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Trusted computing? Nothing to do with us, says UK IT

Lack of support for conference reveals an awful truth...

How interested is the computer industry in trusted computing? Not as much as you might think, suggests Eddie Bleasdale of netproject. "They've nothing to sell in this area," he told The Register, "so they're not interested." Bleasdale is mounting a reprise of netrproject's successful 2002 Trusted Computing conference at the end of this month with support from the Department of Trade & Industry, which intended that the event would also attract sponsorship from the UK computer industry, but none has been forthcoming.

In fairness one might suggest that UK industry is getting sick of the Government's addiction to 'self-funding' (aka somebody else picks up the tab) initiatives, but Bleasdale's point is amply supported by the phalanxes who'll show up waving credit cards at the merest mention of biometrics. No sale opportunity, no money from marketing - we can trust them that far, at least.

Bleasdale nevertheless reports a healthy number of sign-ups for the event, where speakers will include Ross Anderson, Alan Cox giving an impartial talk entitled "One Key to rule them all and in the darkness bind them", Smart Card Group CEO and Mondex architect David Everett and, Bleadsdale assures us, a representative of Microsoft who will discourse on trusted computing aspects of Windows Vista. This should provide an opportunity to compare and contrast Microsoft's current plans for trusted computing with John Manferdelli's outline of Palladium (as it then was) at the previous event, and may even indicate that the issue of trusted computing is closer than the IT industry thinks.

The conference takes place in London from 9.30am to 1pm on 26th January, and is free to "senior IT professionals in the private sector", but for security reasons it will be necessary to book ahead. Sign up information can be found here. ®

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