PeopleSoft still resisting Oracle’s takeover bid • An out-of-this-world idea to protect data • HR-XML Consortium launches certification • HR-XML expands staffing exchange protocol
PeopleSoft still resisting Oracle’s takeover bid
Pleasanton, Calif. — PeopleSoft’s board of directors have voted unanimously to recommend that PeopleSoft stockholders reject Oracle’s latest increased offer to purchase all shares for $26 per share. The two firms are international giants in human resources management systems and other business software. The board said the revised offer price is inadequate and does not reflect PeopleSoft’s real value. It also said a combination of PeopleSoft and Oracle would face substantial regulatory scrutiny in both the U.S. and Europe and there is a significant likelihood the transaction would be prohibited under anti-trust law. A spokesman for Oracle said the offer was “full and generous.” Oracle announced its intention to swallow up PeopleSoft in June 2003, initially offering $16 per share.
An out-of-this-world idea to protect data
La Jolla, Calif. — A California company wants to put data storage facilities on the moon, according to a report in PC Magazine. TransOrbital is preparing for a commercial trip to the moon, taking handheld computers, digital cameras, servers and data along for the ride. TransOrbital said companies want to back up data somewhere other than earth and is working on a way to sell the idea. CEO Dennis Laurie said it would be feasible to put computer equipment on the moon and be able to receive data sent from earth. “The moon is a pretty safe place to store your data,” said Laurie. “Sept. 11 caused people to think about what data backup really means, and there is also always the threat of a natural disaster here on earth such as a small asteroid hitting the planet.”
HR-XML Consortium launches certification
Philadelphia — More than 20 HR technology firms have achieved certified status from the HR-XML Consortium for successfully demonstrating the use of open data exchange standards. The standards make it easier to deploy integrated HR solutions. Organizations that successfully complete the certification process are awarded a logo to use on their Web sites. The technology firms that have been certified to date are: Allegis Group; American Background; Careerbuilder.com; eWork Exchange Inc.; ExecuTRACK Software; Fidelity Investments; Hewitt Associates; Hire.com; HireCheck; HireRight; Jobpartners Ltd; Manpower; milch & zucker; Oracle; PeopleClick; PeopleSoft; Resume Mirror; SAP; Sterling Testing Systems; Ultimate Software; and Unicru. For a complete listing of firms, and information about particular vendor’s integration capabilities using the HR-XML Consortium standards, visit www.hrcertify.org.
HR-XML expands staffing exchange protocol
Philadelphia — The HR-XML Consortium has approved a new upgrade to its staffing exchange protocol (SEP). SEP is a set of data exchange standards that enables employers, job boards and career portals, applicant tracking systems and other HR solutions to flexibly exchange position opening and candidate data without the time consuming and costly development of custom system interfaces. The new version includes three major component specifications — candidate, position opening and resume. The new candidate and position opening components are designed to optimize opportunities for matching jobseeker abilities and preferences with position and employer characteristics. The expanded resume also includes new components centred on the needs of jobseekers and was designed to be flexibly transformed to a variety of formats for display.
Pleasanton, Calif. — PeopleSoft’s board of directors have voted unanimously to recommend that PeopleSoft stockholders reject Oracle’s latest increased offer to purchase all shares for $26 per share. The two firms are international giants in human resources management systems and other business software. The board said the revised offer price is inadequate and does not reflect PeopleSoft’s real value. It also said a combination of PeopleSoft and Oracle would face substantial regulatory scrutiny in both the U.S. and Europe and there is a significant likelihood the transaction would be prohibited under anti-trust law. A spokesman for Oracle said the offer was “full and generous.” Oracle announced its intention to swallow up PeopleSoft in June 2003, initially offering $16 per share.
An out-of-this-world idea to protect data
La Jolla, Calif. — A California company wants to put data storage facilities on the moon, according to a report in PC Magazine. TransOrbital is preparing for a commercial trip to the moon, taking handheld computers, digital cameras, servers and data along for the ride. TransOrbital said companies want to back up data somewhere other than earth and is working on a way to sell the idea. CEO Dennis Laurie said it would be feasible to put computer equipment on the moon and be able to receive data sent from earth. “The moon is a pretty safe place to store your data,” said Laurie. “Sept. 11 caused people to think about what data backup really means, and there is also always the threat of a natural disaster here on earth such as a small asteroid hitting the planet.”
HR-XML Consortium launches certification
Philadelphia — More than 20 HR technology firms have achieved certified status from the HR-XML Consortium for successfully demonstrating the use of open data exchange standards. The standards make it easier to deploy integrated HR solutions. Organizations that successfully complete the certification process are awarded a logo to use on their Web sites. The technology firms that have been certified to date are: Allegis Group; American Background; Careerbuilder.com; eWork Exchange Inc.; ExecuTRACK Software; Fidelity Investments; Hewitt Associates; Hire.com; HireCheck; HireRight; Jobpartners Ltd; Manpower; milch & zucker; Oracle; PeopleClick; PeopleSoft; Resume Mirror; SAP; Sterling Testing Systems; Ultimate Software; and Unicru. For a complete listing of firms, and information about particular vendor’s integration capabilities using the HR-XML Consortium standards, visit www.hrcertify.org.
HR-XML expands staffing exchange protocol
Philadelphia — The HR-XML Consortium has approved a new upgrade to its staffing exchange protocol (SEP). SEP is a set of data exchange standards that enables employers, job boards and career portals, applicant tracking systems and other HR solutions to flexibly exchange position opening and candidate data without the time consuming and costly development of custom system interfaces. The new version includes three major component specifications — candidate, position opening and resume. The new candidate and position opening components are designed to optimize opportunities for matching jobseeker abilities and preferences with position and employer characteristics. The expanded resume also includes new components centred on the needs of jobseekers and was designed to be flexibly transformed to a variety of formats for display.
