Re: IT fought the law (Nov. 16)
Very nice piece, let the mud slingers get filthy! Good for you.
Peter B. Beacock
Re: Hacking exposed author sees major threats ahead (Nov. 10)
Canada’s different tiers of government also need to look inside their own offices for their people hacking those external to them, and/or hacking others on their side of the network!
There is no one central within a ministry, or within the entire federal government, to file a hack attempt, an abuse situation, etc., and if there were, information about such a service is not made available to the public. The RCMP say it is a provincial policing jurisdiction, which is not. Trying to get such hacking stopped and the culprits stopped is a sad joke. Been there. Even had to get our MP, who was also a federal minister at that time, involved to see if we could get it resolved. Same with the Province of Ontario, and you will find the same with most municipal governments.
In the United States, if this happens, you log on to the FBI’s Web site, complete a form and they are on it asap.
So hack attempts do occur with government as the source of the problem.
Garry McGonigal
Re: Hacking exposed author sees major threats ahead (Nov. 10)
This is an excellent report, as actually everything in your newsletter is. It is a joy to read your reports, which are superior to any business e-mail I receive, especially the way it is presented! Thank you very much.
Dieter Reimers
Re: Canadian incubators hatch fresh strategies (Nov. 10)
I would like to know what services Exceler@tor provided free to their incubatees?
The tenants were charged rent for space they occupied, and equipment used (including donated computers) almost from the start. About the only thing they weren’t charged for was advice, internet access, and the use of conference rooms. They were responsible for their own operations completely. While initial funding may have been provided, additional financing was up to them to find.
If UBC’s Accelerator Centre is to succeed where Exceler@tor failed, it is to assist the startups with strong management and sound financial advice. Many of these start up companies have no prior management or financial know how which results in early failure. They face an uphill battle just to get their product developed let alone learning to manage a company and keep it afloat.
Matching prospects with proven innovators as UBC plans may help these new tech companies develop their product sooner than others. Since UBC is planning to be the sole risk taker they have to remember that this is going to be a long-term project, not a short term idea.
When the Accelerator’s tenants are ready to sell their product, marketing people such as professors, and or marketing grad students (this will give them real experience) can come in and help develop a sales plan, and to keep potential buyers from potentially hijacking the new technology.
Austin Guerin
Re: B.C. moves ahead to outsource medical services IT (Nov. 9)
I was interested to see your story, having contacted the Pharmacare organization in February over concerns with their IT security (having both medical and SIN records in one place). At that time they said that they had a security program in place but could not say what might happen when the operation was outsourced.
Reading the material on the B.C. Health Ministry Web site recently, they appear to have addressed most of my IT security concerns, or at least thought about it, except one: There was no mention of regular reviews, which, given the rate of change in the industry, I would like to see during the course of a 10-year contract.
Andrew Daviel
Richmond, B.C.
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