its Sponsors for their continuing support:

EXECUTIVE SPONSORS
• Amdocs, Inc. •• Cable & Wireless •• Deutsche Telekom •• Fujitsu •• IBM Corporation •• SAP •• Sun Microsystems •

KNOWLEDGE NETWORK PARTNERS
•• Halleck ••• IC Growth, Inc. ••• Internet Wire ••

Past copies of newsletters and directions to the Center are available on the Web site.

All programs are held at the Center unless otherwise noted.

To join our community, click on this link: http://center.infopoint.com/join.php

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SPONSOR ANNOUNCEMENT FROM SAP CORPORATE RESEARCH
"SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure" White Paper Available.
Summary and White Paper Link Below.

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM OUR KNOWLEDGE NETWORK PARTNER, INCUCOMM, INC.
"Incucomm, Inc. Launches Xterprise, A Supply Chain Execution Solution Integration Company"
See Below for Further Information.

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AUTO-ID SALON: THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2003
"What are Our Greatest Technology Challenges in This Market Space?"
5:00 p.m. Networking. 5:25 - 7:00 p.m. Salon. Open to the Public.
$15 fee at the door (cash or check). No charge to Center's Sponsors.
See Below for Registration Information.

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PUB TALK: THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2003
"Smart Electronic Note Taking for the Fujitsu Tablet PC"
By Mr. Chris Holmes, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Mindjet LLC, In collaboration with the Center's Executive Sponsor, Fujitsu
5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Open to the Public. The Pub Talk begins at 6:00 p.m.

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CHALLENGE-THE-EXPERT: THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2003
"IBM's Vision for the Next Generation Data Center Enabled by Commercial Grids"
By Mr. Mark Cathcart, IBM Distinguished Engineer; Member, IBM Academy of Technology; IBM On Demand Systems Environment Architecture and Design, IBM Corporation
5:15 p.m. Registration and Networking. 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Program Fee: $15 at the door (cash or check). No fee to Center sponsors.
Registration Information Below.

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SUMMARY: SPECIAL PRESENTATION: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2003
"Are We There Yet? A Look at Technology and Where We Expected to be by Now"
By Dr. Bob Glass, Futurist and Fellow, Silicon Valley World Internet Center
Summary and Presentation Link Below.

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SUMMARY: PUB TALK: THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2003
"Sun Microsystems and the Auto-ID Center"
By Mr. Markus Weber, Systems Engineer, iForce Solution Center, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Summary and Presentation Link Below.

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SPONSOR ANNOUNCEMENT FROM SAP CORPORATE RESEARCH
"SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure"
White Paper Available. Summary and White Paper Link Below.

As Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID), wireless devices, and enterprise assets evolve from being single, isolated objects to connected and distributed Auto-ID systems, enterprise software will have to become distributed systems as well. Entire enterprise software solutions will evolve from assuming where products are and providing delayed instructions on what to do with them, to software systems that are told what to do by the products themselves in real-time. This changes everything. The Center is proud to share the attached white paper from SAP Corporate Research, "SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure," on how enterprises can benefit from, and prepare for, emerging Auto-ID solutions.

To view the white paper, click here then scroll down and click onto "April 4, 2003"

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM OUR KNOWLEDGE NETWORK PARTNER, INCUCOMM, INC.
"Incucomm, Inc. Launches Xterprise, A Supply Chain Execution Solution Integration Company"
See Below for Further Information.

We are pleased to announce that Incucomm, Inc. has launched its latest portfolio company, Xterprise (http://www.xterprise.com), a supply chain execution solution integration company. Many of you already know Dean Frew, who recently spoke at the Center at the Challenge-the-Expert program on January 29, about the future of RFID technology in supply chain management. Mr. Frew is the Co-founder and President of Xterprise. This new company will focus on full solution integration services, especially around warehouse management, transportation management, RFID and mobile enterprise solutions.

As a full-solution integration services company, Xterprise handles business assessment, process and technology blending, solution architecture, technology selection, and solution integration and support. The company provides a balanced mix of existing and new technology for small- and medium-sized companies needing to upgrade business systems and processes affordably.

Headquartered in Richardson, Texas, Xterprise brings turn-key solutions to its clients serving the following Supply Chain Market Segments:

  • Consumer Retail
  • Consumer & Enterprise Electronics
  • Medical & Pharmaceutical Products
  • 3rd Party Logistics Providers (in the above segments)

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Dean Frew
President
Xterprise
T: 214.505.8399
E: dfrew@xterprise.com

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THE PREMIERE AUTO-ID SALON: THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2003
"What are Our Greatest Technology Challenges in This Market Space?"
5:00 p.m. Networking. 5:25 - 7:00 p.m. Salon. Open to the Public.
$15 fee at the door (cash or check). No charge to Center's Sponsors.
See Below for Registration Information.

Please join us for our premier World Internet Salon focused on the technology issues facing the expansion of Automated Identification technologies throughout business and other industries. This will be our "kick off" Salon to help delineate the key technology factors facing the industry. Subsequent Salons will delve into specific technological and business areas that our Valley innovators can grapple with and solve.

We will begin the discussion with a short presentation by the Salon Master of the evening, Mr. Dinesh Vadhia. We expect to discuss:

  • ePC (electronic product code) reader software
  • Massive (dynamic data) scalability
  • Giving ERP applications access to this dynamic data
  • Product information databases
  • Security issues

WHAT IS A "SALON?"

A Salon is a gathering of innovators specifically interested and conversant in the topic of the evening. We will begin with 25 minutes of networking and then convene everyone for a facilitated conversation around the theme. All are welcome. We expect a very technologically savvy group to participate. Beverages and snacks will be served.

ABOUT DINESH VADHIA

Our first Salon will be led by Mr. Dinesh Vadhia, an entrepreneur currently raising VC finance for a software company in the Auto-ID market. His interest and passion for the Auto-ID technology was flamed while at Sun Microsystems. Mr. Vadhia has been a Senior Global Product Marketing management professional at Oracle and Sun with a proven winning track record in the competitive enterprise software market.

Mr. Vadhia has a background in engineering, product management, product marketing, and project management. Originally from London, England, he received an MSc and BSc in Applied Math from Cranfield Institute of Technology and the University of Kent.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

To register in advance, please email your name, title, and company name to:

Ms. Claire Kahrobaie
Manager, Client Services
T: 650.462.9800
E: kahrobaie@worldinternetcenter.com

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PUB TALK: THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2003
"Smart Electronic Note Taking for the Fujitsu Tablet PC"
By Mr. Chris Holmes, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Mindjet LLC, In collaboration with the Center's Executive Sponsor, Fujitsu
5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Open to the Public. The Pub Talk begins at 6:00 p.m.

The Fujitsu Tablet PC promises a better way for legions of corridor warriors to create and manage notes electronically. Current Tablet PC note-taking applications however, provide little more than the digital equivalent of paper, notepads or sketchpads. To take full advantage of the power of the Fujitsu Tablet PC, business professionals need a tool that takes meeting notes out of the personal realm and into the world of team collaboration and decision making.

At this Pub, come see how MindManager 2002, as demonstrated with the Fujitsu Tablet PC, represents a significant advance in electronic note taking by providing a highly effective visualization technique for capturing, organizing and communicating the unstructured content typical of both ad hoc and formal meetings. Benefits include better information sharing, more effective meetings and more productive teams. Corridor warriors can now capture, structure, search, and share notes among team members with far greater ease and clarity than other Tablet PC note-taking products allow.

ABOUT CHRIS HOLMES

Chris Holmes has 25 years of experience in the computer industry in both Europe and North America. He has held senior positions in software development, sales, marketing, operational management, and strategic planning. In 1989, he co-founded Visionware, a software startup in the emerging Microsoft Windows to UNIX connectivity market. In 1994, Santa Cruz Operation (SCO) acquired Visionware, where he served as Vice President of Strategic Planning. At Mindjet, Mr. Holmes is responsible for building strategic partnerships to accelerate market awareness and customer growth of Mindjet's MindManager application. He has also served as chairman and director on the boards of several software businesses seeking growth in North American and European markets.

ABOUT MINDJET, LLC

Founded in 1993, Mindjet LLC (http://www.mindjet.com) is the leading developer of visual tools for brainstorming and planning, with more than 280,000 customers worldwide including 60 of the Fortune 100 companies. The company has offices in San Francisco, Frankfurt, Germany, and Birmingham, UK; a growing list of partnerships; and a reseller network spanning Europe, the Americas and AsiaPac. Committed to continually improving its product suite to meet the changing needs of its customers, Mindjet is a Microsoft Certified Partner, and a member of the Microsoft Project Solution Providers Program and the Citrix Business Alliance. MindManager® is a Mindjet LLC trademark. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

For Partnership and Corporate Issues, contact:
Mr. Chris Holmes
Vice President of Strategic Partnerships
T: 415.925.3120, ext. 138
E: chris.holmes@mindjet.com

For Product Inquiries, contact:
Mindjet Sales
T: 415.925.3120
E: sales@mindjet.com

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CHALLENGE-THE-EXPERT: THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2003
"IBM's Vision for the Next Generation Data Center Enabled by Commercial Grids"

By Mr. Mark Cathcart, IBM Distinguished Engineer; Member, IBM Academy of Technology; IBM On Demand Systems Environment Architecture and Design, IBM Corporation
5:15 p.m. Registration and Networking. 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Program Fee: $15 at the door (cash or check). No fee to Center sponsors.
Registration Information Below.

Grid technology has made a big impact through its application in a small number of computing applications. The search for life in the universe, mapping the universe, looking for a Smallpox cure, seismic analysis, and calculating 401k values are all important - but are niche computing applications. The next generation of Grid technology is based on a standard open source architecture and will have standard definitions of the services available on the Grid, which can be accessed via Web Services. All well and good, but why all this effort for a small set of applications?

Learn why discovery and common resource models, together with enterprise clustering and data center virtualization, are likely to change computing as we know, understand, and use it today. Think utility computing is just ASPs warmed over? Think again! The commodity business transaction is on its way. Pay for your computing as you need it, how you need it and most importantly, when you need it.

At this Challenge-the-Expert, Mr. Cathcart will discuss what "underware" is and why the Open Grid Services Architecture will become a meta-OS, delivering services far beyond the current Grid realm. During the second hour, audience participants will be able to "challenge" Mr. Cathcart during the interactive discussion.

ABOUT MARK CATHCART

Mark Cathcart is an IBM Distinguished Engineer in IBM's On Demand Architecture and Design team. His responsibilities include the technology strategy and direction for On Demand technology as well as significant input to and influence on the Systems Group strategy. In prior assignments, Mr. Cathcart has been involved with the introduction, adoption, and strategy for Linux, XML, Java, and J2EE. He has been an open source software proponent for over 20 years and has been at the forefront of the open standards strategy at IBM since 1992.

ABOUT ON DEMAND

On Demand is IBM's corporate initiative encouraging business, commercial, research, and educational organizations to innovate new market place products and offerings that exploit just-in-time, dynamic business decisions. The On Demand Systems Environment Architecture and Design Team is responsible for the flexible, dynamic infrastructure that will deliver on this promise, building on autonomic computing, grid and Linux.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

To register, please email your name, title, and company name to:

Ms. Claire Kahrobaie
Manager, Client Services
Silicon Valley World Internet Center
E: kahrobaie@worldinternetcenter.com

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SUMMARY: SPECIAL PRESENTATION: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2003
"Are We There Yet? A Look at Technology and Where We Expected to be by Now"

By Dr. Bob Glass, Futurist and Fellow, Silicon Valley World Internet Center
Summary and Presentation Link Below.

The World Internet Center gladly joined the Silicon Valley Web Guild in hosting a very informative and entertaining talk by Dr. Bob Glass, Fellow of the Center, last Wednesday, April 9. Dr. Bob Glass, known in the Valley as "Dr. Bob," brought us back a decade to a time when we didn't have cell phones or PDAs or the World Wide Web. He shared a very clever short film, "Starfire", which he helped create while a Futurist at Sun Microsystems. The film explored predicted technologies supporting business and communications in the Year 2004. In those business scenarios, smart office surfaces seamlessly scanned information right into a large, curved electronic "wall" that made up the heroine's workspace. Telephone-like communications with visuals linked her from her office to her family. Many of the technologies that we take for granted today were already predicted in this film: wireless mouses; instant access to information databases worldwide; and digital, moving images being beamed - realtime - around the world; among many others.

Dr. Bob wrapped up by reviewing whether we are "there" yet, that is, have we in 2003 - 2004 achieved the predicted technological breakthroughs he and his team at Sun saw a decade ago.

To view Dr. Bob's presentation, visit the Center's Website. Scroll down and click onto "April 9, 2003" to view the program information, including the link to Dr. Bob Glass' presentation.

For further information on his presentation and the "Starfire" film, please feel free to contact:

Dr. Bob Glass
T: 415.309.7000
E: drbob@eou.com
W: www.eou.com

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SUMMARY: PUB TALK: THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2003
"Sun Microsystems and the Auto-ID Center"
By Mr. Markus Weber, Systems Engineer, iForce Solution Center, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Summary and Presentation Link Below.

The momentum around Auto-ID continued last week as the Center Pub drew 125 attendees to hear Markus Weber of Sun's iForce Solution Center talk about their work with the Auto-ID Center. Please see the Center's website for Mr. Weber's presentation that highlighted the leading role that Sun Microsystems played in the formation of the Auto-ID Center.

To view Markus Weber's presentation, visit the Center's Website and scroll down and click onto "April 3. 2003" to view the program information, including a link to Mr. Weber's presentation.

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For further information on the Center's Sponsors and Knowledge Network Partners, visit their Websites:

EXECUTIVE SPONSORS
• Amdocs, Inc. http://www.amdocs.com
• Cable & Wireless http://www.cw.com
• Deutsche Telekom http://www.dtag.de/english/index.htm
• Fujitsu http://www.fujitsu.com
• IBM Corporation http://www.ibm.com
• SAP http://www.mysap.com
• Sun Microsystems http://www.sun.com

KNOWLEDGE NETWORK PARTNERS
• Halleck http://www.halleck.com
• IC Growth, Inc. http://www.icgrowth.com
• Internet Wire http://www.internetwire.com

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To join our community, click on this link: http://center.infopoint.com/join.php

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