IT Does Matter

Adrian Peters replies: We evaluated Check Point's offering using what the vendor provided: machines with dual Xeon 2.8-GHz processors, each with 2 GB of memory. Although I can't be sure without further testing, I believe larger equipment would have significantly improved performance.

As for the 500-Mbps threshold, we told the vendors ahead of time that we would push the firewalls to 1,000 Mbps of throughput. Hence, we gave extra points to products surpassing 500 Mbps.

Keep R&D Home

Regarding Rob Preston's column "Embrace Change-- or Perish" (June 23), I agree that the U.S. government should give companies a freer hand in running their businesses, and that business and tech people must adapt, learn and innovate. But the chief obstacle to innovation in this country is the migration of corporate R&D overseas in the name of cost reductions.

Most IT innovation is the product of a support environment and cumulative experience. Unfortunately, when R&D leaves our shores, tech know-how--and innovation--go with it. This has already occurred in the cell-phone industry.

Perhaps more government-sponsored R&D is the answer. But I fear we may be too deeply immersed in outsourcing to come back up.

Daniel M. Wang
Chief Technology Officer
QCOM
[email protected]

IT Does Matter

I totally agree with Dave Molta's critique of Nicholas Carr's thesis ("IT Matters: Today and Tomorrow," June 23).

To Carr, Molta writes, the IT establishment comprises "profligate spenders on low-value systems that not only increase the cost of doing business, but also take management's eye off the strategies that really can lead to sustainable competitive advantage." In my view, Carr misses the mark in failing to differentiate between IT tools and their use.Rainer Sommer, my graduate studies professor at the George Mason University School of Public Policy, compares IT tools with a scalpel. In the wrong hands, the scalpel can cause serious injury. But in the hands of a skilled surgeon, it can work wonders.

As Molta suggests, IT matters more today than ever because of the emergence of standards and the commoditization of technology. What will differentiate one organization from the next is how it uses IT tools to gain competitive advantage.

Michael A. Robey
Senior Manager, Information Systems
American Petroleum Institute
[email protected]

ClarificationFor our article "Time To Tighten the Wireless Net" (June 23), BlueSocket's and Network Instruments' wireless LAN security offerings weren't evaluated because our testing window didn't mesh with the vendors' revision cycles. We hope to review both vendors' products in the future.

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