IBM Joins Compaq, Intel, Others in E-Commerce Security Group
IBM Joins Compaq, Intel, Others in E-Commerce Security Group
Armonk, New York, Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- International Business Machines, the world's largest computer maker, said it will become part of an industry alliance to create better security for electronic-commerce transactions.
In addition to IBM, the Trusted Computing Platform Alliance includes Compaq Computer Corp., the world's largest maker of personal computers; Hewlett-Packard Co., the No. 2 computer company; Microsoft Corp., the world's No. 1 software maker; and Intel Corp., the top semiconductor maker.
The alliance's purpose is to develop a universal standard for equipment and software so that technology companies can make personal computers more secure, IBM said. ``It's good that there's that many vendors involved,' said Roger Kay of International Data Corp. ``The agreement favors the average PC user in terms of giving them control over distribution of their information and greater comfort in doing e-business.'
Business-to-business trade on the Internet is expected to increase to $1.3 trillion in 2003 from $43 billion last year, according to Forrester Research. Alliance members said the agreement makes sense as more consumers buy goods and services over the Internet. ``We see e-business expanding and PCs are a critical piece of that expansion,' Compaq spokesman Alan Hodel said. ``As PCs evolve, the standards for security need to evolve with them.'
PC users will benefit most directly from the alliance's efforts, IDC's Kay said. ``This gives the user a greater degree of assurance that the transaction they were doing wasn't being snooped and they'll be more comfortable moving their business to the Internet,' he said.
Kay predicts that other companies, such as No. 1 direct PC seller Dell Computer Corp., may join the alliance. ``Dell sounded like they'd go along with it,' he said. |
