Technology

CodeGen performs well despite crisis

Gamini WARUSHAMANA

CodeGen, the Sri Lankan software company specialised in travel and tourism software solutions despite global economic crisis has performed well in 2008 and future is optimistic.

Global crisis has hit all the industries and no exception for software industry. Especially outsourcing businesses and project based software companies have been affected because of rising unemployment in developed countries. However, since we are a product based company, specialised in travel and tourism industry with products ranked as world best, we are resilient in this global crisis, said the Director, Legal of the CodeGen Kusal Subasinghe.

We early recognised the global recession one and half years ago and we adopted strategies. However, we did not anticipate a crisis at this magnitude.

Subasinghe said that several factors contributed to resilience of the CodeGen at this difficult time. First, though the travel and tourism sector is affected by the crisis, still the industry was growing, but at a lower phase.

According to the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) statistics in 2008 the industry grew at 2 percent, lower than average 7 percent growth in the previous four years. Also the first half of the year 2008 is positive and the industry grew at 6 percent.

Secondly, our clientele are the world's largest companies in the industry.

To face the crisis they need to improve efficiency and they invest in technology and IT while laying off employees.

Thirdly the new revenue model CodeGen introduced as a measure to face the crisis is working well.

In this model there is no initial payment and the client can use the solution and pay as they generate revenue.

Subasinghe said that CodeGen has turned the crisis to an opportunity. "We get new projects, get best talents and invest more on R&D and develop new products while continuously improving our existing products. Even in this turbulent market condition we came up with new solutions.

We did not lay off employees and we have recruited new employees and in January we offered salary increments".

Subasinghe said that the Sri Lankan software industry is resilient compared to India despite several disadvantaged factors.

India has a huge pool of human resources that can be hired at lower salaries. Cost of power and telecommunication is still higher in Sri Lanka and if these factors take in to account shifting our operations to India is cheaper.

On the other hand appreciation of Sri Lankan rupee too affected our Sri Lankan operation, he said.

CodeGen has partnership with State universities and offers internship for students and Subasinghe said that 99 percent of its employees are graduates.

"We are now in a recruitment drive and recruiting telecommunication and electronic engineers in addition to software engineers with the objective of diversifying our business", he said.

Microsoft provides software free to all varsities

When the Sri Lankan Government took the decision to declare 2009 as the Year of English and IT, it served as a challenge for companies to reach out and help the state achieve this progressive vision and aid in the task of disseminating ICT awareness across the length and breadth of the country.

Microsoft Sri Lanka took it upon itself to rise to the occasion and among its many initiatives to complement the Government's efforts, is a project entitled `Software for the 21st Century' that was recently unveiled at a simple event held in Colombo.

The event was graced by university vice chancellors and faculty deans from numerous Universities and was presided over by Mr. Chris Atkinson, Vice-President, Microsoft South East Asia, who was present in Sri Lanka expressly for the occasion.

In support of the Government's declaration, `Software for the 21st Century' will provide all Sri Lankan State Universities with the latest cutting-edge software that will enable each of these institutions to expose their students to the best of world-class technology. The special significance of this is that Microsoft Sri Lanka decided to donate this range of software to these universities absolutely free. In addition this program will enable the students to obtain genuine versions of the software totally free even for their personal and home use, during their university tenure. Faculty members can also enjoy the same benefits. The total value of the software donated runs into several millions of rupees.

As part of the extensive national program to increase ICT awareness and ensure far reaching positive effects for all Sri Lankans, MSDNAA (MSDN Academic Alliance) will be offered to the universities as a free programme for three consecutive years (download only). This offer will be extended to the eligible departments of educational institutions as it will add great value to the existing education programmes offered at the university. With the implementation of Live@edu - a free web-based e-mail and collaboration platform, through ELMS (e-academy License Management System), users can harness the added benefits offered by Microsoft through its `Home User Rights' programme, which allows them to have their own set of product keys for multiple software, free of charge, while enrolled at university. "Microsoft Sri Lanka's investment in this free program will be a blessing for students in higher learning who are denied of opportunities for broadening the knowledge due to affordability issue.

It will certainly address the employability problem. This is very timely and opportune in the year of English & IT in Sri Lanka" said Rupa Malini Peiris - Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education "We are excited at the Governments declaration for 2009 and in line with the vision set out by the Government,

Microsoft Sri Lanka is proud to introduce `Software for the 21st Century,' as this effort reflects our commitment towards raising the bar of employability for local youth. We have realized that many university students - although fully capable - find that accessing latest technologies is not such an easy task. Therefore, we have ensured that this programme is primarily geared towards eliminating this problem and ensuring that all university students have equal access to such technologies.

A vast range of tools and technologies will be available to all local universities so they can provide their students access to the software most widely used in the world, which in turn would result in greatly enhancing their academic development. These efforts will pay rich dividends once the country witnesses a higher standard of IT literacy and a greater rate of employability among these students as a result of this initiative," explained Sriyan de Silva Wijeyeratne, Country Manager for Microsoft Sri Lanka.

High-tech solution to arrest crime

Crime in general and burglaries in particular are known to have increased in all parts of the globe as the world economy falls deeper into recession.

Here in Sri Lanka, people's life and property are not exempt from this worrying phenomenon. According to UN data, Sri Lanka had 12,666 burglaries in 2007 (0.631 per 1,000 people). Whilst well below that of the USA which has the highest rate, its still alarmingly high for a small island nation, especially if we compare the levels to Oman who had no burglaries to report.

In addition to the burglaries there were also some 4,647 robberies reported (0.231 per 1,000 people). Data from Interpol suggests that these crime rates are growing by between 12 and 25 per cent each year.

Consequently, more and more people are looking at high-tech solutions to address the home security issue.

The evidence suggests that the cost of having the technology installed is reasonable and the investments are abundantly worthwhile. Additionally, these little devices are simple and easy to operate.

Take for example Mr. Jayawickrama, whose detached Colombo 05 home was the target of a ruthless burglar at 2am one recent night. A robber had tried to enter the house through a window but fortunately for Mr. Jayawickrama he had recently fitted a device supplied by KayJay Security and the intruder system detected the forced entry and triggered an alarm.

Consequently, the robber panicked and ran off which was fortunate for the robber as the triggering of the alarm sets off four SOS calls. Two calls are dispatched to the owners and the other two alerts the KayJay HQ and the area supervisor.

Mr. Jayawickrama said that he and his wife were sleeping upstairs when they heard the alarm going off. When he went downstairs to investigate, he quickly realized that the intruder's entry point was through a window and upon the alarm being triggered, the burglar had rushed out without taking any valuables with him.

By contrast, Mr. Wickramasinghe had been burgled some 18 months back at the same residence when several valuables were lost.

The initial incident had prompted him to install the KayJay system on a monthly payment scheme.

These alarm systems are recognised around the world as a viable solution to the problems posed by rising crime.

Check Point acquires Nokia appliance business

Check Point(r) Software Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: CHKP), the worldwide leader in securing the Internet, today announced it completed the acquisition of the Nokia security appliance business, a natural culmination of a twelve-year strategic partnership.

In addition to Check Point UTM-1(r) and Power-1(tm) appliances, businesses can purchase immediately through Check Point former Nokia IP hardware running Check Point security software.