Innovation
Thursday: The Wearden Chortle
Thursday 5/6/2003Some other things never change. I return to the ZDNet offices to the familiar sound of the Graeme Wearden Chortle.
Thursday 5/6/2003
Some other things never change. I return to the ZDNet offices to the familiar sound of the Graeme Wearden Chortle. Our newshound could chortle for England: no other word describes the sound he makes when he stumbles across -- no, I'm sorry, unearths through dedication and journalistic nous -- a fun story. "Look at this!" he said, forwarding a press release. It's from a content management company, iManage, announcing that they've closed a deal with international law firm Norton Rose for various managerial bits of software. These include looking after email, collaborative document and 'matter-centric' work: I have no idea what that is, but doubtless they talk of little else in the corridors of international law. "It's a phenomenally boring press release," I said, "and not helped by all that nonsense." "No," said Graeme, positively bouncing with glee. "It's Norton Rose." Nope. No light flickers behind my over-holidayed eyes. "Claire Swire? Yours was yum?" Ah! Yes! The great dirty email scandal of the year 2000! Thirty months later, Norton Rose has finally got around to installing email control software -- but no mention of this in the press release. Clearly, the company is hoping that nobody remembers. But ZDNet UK remembers, Norton Rose. ZDNet UK always remembers.
Some other things never change. I return to the ZDNet offices to the familiar sound of the Graeme Wearden Chortle. Our newshound could chortle for England: no other word describes the sound he makes when he stumbles across -- no, I'm sorry, unearths through dedication and journalistic nous -- a fun story. "Look at this!" he said, forwarding a press release. It's from a content management company, iManage, announcing that they've closed a deal with international law firm Norton Rose for various managerial bits of software. These include looking after email, collaborative document and 'matter-centric' work: I have no idea what that is, but doubtless they talk of little else in the corridors of international law. "It's a phenomenally boring press release," I said, "and not helped by all that nonsense." "No," said Graeme, positively bouncing with glee. "It's Norton Rose." Nope. No light flickers behind my over-holidayed eyes. "Claire Swire? Yours was yum?" Ah! Yes! The great dirty email scandal of the year 2000! Thirty months later, Norton Rose has finally got around to installing email control software -- but no mention of this in the press release. Clearly, the company is hoping that nobody remembers. But ZDNet UK remembers, Norton Rose. ZDNet UK always remembers.