The IGN Data Hub - Feb 9, 2000

Deloitte & Touche and the Information Systems Audit and Control Foundation (ISACF) recently completed a comprehensive study of global e-commerce security, entitled E-Commerce Security: A Global Status Report. Managers and executives in 14 countries, and information systems and audit professionals from 46 countries were interviewed.

Key findings included:

• Majority of respondents were satisfied with their e-commerce security offerings;
• Little correlation was found between satisfaction with security and the actual existence of security policies;
• While engaged in e-commerce, most companies are concerned only with their own sites' security, but not that used by vendors;
• Major reasons businesses implemented e-commerce included cost-cutting techniques, new or revised ways of doing business and improving efficiency. Many executives also believe that e-commerce is based on developing ways of improviing revenue and profits; and
• The longer companies are engaged in e-commerce, the more significant e-commerce becomes to their businesses.

B2B Software Sales Grow

Delphi Group said worldwide business-to-business software sales, currently $5 billion, will reach $40 billion by 2002, in a recent NewsEdge article. By 2002, the software will provide a foundation for $5 trillion in global trade via vertical portals. B2B software builds the system to track or handle Internet transaction, inventory and collect business information.

Watching TV, Surfing the Web

Not many Americans are using their PCs to watch television, according to Gartner Group's Dataquest. Researchers found that only 2.1 million people use their PCs for watching television. Meanwhile, the number of people who simultaneously surf the Web and watch television ("telewebbers") has risen from 8 million in 1998 to a whopping 27 million in 1999. Based on their findings, analysts see potential crossover in functions between the two devices.

Telewebbers use the Internet to follow a news story covered on TV or to gain additional information while watching a sporting event on television. They also check for TV listings online, discuss television shows in chat rooms, and answer viewer polls from TV shows. Nearly 40 percent of telewebbers polled interact with a television shows' websites at least one time a week.
-www.dataquest.com or www.gartner.com

Money, Money and More Money

Vast sums of venture capital were given to Internet firms last year. Citing data released from National Venture Capital Association and Venture Economics, The Standard said as much as $31.9 billion was given during 1999, up 355 percent from 1998's total of $7 billion. VentureOne, however, estimates that Net firms received only $25 billion in venture capital.

Poland's Internet Revolution

Internet fever has hit Polish equity investors. According to Reuters, IT stocks in Poland are up more than 35 percent in 2000. More competition, broader access and new technology will help push Polish companies online. Accessing the Internet via cable telephones and mobile telephones will help fuel the surge in usage also. Currently, 10 percent of the population is online, while the number of users is expected to double by 2001.

Gaining Software Developers' Attention

Software developers are more likely to respond to a print ad, than online advertisement. A recent study showed that 68 percent of developers respond to print advertising versus 31 percent who would be motivated by an online banner ad. However, nearly two-thirds prefer to purchase products online. The report from Evans Marketing Services focuses on how developers prefer to learn about and buy development tools.
-www.evansmarketing.com