This is the next blog in the continuing series of interviews with top-echelon and renowned professionals. In this blog, I interview David Ticoll: Chair, Expert Panel, Information & Communications Technology Council and Senior Advisor, Canadian Coalition for Tomorrow's ICT Skills.

David shares his views on the nature of the skills landscape and the IT labour market plus industry challenges, trends, and solutions. In a follow-up podcast, we will delve deeper in business, innovation, technology and the competitive ecosystem.

Enjoy,
Stephen Ibaraki, FCIPS, I.S.P., MVP , DFNPA, CNP

David Ticoll on the IT Talent Crisis

Organizations in Canada, the United States, and many other countries face an IT talent crisis. Baby boomers are headed for the retirement exits. Technical skills are becoming ever more specialized. And technical skills are no longer enough; today's employees must combine technical proficiency with business knowledge and judgment, leadership and collaboration skills. We increasingly need Renaissance men and women. Meanwhile, colleges and universities are seeing plummeting enrollments in their technology and engineering programs.

David Ticoll is one of Canada's leading visionaries, speakers and advisers on competitiveness, globalization, technology and business innovation.

David has authored several bestselling business books, including Digital Capital: Harnessing the Power of Business Webs, and The Naked Corporation: How the Age of Transparency will Revolutionize Business.

David chairs the Expert Panel of the Information & Communications Technology Council (ICTC), a national sector council for the ICT industry; this places him at the forefront of state-of the art strategic and policy issues for the ICT sector. He is a senior advisor to the Canadian Coalition for Tomorow's ICT Skills, an alliance of companies, universities, and industry associations which is tackling the generational challenges of talent management and competitiveness in the global economy.

David has authored many reports on the globalization of knowledge work and the rise of collaborative business networks, such as:

• Jobs 2.0: How Canada can win in the 21st century global marketplace for information & communications technologies and services (Information & Communications Technology Council)
• Outsourcing Comes of Age: the Rise of Collaborative Partnering which reports on a global survey of 300 outsourcing customers and service providers, published by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC.
• Dances with Penguins: Harnessing Self-organization for Competitive Advantage

David was CEO of the international thought leadership think tank and consulting firm, Digital 4Sight, which he founded in 1994. The firm's clients included leading firms in information technology, financial services, telecommunications, automotive, consumer packaged goods, resources, government, and other industries.

He was a columnist on business strategy and information technology topics for The Globe & Mail.

David is a Director of the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC), a position he has held for ten years. He is an advisor to the EMBA program at Athabasca University.

To listen to the interview, click on this MP3 file link

DISCUSSION:

Interview Time Index (MM:SS) and Topic

:00:31:
Can you describe what triggered your interest in technology and business?
"....It was really thrilling to see somebody who was actually trying to understand the broader applications of technology for the marketplace. It kind of triangulated - social issue, business issues, technology issues - to try to figure out what was really going on...."

:02:10:
In your roles with Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) and Information & Communications Technology Council (ICTC), what do you hope to accomplish?
"....Even though there is that disproportionate contribution to GDP, we're under investing (compared with the US) to the tune of about 50% - so that makes us [Canada] less competitive. Another thing that is happening is that a lot of people think IT is a field that in some ways is in decline. But in fact it is growing and the demand for ICTs is growing in Canada. Companies are realizing that they need to invest in this area in order to be more competitive and for a number of other reasons as well. We are facing a crisis in the labour market where we have all the old fogies like me retiring or on the eve of retirement. At the other end of the labour market we have declining enrollments and people not entering the field....So those are my interests, both in ITAC and in ICTC...."

:05:15:
A lot of people seem to be worried about the IT labour market. Some say the jobs are disappearing due to offshoring. Others, that we face a shortage of workers. What's really going on?
"....Both of those things are happening....Even though we are moving jobs offshore, demand is growing and it's growing firstly because we have underinvested for a very long time in this area. And secondly because companies are using IT in ever more areas of the business and it's becoming pervasive in every aspect in our lives...There's a myth out there that this offshoring is creating a decline in jobs - that is absolutely not the case. What is happening is that the kinds of people that we need are changing...."

:07:58:
What are the underlying factors behind these changes? How are the jobs of tomorrow going to change, and why?
"....I think there is a lot of mythology out there about this issue. A lot of people think that the reason that the kids are not enrolling is because of the dot com crash five years ago so people think that this is a field that is in decline. Or the offshoring phenomenon where people say why should I go into a field where I might not actually be able to get a job. That may be a bit of a factor but I don't think it's the central factor....Look at the data that does exist out there and what you find is there's a certain perception among young people that IT is not the greatest career choice compared with other fields....We need to look at ourselves as an industry or as a field and ask the hard nosed question - what is the ROI on going into the field of information technology as compared with some of the other options...."

:20:07:
Why are enrollments dropping?
"....I think that the main issue is that kids don't think that they want to go into this field. They don't want to be perceived or have the experience of being nerds who are stuck in front of a computer screen for the rest of their lives....even though that is actually not the future of these jobs...."

:24:58:
There's a big gender issue here too - what's your take on that?
"....Women have been grossly under represented in terms of their percentage of the workforce in this field and it has never really gotten any better. We've stood at around the 25% mark of women in IT for as long back as people can remember....But actually what is happening, as enrollments are declining across Canada (and in all industrialized countries) of men in post-secondary programs, we are seeing a commensurate declining enrollment of women....What that says is that there is a broader set of issues here that effect both women and men and there are some specific gender issues that affect women...."

:28:40:
How does the value proposition of an IT career rate in comparison to the other career options that are available to young people?
"....Historically it hasn't been that great....Look at IT companies....Hardly any IT companies or telecom companies have a CEO whose principle credentials are IT credentials....We've got to fix that if we are going to make this an attractive field...."

:32:00:
Can immigration solve this problem?
"....We have not been able to tackle immigration effectively to fill this gap....There are probably two primary reasons. One is that we are not very good at recognizing the credentials of internationally educated professionals....Secondly our immigration systems has not been focused on this challenge and we have not been focused on getting the type of people with the market skills that we require...."

:35:53:
What about retraining of IT workers? Of laid off manufacturing workers?
"....Immigration is a part of the solution but it's not going to get us there. At the end of the day we need a way to solve the enrollment problem and also to retrain people. Retraining is one way to tackle this, both in terms of taking business people and giving them the IT skills that they need, but also we should be looking at what's happening with the automotive industry or the manufacturing industry in general...."

:41:40:
Who are the key players who need to fix this problem, and what should they be doing about it? Are we seeing any signs of progress right now?
"....All the organizations that I've talked to are trying to get the real players mobilized to take action....We need to change the way that we manage people's careers in IT, we need to change the way we educate people to prepare for this field....We need to get a lot better at communicating those choices and educating people about them....We need to get the influencers understanding this and not just the kids themselves...."

:47:05:
What are the most important broader business challenges and solutions?
"....This kind of disaggregation of control that information communications technologies have wrought on markets is part of what is driving the current economic crisis that we see in the world....What we are seeing are two levels of disaggregation that are happening now because of the power of information technology. On one hand, historically a lot of relationships were managed hierarchically through fairly controlled ways of doing things.... And the other thing that's happening is that we are seeing increasingly a shift away from pre-designed, pre-packaged and pre-specified solutions, toward emergent solutions where the participants in the network are the ones who are designing the solutions, the outcomes, almost 'on the fly'...."

:51:48:
Would you say that this ties in with what you see as your predictions of major trends and their opportunities?
"....The opportunities are finding new ways and more creative ways to manage against these problems....There are big opportunities for any country that can build a new kind of economy that is more energy efficient and creates new kinds of technologies that can facilitate energy efficiency because there will be a huge global demand for those kinds of solutions...."

:52:36:
Which are your top recommended resources and why?
"....I pay close attention to both web-based resources like Tech Crunch....I have a set of blogs that I track through Google Reader....I also pay close attention to the major media, not so much the technology media as the business media, how they are tracking technology - Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Economist....I also still read books.... "

:55:32:
Do you have any closing comments you would like to make?
"....Anybody who's alive today should consider themselves to be very privileged. On one hand, it is kind of a crucial moment in terms of the history of our planet because of the huge global issues that I talked about earlier. But on the other hand, it is a period of tremendous innovation and learning....We are in a period of exponential growth in human knowledge so it's a wonderful time to be alive...."

This is the next blog in the continuing series of interviews with top-echelon and renowned professionals. In this blog, I interview Michael Williams (BSc, PhD, DSc), World-Renowned Computing Pioneer, Past-President (2007) IEEE Computer Society, Professor Emeritus University of Calgary.

Often as IT professionals, we can lose site of the industry, the profession, its remarkable history, and its founding pioneers. Mike is one of those rare individuals who has shaped our world through his lifetime achievements. Take the time to listen to the podcast, to be inspired, and to smile too--Mike provides some amazing stories and insights into our profession.

Enjoy,
Stephen Ibaraki, FCIPS, I.S.P., MVP , DFNPA, CNP

Michael R. Williams (BSc, PhD, DSc), Past-President (2007) IEEE Computer Society, Professor Emeritus University of Calgary, graduated in 1964 with a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Alberta and in 1968 he obtained a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Glasgow. In 1969 he joined the University of Calgary, first in the Department of Mathematics then as a Professor of Computer Science. It was while working at Glasgow that he acquired an interest in the history of computing, something which has developed over the years into his main research and teaching interest.

He has participated in the publishing of 11 books, 92 articles, 58 technical reviews and 72 invited lectures and has been involved in the creation of 10 different radio, television, and museum productions. During his career he has had the opportunity to work for extended periods at several different universities, and at the National Museum of American History (Smithsonian Institution), and as Head Curator at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View California.

Besides his work as Editor-in-Chief for the journal The Annals of the History of Computing, he has worked closely with the IEEE History Committee (serving as its chairman in 1994 and 1995), the IEEE History Center, is past President of the IEEE Computer Society, (serving as its President in 2007), serves as a member of many different committees of the IEEE and is a member of editorial boards concerned with publishing material in the area of the history of computing.

He has received several awards, the most interesting of which are:

• C.C. Gotlieb Award - "In recognition of Outstanding Contributions to the Canadian Information Processing Society and to the Profession on CIPS behalf." Presented by the Canadian Prime Minister, May 17, 1990
• University of Calgary, Faculty of Science, Award of Excellence for Consistently Outstanding Contributions in Teaching, April 1993.
• In 2005 the University of Glasgow, Scotland, awarded him an honorary Doctor of Science degree for his contributions to computer science, particularly the history of computing.

To listen to the interview, click on this MP3 file link

DISCUSSION:

Interview Time Index (MM:SS) and Topic

:00:44:
Michael shares what triggered his initial interest in computing.

:01:54:
Can you profile your areas of research early in your career?
"... I can remember a session in his (John Peck) office when he was describing an area of mathematics known as graph theory and how colouring of these graphs might actually help him produce an exam timetable. At that point I got very interested in this particular branch of mathematics and how computers might actually help to solve what was an intractable problem...."

:03:49:
Michael comments on the roles he undertook while at the University of Calgary and his experiences there.
"....I had an administrative appointment (Chair of the new division of Computer Science), albeit a junior one, early on in my career. That led to all sorts of interesting experiences and eventually I took other administrative jobs, as well as my teaching...."

:08:31:
While at Glasgow, what was the catalyst for your interest in the history of computing?
"....it turns out that our professor had somehow acquired the library of the people that he worked with in London and had brought this library to Glasgow....There was a book there that was written by Charles Babbage, a very early computer pioneer (pre-electronic days in the middle of the 1800s) and I started flipping through this book....I got very interested in this book and the sort of things that Charles Babbage was trying to do. That was really the beginning of my interest in the history of computing....purely by accident...."

:10:44:
How did you to come to be at the National Museum of American History and can you describe your contributions?
"....That museum is part of the Smithsonian and they had a very early exhibit on computing (from about 1980s).....They decided that they had to refresh this exhibit and to start over again to create a proper exhibit for the then developing information age. They were looking around for some help. One of their advisors happened to know of me and so I got this phone call one day asking me to come down to talk with them. In the end they asked me to arrange with my university to take a leave of absence for about four months to help them get the ideas together and to look over their artifacts and see how they could be arranged into a proper story...."

:12:42:
What notable moments can you share as Head Curator at the Computer History Museum?
"....This is the world's largest collection of computing artifacts - if you take everything in the Smithsonian, in the London Science museum, in the Deutsches museum in Germany and a few others and combine then altogether - this collection in California is still much larger. It's everything from tiny microchips to various Cray supercomputers that weighed about nine tons and these were all jammed into a number of these leaky warehouses. Trying to organize the movement of this collection of artifacts into the new building and to arrange them in some sort of way so that we could at least tell a preliminary story was a very interesting task and quite frankly it's one that I don't ever want to repeat. It was very hard work...."

:16:08:
Can you share your insights as Editor-in-Chief for the journal, The Annals of the History of Computing?
"....The early days of that journal were basically the computer pioneers discussing their own work. The reason for starting the journal was that a lot of these stories were being lost as these people were passing away - in particular the inside stories (those little interesting anecdotes). It has now shifted because there is now a thriving community of technical historians who are writing historical papers for publishing in that journal....It has certainly served to preserve some of the stories about the creation of the computer and how it was used in the early days, and the journal is now thriving. It has a long waiting list for things to be published and has a very lively group of both subscribers and authors...."

:18:35:
Looking back, what were key initiatives as Chairman of the IEEE History Committee?
"....One of the things they did was to have a series of milestones; for example, the first electrical power generating plant, the things that had been instrumental in the development of technology, and the electrical engineering field. They would place a suitable plaque on the site. One of the things I proposed was to broaden it out from power engineering so that it also included slightly more modern things such as the development of various computing facilities, things like the first Canadian satellite for radio communication....We managed to erect plaques so that the general public could see that there was a historic site in the neighborhood and that might twig their interest to investigate things slightly further...."

:21:31:
From your lifetime of researching the history of computing, which contributions can you share as particularly meaningful to you-that resonated with you personally?
"....I think what I found the most interesting about the history of computing was the people. This included not only the early pioneers but people like Charles Babbage....and going back as far as 4000 years ago....the scribes in Egypt who left records of how they actually did computations. It's the stories of these people rather than the actual physical things they created that I found by far the most interesting...."

:24:00:
As a computing pioneer, you have participated in the publishing of 11 books, 92 articles, 58 technical reviews and 72 invited lectures and have been involved in the creation of 10 different radio, television, and museum productions, plus much more. Which three specific events or personal interactions standout for you and can you provide the context?
"....As I was trying to document the history of computing I would deliberately go out and try to meet the people who had done it and I would try to find out their motivation and contributions in various ways. This led to meeting such eminent pioneers as Conrad and Wilkes....There were a lot in Canada including Kelly Gotlieb in Toronto, and various other people at the University of Toronto, and another one at the University of Saskatoon - Andrew Donald Booth. All of these people have lived fascinating lives and they were desperate to try to develop computing in some way and each approached it differently. They often had almost no resources and the effort that they had to make just to get things started was wonderful lesson in overcoming all sorts of problems...."

:29:37:
You received the Award for Excellence for Consistently Outstanding Contributions in Teaching. Can you share some lessons from this distinguished career?
"....First of all, I love teaching....You have to be prepared....You have to have plan, you have to have examples all prepared and have everything laid out rather than just leaving it to chance...That I think is the biggest lesson I learned very early on in my career...."

:32:07:
You have many remarkable achievements in your life and you have received the C. C. Gotlieb award and also a Doctor of Science degree. Can you provide some background on those accomplishments?
"....I think there are many, many others who deserve these awards and I was suitably humbled to receive them. I certainly never expected that I would ever get either one. They both came as tremendous surprises...."

:34:49:
From your time in 2007 as President of the IEEE-CS, what compelling tips can you share from this time as president? I know it was a very interesting time for you.
"....That was a lesson in trying to look at a large organization and to see where the organization was not as efficient as it could be. Then to sort out what our actual priorities were and to drop things that weren't a first priority in order to get our financial situation back in order....The major lesson I took away from that is if you take a job of that nature, (of course it's a volunteer job), you've got to be interested in people because it is people who actually do the work....All of these are very interesting learning experiences and unfortunately once you've learned them, you can't go back and do the job again...."

:38:56:
The UN-founded International Federation for Information Processing or IFIP has their Professional Practice Partnership Program which received full ratification at the world general assembly in August 2007 with their first implementation meeting in Montreal hosted by CIPS in October. This marks an historical inflection point and speaks to IT as a recognized profession with global standards, profession-based code of ethics, and widely adopted professional certification-all happening in 2009. Can you comment on the benefits of this global initiative? Can you provide your perspective on IFIP, IP3, and then the global professionalism and certification program?
"....As with other industries, various groups have set up certification programs so that people can take these certifications and have some sort of standard that they can compare themselves against....It is now beginning to be recognized that there are several different kinds of certifications that are needed. Different national groups as well as IFIP are starting to offer these different kinds of certifications to bring not only those people who classify themselves as software professionals, but also the class of IT professionals that competes in the day to day business of computing, working in industry or business, to get them some sort of international recognition from international standards and things like Code of Ethics...I think that the industry is now maturing to the point where these certifications are both necessary and desirable and I hope that this will continue to develop along this line that has been started...."

:43:43:
Mike shares some interesting stories centered around the following themes: Amusing, Surprising, Inspirational, Disruptive, or Historical that will give the audience a feel for some of the things that he has done or some of the people he has met.

:57:25:
If you were doing this interview, what questions or topics would you ask of yourself and what would be your answers?
"....Background?....Hardships?....People sometimes ask me what can they do to advance their career....If you accomplish anything at all you have to collaborate both with staff and with other volunteers, as well as friends and colleagues. The biggest thing is you have to treat them well if you want to be treated well yourself...."

This is the next blog in the continuing series of interviews with top-echelon and renowned professionals. In this blog, I interview Vaclav Vincalek, IT Authority, Founder and President of Pacific Coast Information Systems (PCIS) Ltd. Take the time to look at Vaclav's very strong background and then the topic index. Vaclav shares his views on security, best practices, recommended resources, and business trends.

With Vaclav's extensive history in the industry, we also dialogued after the podcast about his insights on IT as a Profession which I'm sharing with you here...

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The UN-founded International Federation for Information Processing or IFIP has their Professional Practice Partnership (IP3) program which received full ratification at the world general assembly in August 2007 with their first implementation meeting in Montreal hosted by CIPS in October of 2007. This marks an historical inflection point and speaks to IT as a recognized profession with global standards, profession-based code of ethics, and widely adopted professional certification--all happening in 2009. Can you comment on this global initiative?

"Global standards and a professional code of ethics would benefit the IT industry. Until this point, the position of “IT professional” has not been clearly defined with firm standards and codes of conduct. Without exaggerating, the definition of an IT professional in some organizations has meant the person at the office who knows more than everyone else about computers – even if the extent of their knowledge was limited to opening up a box with a computer in it and getting the Internet hookup working.

The technology industry proved itself capable of instituting standards for technology. Clearly, the capacity exists for the industry to develop a professional association and codes of conduct like other established professions have already developed, like in accounting, architecture or law.

The IFIP is a long-awaited move for a maturing industry as technology plays an increasing role in our lives. It will ensure that IT professionals have the training and credentials to do their jobs and benchmarks to measure their skills, experience and value to their organizations. It will also allow industries to benefit from more free movement of trained IT professionals. Additionally, it can help IT professionals carry out their objectives, not of using more technology for technology's sake, but focusing on better understanding their customers to develop solutions for their organizations' real business needs."
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Enjoy the podcast,
Stephen Ibaraki, FCIPS, I.S.P., MVP , DFNPA, CNP

Vaclav Vincalek is the founder and president of Pacific Coast Information Systems (PCIS) Ltd., a Vancouver-based company that provides strategic consulting, application development, technology solutions and managed services to companies and government organizations throughout North America. He has over 25 years of experience in the information technology industry.

In 1995, Mr. Vincalek started PCIS, turning it into one of British Columbia's leading providers of IT solutions for business. His strategic vision, proven management style, keen understanding of business technology and ability to predict and manage technology trends helped him to successfully grow PCIS. He oversees and mentors a talented team of technology and business specialists.

Mr. Vincalek launched Boonbox in 2007 as a division of PCIS, currently offering unique web security, password management and secure data backup solutions. The division was established in response to growing demand from businesses trying to remain competitive while faced with an increasingly complex IT landscape and greater demand on scarce IT resources.

Before founding PCIS, Mr. Vincalek was a Systems Analyst with Process Automation Controls Ltd. in Burnaby, BC, from 1991-1995. He has also worked with the Jones Soda Co. to invent a patented personalized bottle labeling process, developed the overall technical framework and oversaw the coordination of the development teams involved. He also developed BCTV's back-end web system in 1998.

Mr. Vincalek has spent four years in post-graduate university research and has a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering at Czech Technical University. During that time Mr. Vincalek also worked with Nokia in Tampere, Finland and later in Prague, Czech Republic.

Mr. Vincalek speaks at seminars about web security and integrating technology solutions to improve business productivity. He is a member of the Knowledge Management Community of Practice, British Columbia Technology Industry Association (BCTIA) and Academy for Technology Company CEOs (ACETECH). He has been recognized by the IBM Systems Group for the work he completed on the HUB International Limited Intranet Development Project.

Mr. Vincalek produces the Pacific Coast Informer, authors a blog about technology trends and is frequently interviewed and quoted by media in programs and articles dealing with the technology industry, such as BCTV News, CBC radio, the National Post, Vancouver Sun, ComputerWorld Canada and BC Business Magazine. He can be reached at info@pcis.com

To listen to the interview, click on this MP3 file link

DISCUSSION:

Interview Time Index (MM:SS) and Topic

:00:34:
Can you describe what triggered your interest in computing and business?
"....I was raised in technically savvy company. Everybody from my grandfather, father, uncle, were involved in technology in some shape or form. My grandfather and father were pioneers and definitely leaders in communication technology in Czechoslovakia...."

:01:44:
You have a Masters in Electrical Engineering and worked for Nokia. Profile your work and valuable lessons you learned from these experiences.
"....When I worked for Nokia it was during my post-grad studies at the Czech Technical University in Prague....I was working in Tempere for the R & D department for Nokia....Definitely working for Nokia was a highlight of my career at that time...."

:03:01:
What was the nature of your HUB work?
"....HUB International is an umbrella for insurance companies through North America....They came to us to create a portal for all their employees and to be able to cross various divisions and to be able to share the experience, expertise and knowledge within this large group....A collaboration portal where people could share information.... not only across geographical distances but also different business groups...."

:04:36:
Since you developed the back-end web system for a major media network, what were the main challenges and solutions in this type of work?
"....At that time it was quite a revolutionary undertaking (1998-99)....It was a feature that through a browser the editor or a news reporter could update the story 'real time on the fly'. Today nobody thinks twice about it but at that time it was quite revolutionary for them...."

:06:50:
Describe your work with the Pacific Coast Informer and your blog. What business and IT trends would you like to share?
"....We have been, as a company, in business for over 13 years, we see that the technology is coming to the marketplace at such a speed that even for seasoned IT professionals, it is sometimes difficult to keep up with all the technology....Our aim with the Pacific Coast Informer (on the formal side) and my blog (less formal)....we want them to stop and think about all the implications....that technology has on their lives. For example one of the issues which is important to me is privacy and security...."

:09:08:
What are key best practices for integrating technology solutions to improve business productivity?
"....Every time you want to implement any technology, start first with the business. Understand why you are doing it, where is the benefit to the business....Another is to find seasoned professionals who understand both - the technology and the business...."

:10:57:
What are some important lessons around improving web security?
"....It's like when you go food shopping, you go into places where you know you can get fresh food which won't make you sick. The same thing applies to people browsing the internet. Go to websites which can prove to you that they are serious about protecting your personal information and your privacy and your secure transactions...."

:14:15:
What do you see as the most important broader business challenges and their solutions?
"....Businesses have to understand where the technology makes sense and how they can compete on the global level and how to do it as efficiently as possible...."

:16:57:
In your current role, what are the biggest challenges, and their solutions? How does this relate to business?
"....The market is opening and the competition is increasing....we are trying to improve our internal business processes. We are trying to minimize the time being spent on unproductive tasks and we are trying to make our organization as lean and efficient as possible....We are trying to identify all the issues which other companies are facing and then deliver solutions which are helpful to these organizations...."

:20:37:
Vaclav Vincalek shares an interesting experience from his work.
"....If one can create great encryption, there are always people who are smarter who can break the encryption. The moral of the story is if you don't want to lose something don't put it on your computer...."

:25:40:
Which are your top recommended resources and why?
"....To stay informed I spend about two hours every day reading on the internet....I subscribe to about 15 newsfeeds from various vendors or publications from around the world....Wikipedia....Because of our work with major vendors (IBM, Microsoft, Novell etc.)....they supply us with information from their point of view....But I would say the most important thing for me is talking to other IT professionals (that cannot be substituted for anything else)...."

:28:00:
It is interesting that what you are saying is that the top resource for you is your connection to communities enabled through technology and other means. This podcast will go out to different IT communities and you are saying that is a great resource to get involved with.
"....Technology is here to help us but it is the connectivity to other people who are knowledgeable and who can provide great wisdom and perspective on things...that is the ultimate for me. I am looking forward [perhaps as a result of this podcast] that I will be able to talk with similar minded people...."

:28:58:
If you were doing this interview, what would you ask and then what would be your answers?
"....unclear ownership of digital information on the internet...."