Microsoft and Google are among technology companies backing the ‘Next Generations Skills’ campaign which launches today in a bid to get computer science onto the curriculum in UK schools. The technology giants are calling on the Government to make changes to the education system to provide better IT skills.
Peter Barron, director of external relations at Google EMEA, said: “Google is a company built on, and still driven by, engineering. As we see increasing potential for growth in the creative, digital and hi-tech industries, we need to ensure that we are equipping the next generation with the skills they need to keep Britain at the cutting edge of technological and scientific innovation.” In August, Google chairman Eric Schmidt criticised primary and secondary education system in the UK, saying that it would “hold back” the country’s agenda to boost the economy through growth in digital media.
Steve Beswick, director of education for Microsoft UK, said: “Microsoft strongly supports the introduction of computer science as a rigorous school subject at every level from primary onwards. We need a step change that re-establishes computer science as a high-status school subject, valuable both educationally and economically.”
Ed Vaizey, minister for culture, communications and creative industries, has said earlier this month that the internet economy will contribute to 10% of UK GDP by 2015.
Riots, protests and inclement weather are just some of the recent business risks we’ve all faced, on top of the usual concerns about fire, flood, theft and employee malfeasance. If you don’t put appropriate protections in place, your business is at real risk. Did you know:
- 93% of companies that lost their data centre for 10 days or more due to a disaster, filed for bankruptcy within one year of the disaster. 50% of businesses that found themselves without data management for this same time period filed for bankruptcy immediately. (National Archives & Records Administration in Washington)
- 94% of companies suffering from a catastrophic data loss do not survive – 43% never reopen and 51% close within two years. (University of Texas)
- 30% of all businesses that have a major fire go out of business within a year and 70% fail within five years. (Home Office Computing Magazine)
- 7 out of 10 small firms that experience a major data loss go out of business within a year. (DTI/Price waterhouse Coopers)
You may think that having a backup solution addresses this risk. However:
- 77% of those companies who do test their tape backups found back-up failures. (Boston Computing Network, Data Loss Statistics)
- 50% of all tape backups fail to restore. (Gartner)
Backup is only the beginning of a proper business continuity plan; and then only if its working and tested properly.
The Seminar
Managed Networks invites you to a free seminar covering:
The Presenter
The seminar will be run by Ben Rapp FBCS CITP CISSP. Ben is a seasoned technology veteran with many years of experience advising clients on IT matters including business continuity and disaster recovery issues. He is CEO of a business in the SME sector and a board member of Intellect, the UK technology trade body.
Date and location
14th December 2011; 3pm- 5.30pm
Intellect Offices
Russell Square House
10-12 Russell Square
London WC1B 5EE
To reserve your place at the seminar email enquiries[at]mn.co.uk
As places are limited, we advise you to respond as early as possible.
Acer’s founder, Stan Shih, has given a sharp warning to Google, saying that the benefits from Android’s success should be shared throughout “value chain” of its suppliers. Shih complained that both, Microsoft and Intel have gathered too much of the profit from the success of Windows.
Shih’s remarks indicate that some enterprises value too much their own interest and ignore the profitability of their suppliers, partners and clients. Companies making Android systems are afraid of being cornered in the way businesses making Windows hardware have been, where operating margins on hardware can be less than 5% whilst Microsoft and Intel enjoy monopoly profits on software and processor.
Google’s chairman Eric Schmidt insisted that the resources will be shared among the members of Android “ecosystem”. However, Schmidt declined to say whether Google would launch own-branded handsets, using its acquisition of Motorola.
There is also a question mark over the future of Google’s Chromebooks due to lower that expected demand for Chrome-OS based devices. In June 2011, Acer and Samsung launched their Chromebooks ahead of other PC brand vendors but by the end of July, Acer had reportedly only sold 5,000 units and Samsung was said to have had even lower sales than Acer.
Poor sales of Chromebooks might have been caused by the slow sales of computers generally or by it limited functionality- Chromebooks require connection to the internet to function effectively.
Stan Shih’s comment is reflecting the sentiments of a number of Android systems builders who have so far failed to benefit from Google’s efforts outside the smartphone business.
Microsoft and Google are among technology companies backing the ‘Next Generations Skills’ campaign which launches today in a bid to get computer science onto the curriculum in UK schools. The technology giants are calling on the Government to make changes to the education system to provide better IT skills.
