SA ICT companies are lagging behind in the implementation of black economic empowerment (BEE) policies and plans, which may see many of them effectively shooting themselves in the foot as far as future growth is concerned.

The ECT Act did not outlaw spam, much to the disappointment of many. There are, however, measures South Africans can take to diminish this global infestation.

A world in which people buy houses online, never having visited the property nor met the seller, agent, a transfer attorney or even a home loans manager face to face, is here.

It seems trite to say one should choose a database according to the purpose it is meant for, yet this is the educated viewpoint, and it makes for far more interesting choices than going on brand or features.

South Africans can soon access a wide range of information via the Government Gateway, a one-stop site and call centre covering life events from the womb to the tomb. But serious concerns are being voiced about the success of the local e-government initiative as a whole.

While business process management (BPM) may be the way forward for managing and improving business processes, the difficulties that created a stigma around workflow are of equal concern to those wanting to implement BPM.

It is projected that HIV/AIDS will cause a decline in South African GDP of up to 6% annually over the next 10 years. As the pandemic spreads, companies are stepping in to try and stem the tide.

Biotechnology is a word that immediately conjures up images reminiscent of science fiction and although the truth is somewhat more mundane, it is still a subject that has almost as many facets as a diamond, and could be as valuable to the future economy.

Basel II can be seen as the banking sector`s Y2K as it is an immense project with global scope, significant technology implications and a strict deadline. So how do South African banks plan to meet the challenge?

Computing was never meant to be difficult or worrisome. Utility computing proposes customers forget all about the infrastructure, and instead pay only for its use, as they do with electricity. But Nirvana is some way off.

Many industry pundits say mobile technology is "the next big thing" and SA businesses appear to be getting ready to catch the wireless wave. The "trick", as always, will be to choose the right technology for the task.

The channel faces increasing vendor disintermediation, a continuing credit squeeze, customer manipulation and value dilution from other resellers, while being expected to deliver clear and immediate value.