Lexmark Aims for a Slice of the Pie with Perceptive Capture
April 12, 2014
When I say “Lexmark,” you think “printer.” But in all actuality, Lexmark is branching out and expanding its reach throughout both hardware and software spaces. Perceptive Capture is the newest iteration of the now defunct Brainware. The only mention that remains of Brainware is its powering of the Intelligent Capture product beneath the Perceptive Capture brand.
Lexmark describes Perceptive Capture on their Web site:
“Perceptive Capture collects and secures all documents and data intelligently — extracting, organizing and sharing content with the people, business systems and processes that need it most. With document capture, data capture, data extraction and electronic forms, Perceptive fuels your routines with the right information, instantly.”
There is nary a word about Brainware and its trigram technology. Perhaps Lexmark knows best, as it tries to make a name for itself in the ever-widening document management market.
Emily Rae Aldridge, April 12, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
New Data Integration Tool from BA Insight
April 11, 2014
A new data integration platform promises to simplify the process of deploying search-driven applications, save organizations time and money, and improve security. BA Insight posts, “BA Insight Announces Knowledge Integration Platform 2014 for Rapid Implementation of Search-Drive Applications.” No definition of “knowledge” is included, however.
The press release specifies:
“The BAI Knowledge Integration Platform turns enterprise search engines into knowledge engines by transforming the way information is found to get the right information to the right people at the right time. It has the flexibility to function as a comprehensive solution or be implemented in a phased approach to meet growing organizational needs. The platform consists of three robust engines:
*User Experience Engine – drives remarkable user experiences for finding and exploring knowledge or experts via an extensible engine and a library of powerful components
*Content Intelligence Engine – increases findability using automated classification, metadata generation, and text analytics
*Content Connectivity Engine – provides secure connectivity to a wide variety of content systems, enabling unified views of all knowledge assets”
The press release notes that several prominent global companies are using this platform, including the Apache Corporation. (No, that has nothing to do with open source software; it is a huge energy-exploration enterprise.) The write-up also emphasizes that the platform builds on an organization’s existing infrastructure to present users with an integrated view of their data.
BA Insight aims to make enterprise search more comprehensive and easier to use. Founded in 2004, the company is headquartered in Boston with offices in Chicago, Washington, DC, and Sacramento, California.
Cynthia Murrell, April 11, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Microsoft Office Graph for Oslo Limits Bothersome Data
April 11, 2014
Just what we need—another way to shield folks from information they’d rather not see. Microsoft helps move us in that direction, this time within the enterprise. We learn about the hidden data-narrowing technology in “Social Enterprise, Machine Learning Meet in Microsoft’s Office Graph, Oslo” at eWeek. Oslo is a mobile app created to give users “an at-a-glance view of collaborative Office documents and activities.” The role of Office Graph is to narrow the data stream. Writer Pedro Hernandez tells us:
“Office Graph, while tucked ‘under the hood and never exposed to the user,’ helps users avoid information overload and focus on the task at hand by delivering ‘really personalized and relevant views of their world,’ according to Julia White, general manager of Microsoft Office. This ‘intelligence layer,’ which integrates with SharePoint, Exchange, Lync, Yammer and Office, is the basis of the company’s upcoming Oslo app. Oslo is a mobile-optimized app that ‘cuts through the noise by showing you what you need to know today, and even what’s likely to be important in the near future,’ stated Ashok Kuppusamy, a Microsoft FAST group program manager, in a blog post.”
The app should be available to users of Office 365 within the year. Some of Oslo’s features do sound helpful. For example, since many of us are better at remembering people’s names than project titles or keywords, users can search by colleague name. One can also see what content has been shared, liked, viewed, or modified. But I wonder—do people really need algorithms deciding what to include in “relevant views of their world”?
Cynthia Murrell, April 11, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Perceptive Search 10.3 Now Available
April 11, 2014
According to the marketing, the system from the 1980s formally known as ISYS Search is now up to date. Digital Journal shares, “Perceptive Software Launches Version 10.3 for Perceptive Enterprise and Workgroup Search.” New connector options and high-definition viewing are among the updated features for both the Enterprise and Workgroup platforms. The press release also tells us:
“Fidelity options for content rendering in Perceptive Search 10.3 allow administrators to set the appropriate level of fidelity for displaying search results. Options include several levels of standard text, standard XHTML and high-definition HTML5 that produce near-perfect paginated renditions.
“The addition of a document thumbnail preview provides Perceptive Enterprise Search 10.3 users additional confidence that they are selecting the right search results. With a glance at the first page of search results, users can often determine if the files meet the desired criteria. This instant visual confirmation of the search results further accelerates user productivity.”
That thumbnail view is a helpful touch. The search systems‘ updated connectors can access content in Google Drive, Microsoft SharePoint 2013, Microsoft Exchange 2013, and Symantec Enterprise Vault 10.
Founded as Genesis Software in 1988, Perceptive Software offers a range of process- and content-management solutions. Perceptive serves clients in a wide range of industries, and was acquired by Lexmark in 2010. The company is headquartered in Shawnee, Kansas and, according to their About page, is currently hiring.
Cynthia Murrell, April 11, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
AIIM Conference 2014 Highlights SharePoint
April 11, 2014
At AIIM Conference 2014 Roberto Yglesias led a session about empowering users through ECM. CMS Wire gives a rundown of the session in their article, “How to Win with SharePoint #AIIM14.”
The article relays Yglesias’ thoughts on SharePoint:
“’When SharePoint is deployed well, in my opinion it is the most complete collaboration tool out there,’ said Yglesias. ‘Great examples are when it’s used for project collaboration like the one we’ll be speaking about or when it’s used for team and department sites within an Intranet. Its features of offline synchronization using OneDrive for Business and the integration into Office makes it the perfect tool for productive collaboration, not to mention everything else users don’t care about but IT does such as retention policies, etc.’”
Stephen E. Arnold often has the same opinion about SharePoint. While competitors are growing in number and strength, a well-design and customized SharePoint implementation is still a great solution. On his Web site, ArnoldIT.com, Arnold puts his expertise to use by providing the best SharePoint tips, tricks, and news coverage available.
Emily Rae Aldridge, April 11, 2014
Hewlett Packard: Foreign Bribes and Search
April 10, 2014
I was disappointed with the news stories about Hewlett Packard’s recent hitch in its git-along. For example, I read “Hewlett Packard Agrees to $108 Million Fine for Foreign Bribes” and saw not one reference to information retrieval, search, and content processing technology. In my view, had HP used the Autonomy technology to process its internal information, IDOL and the Digital Reasoning Engine would have generated some outputs that pointed to anomalies like those the investigators found.
Apparently “findability” is more difficult than it appears even when the company in the spotlight owns one of the go-to search systems. I assumed that it would be trivial to run a few queries and produce documents and “big data” that would show that Hewlett Packard what was cooking in its subsidiaries or with non US deals.
Search apparently was not up to the task because allegations had to be “resolved by third parties.” Apparently it required attorneys and government folks to figure out that HP was taking some short cuts. Here’s a passage I noted:
“Hewlett-Packard subsidiaries created a slush fund for bribe payments, set up an intricate web of shell companies and bank accounts to launder money, employed two sets of books to track bribe recipients, and used anonymous email accounts and prepaid mobile telephones to arrange covert meetings to hand over bags of cash,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Bruce Swartz in the Justice Department statement.
Business actions like those mentioned in the Silicon Beat write up make it clear that HP management may not know what is going on or may not be paying attention to existing information about company activities.
Is this an anomaly?
I can’t answer the question, but when investigators from various countries are able to find useful factoids, it raises one question:
What does HP’s much hyped information retrieval system do for company executives?
and
Was important management information not available to HP’s senior executives? If so, who filtered the digital content?
This $100 million fine comes on the heels of HP’s paying $57 million to settle a shareholder lawsuit about the “personal computer maker’s former management of defrauding shareholders by abandoning a business model it had long touted.” See http://reut.rs/1iUC0re
The persistent HP business model seems to be one that does not engender my confidence in the company.
I am not sure the IDOL search system is at fault. Does HP use Autonomy’s fraud detection components? Why not index content, run queries, and make decisions based on the heterogeneous types of information that Autonomy can process, usually with some effectiveness?
The jury’s still out on search at HP. Two big fines in a short period of time is unsettling to me because both are germane to the effective use of information retrieval technology.
Stephen E Arnold, April 10, 2014
Google Is As Intrusive As They Come
April 10, 2014
If you see the world through Google (www.google.com) colored glasses, you might think the search king can do no wrong, such as in this recent Medium.com article, “Why the Future Belongs to Google.” https://medium.com/mobile-culture/994daa5d0fee However, it’s starting to look like even those wearing the glasses are not happy.
According to the drum-thumping Medium.com piece:
“The search giant has infiltrated almost every sphere of our digital interaction and made the experience richer, more satisfying and rather beautiful…There are many big-name brands which often try to achieve this, but either their endeavour feels too intrusive or they just fail without a whimper.”
Pardon us, but if there’s one thing Google constantly stumbles over it’s how intrusive its latest and greatest ideas are. http://www.wordstream.com/articles/google-failures-google-flops We’re not just talking long-lost flops like Google Buzz, but new “innovations” like its flu-tracker http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2014/03/23/why-google-flu-is-a-failure/ and the most recent run of backlash that seems to have finally put a bullet in the motherboard of Google Glass, according to TechCruch http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/15/why-we-hate-google-glass-and-all-new-tech/ and others http://www.designntrend.com/articles/11970/20140321/negative-feedback-is-dimming-google-glasss-fate.htm. We are more than a little suspicious of the Medium.com article that claims google is unintrusive. It makes us wonder how deeply Google has intruded on that writer’s brain.
Patrick Roland, April 10, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
CIOs to Gain New Roles and New Pressures
April 10, 2014
If you are a CIO, you probably already know that life isn’t what it was when you started. If, however, you dream of being a CIO, it may help to look into a crystal ball to better understand what the job will look like. Chances are, it isn’t what you think, as we learned from a Computer World article, “CIOs Must Become Technology Consultants.” http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9247121/CIOs_Must_Become_Technology_Consultants
According to the story:
“It’s now contingent upon the new CIO to make the technology sales pitches, not receive them. The new CIO must show how IT services can help business leaders become better within their particular operations, as well as how a cross-departmental, holistic approach raises the tide and lifts all boats. The new CIO must advise and assist on technology adoption, not give orders and mandates.”
This seems a little parental to us, but overall practical. The job is changing. In fact, CIO Insight recently reported that the role will change drastically by 2018. http://www.cioinsight.com/it-news-trends/slideshows/how-the-cios-role-will-change-by-2018.html One of the most interesting was “An Increased Vulnerability to Knowledgeable Insiders.” This means, among other things, CIOs must now be detectives. The role of CIO is among the most important in any company, so expect the role to change and the responsibilities to only grow more serious.
Patrick Roland, April 10, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
HP and Autonomy Battle Only Warming UP
April 10, 2014
Hewlett-Packard’s (www.hp.com ) long reign as the quiet powerhouse on the digital landscape may be over. According to a recent Inquirer article, “Autonomy’s Mike Lynch Slams HP for Misleading Shareholders” http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2335139/autonomys-mike-lynch-slams-hp-for-misleading-shareholders brings them into the spotlight and we are not very impressed with what we see.
According to the article, Lynch told HP shareholders before a meeting recently:
“As you are aware, Hewlett Packard remains locked in dispute with a group of its own shareholders and with the former management team of Autonomy over its purchase of Autonomy…”
He continued:
“The evidence shows that HP is not just smearing us, but also misleading you, its shareholders.”
While this is surprising, it is by no means a total shocker. The tide has been swaying against HP lately, especially since their purchase of Autonomy. Last month, in fact, The Telegraph pretty much previewed this clash, saying: “Lynch, who was sacked by HP in May 2012, now faces a bitter battle to rescue his reputation. (HP CEO Meg) Whitman…is meanwhile under legal attack from her shareholders for allegedly failing in her duty to protect their money.” This is a recipe for an ongoing, disastrous clash. Frankly, we’re on Lynch’s side, seeing as how HP devalued Autonomy by over $8 billion since taking the controls. We suspect we will see more of this to come.
Patrick Roland, April 10, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
SharePoint Life Cycle Training Webinar
April 10, 2014
Webinars almost seem to be the life-blood of the SharePoint training world. PRWeb covers one of the most recent in their article, “No-Cost Webinar: Make User Adoption a Reality with SharePoint Life-Cycle Training.” And while this article focuses on life cycle training, the importance of SharePoint training is also addressed:
“This combination of instructor-led training and follow-up support helps SharePoint users retain knowledge thus empowering them to be more successful working in SharePoint in their current work environment. In addition, the value of empowering SharePoint users with the know-how can lead to more satisfied, confident workers, reduced work load on support team, and greater return on investment for the organization.”
Stephen E. Arnold also believes training is essential to SharePoint success. He covers all things search, including SharePoint, on his Web site, ArnoldIT.com. Broad SharePoint coverage is offered, and a major theme is the importance of training and customization to any organization’s SharePoint implementation.
Emily Rae Aldridge, April 10, 2014
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