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Microcap & Penny Stocks : THNS - Technest Holdings (Prev. FNTN) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bill Fortune III who wrote (11754)	4/7/1999 1:36:00 PM
From: Streetwise	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 15313

Technology Advances Spark Significant Change in Intranet Use, IDC Says Free Research from IDC Shows Interactive Collaboration on the Rise FRAMINGHAM, Mass., April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Soaring advancements in intranet technology are about to rock this market to its core. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), intranets are at the threshold of a new age that will see them transform from a medium that displays static content to a foundation for managing businesses' most dynamic transactions. Through steady and continued evolution, intranets are on the verge of changing the interactive collaboration world forever. "User expectations of the intranet have been driven up by the growth of groupware and the expansion of the Internet," said Mike Comiskey, senior analyst with IDC's Intranet Strategies research program. "The early static uses of intranet for corporate bulletins and announcements, competitive information, and press releases will continue to grow, but there will be a movement toward more interactive collaboration such as online communities of interest and expertise centers. Expect intranet portals to play a big role in the evolution of the intranet." Additionally, as intranet use evolves, the number of intranet users will continue to grow. According to IDC, 50% of U.S. companies with 500 or more employees use an intranet, and 55% of the companies in this segment that do not currently use an intranet plan to deploy one in 1999. "User sophistication and maturity have reached levels that put to rest some of the initial human barriers to intranet deployment like security concerns and fears of wasted time because of time spent surfing the Net," Comiskey said. IDC also believes expanding recognition of the benefits of digital collaboration is fueling substantial investment in intranets and intranet applications. The most popular applications for which intranets are employed include information sharing and publishing, electronic mail, document management, electronic forms, and corporate directories. A recent IDC survey revealed that use of these applications has increased 20% on average over the past 18 months. "Organizations are less tolerant of installed intranets that are not widely used and are looking to squeeze new efficiencies from their intranet investments," Comiskey said. As a result of increasing user expectations, suppliers will have to find new application areas for intranets. IDC suggests using intranets for corporate training and expanding intranet services to business partners, suppliers, and customers. For intranet suppliers wanting to cash in on this expanding market opportunity, Comiskey offered this advice: "Find ways to use the intranet to open new roads through more unconventional approaches to traditional business processes." IDC's bulletin The Intranet Opportunity (IDC #B18774) closely examines the changing use of intranets. It documents current and future corporate intranet use and examines use of specific intranet applications. For a limited time, the report may be downloaded from IDC's Web site (http://www.idc.com) at no charge. About IDC International Data Corporation is the information technology industry's most comprehensive resource on worldwide IT markets, trends, products, vendors, and geographies. IDC provides data, analysis, and advisory services to the world's leading IT suppliers as well as IS professionals in finance, insurance, entertainment, advertising, consumer goods, and publishing. IDC's research and opinions are based on the results of more than 300,000 end-user surveys, in-depth competitive analysis, broad technology coverage, and strategic analysis. IDC is committed to providing global research with local content through its 500 analysts in more than 40 countries worldwide. Additional information on IDC can be found on its Web site at idc.com. IDC is a division of International Data Group, the world's leading IT media, research, and exposition company. All product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. SOURCE IDC CO: IDC; International Data Group ST: Massachusetts IN: CPR MLM SU: 04/07/99 12:42 EDT prnewswire.com