ZDNet

File:Zdnet-lightbg-200px.png
URL	http://www.zdnet.com/
Slogan	"Where technology means business."
Category	Business Technology
Publisher	CBS Interactive
Launch date	April 1, 1991
Language	English
Editions	Australia, Asia, China, France, Germany, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Korea, USA
Registration	Optional
Readership	23 million monthly[1]
Country	United States
Editor	Larry Dignan
v t e

ZDNet is a business technology news website published by CBS Interactive, along with TechRepublic and SmartPlanet. The brand was founded on April 1, 1991 as a general interest technology portal from Ziff Davis and evolved into an enterprise IT-focused online publication owned by CNET Networks.

History[link]

Beginnings: 1991 to 1995[link]

ZDNet began as a subscription-based digital service called "ZiffNet" that offered computing information to users of CompuServe. It featured computer industry forums, events, features and searchable archives.

Initially, ZiffNet was intended to serve as a common place to find content from all Ziff-Davis print publications. As such, ZiffNet was an expansion on an earlier online service called PCMagNet for readers of PC Magazine. Launched in 1988, PCMagNet in turn was the evolution of Ziff Davis' first electronic publishing venture, a bulletin board, which launched in 1985.^[2]

On June 20, 1995, Ziff-Davis announced the consolidation of its online information services under a single name, "ZD Net." The service had grown its membership to 275,000 subscribers across six platforms: CompuServe, Prodigy, AT&T Interchange, the Microsoft Network, AppleLink and eWorld.^[3]

A few months prior to the name consolidation, Ziff-Davis expanded onto the World Wide Web under the name "ZD Net."^[4] Dan Farber, former editor-in-chief of PC Week and MacWeek, was named editor-in-chief of the property.^[5] By June, the site was recording web traffic of 2.5 million pageviews per week.^[6]

Early history: 1995 to 2000[link]

By its fifth-year anniversary in 1996, the collective "ZD Net" brand—now on the Web, America Online, Microsoft Network and Prodigy—counted 300,000 subscribers and was named the second-highest grossing advertising site on the Web.^[7] The site also expanded overseas: initially to France, Germany and the U.K.; later to China, Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Spain, Taiwan and India.^[8]

In 1997, the website—now the brand's flagship property—underwent another redesign that featured topical "channels" of content. It also marked the change in name from "ZD Net" to "ZDNet."^[9]

ZDNet News[link]

Two months prior, the company launched ZDNet News, or "ZDNN," the site's first dedicated section to original reportage.^[10] Among the journalists hired to staff the department were former Computer Shopper executive editor Charlie Cooper, San Jose Mercury News business editor Steve Hamm, PC Week Inside senior editor Bill Snyder, PC Week editor John Dodge, Computerworld editor Michael Fitzgerald and PC Week editorial director Jim Louderback.^[11]

The appointment of digital publishing executive Dan Rosensweig as ZDNet's first president capped a year of significant change for the brand.^[12]

In 1998, ZDNet launched "Inter@active Investor," or ZDII, a spin-off website for investors that offered financial news and information on technology companies.^[13]

ZDTV[link]

On May 11, 1998, Ziff-Davis launched ZDTV as the first cable television channel and website to offer 24-hour programming about computing and the Internet. The venture, which was partly owned by Vulcan Enterprises, was supported with a staff of 170 and incorporated ZDNet content on its website, ZDTV.com.^[14][15] The channel would later become Tech TV.

By the end of 1998, ZDNet was the dominant technology brand online. It led its closest rival, CNET, by a 26 percent margin and was the 13th most popular site on the Web, reaching 8.4 million users, or 13.4 percent of all users on the Web.^[16] The site would reach an additional 600,000 users within a year.^[17]

ZDNet the company[link]

In 1999, Ziff-Davis spun ZDNet off as a separate company and offered it as a tracking stock, ZDZ, to accompany the parent stock, ZD. An initial public offering raised $190 million, but the tracking stock was eliminated in early 2000 and revived as common stock.^[18] The new company soon acquired Updates.com, a software upgrade service. It was incorporated into the site's "Help Channel."^[19]

Consumer expansion[link]

In 1999, ZDNet also launched "Tech Life," a network of six consumer-focused tech sites intended to attract parents ("FamilyPC"), music listeners ("ZDNet Music"), gadget enthusiasts ("ZDNet Equip"), gamers ("ZDNet GameSpot") and basic users ("Internet Life" with Yahoo).

It also launched "Computer Stew," a web-based comedy show about technology that featured John Hargrave and Jay Stevens,^[20] as well as the first ZDNet Holiday Gift Guide.

On December 30, 1999, ZDNet launched a $25 million branding campaign in response to a $100 million advertising campaign launched by rival CNET.^[21]

ZDNet's lead over the competition narrowed by 2000. Despite a record 10.7 million unique users in January, it managed only a 13 percent lead over the next competitor.^[22] By mid-2000, ZDNet had expanded to 23 countries in 14 languages on six continents.^[23]

The CNET years: 2000 to 2007[link]

On July 19, 2000, CNET Networks—parent company of CNET, ZDNet's largest rival—announced that it would acquire ZDNet for about $1.6 billion.^[24] Some analysts thought that the merger of CNET and ZDNet would lead to redundancy in their product offerings, but research revealed that their target audiences had just 25 percent overlap.^[25]

In 2001, Ziff Davis Media Inc. reached an agreement with CNET Networks Inc. and ZDNet to regain the URLs lost in the 2000 sale of Ziff Davis Inc, to Softbank Corp.^[26]

In 2002, CNET Networks launched ZDNet sister site Builder.com, a site intended for enterprise software developers.^[27] On July 7, 2002, CNET Networks acquired Newmediary for its database of more than 30,000 enterprise IT white papers.^[28] ZDNet had integrated its services into its "Business & Technology" channel as early as January 2001.^[29]

Realignment[link]

In 2003, CNET Networks redesigned and relaunched ZDNet as an enterprise-focused publication intended to help business executives make better technology decisions.

The entire site was realigned as part of a CNET Networks B2B portfolio that included CNET News.com, Builder.com and TechRepublic.^[30]

A "Tech Update" section was created to serve as a directory of proprietary IT research (dubbed "IT Priorities"), and a new "Power Center" was implemented to prominently feature webcasts, white papers and case studies from partners. ZDNet also offered eight enterprise-targeted newsletters, as well launched its first blogs.^[31]

In 2005, ZDNet Government was launched as the brand's first industry vertical, with a mission to cater to IT professionals in the public sector. Editorial features included writing by former Utah CIO Phil Windley, TechRepublic columnist Ramon Padilla and CNET News reporter Declan McCullagh. ZDNet also launched its first original podcasts in 2005.^[32]

ZDNet Blogs[link]

In 2006, ZDNet experienced another redesign that reduced its editorial focus on traditional news articles and product reviews and emphasized a growing network of expert bloggers, now totaling more than 30. The blogs covered topics such as enterprise IT, open source, Web 2.0, Google, Apple and Microsoft, and featured journalists David Berlind, Mary Jo Foley and Larry Dignan.^[33]

On February 19, 2008, Larry Dignan was appointed editor-in-chief of ZDNet and editorial director of TechRepublic,^[34] replacing Dan Farber, who became editor-in-chief of CNET News.com.^[35]

The CBS years: 2008 to present[link]

On May 17, 2008, CBS Corporation announced that it would acquire CNET Networks for approximately $1.8 billion.^[36] The entire company would be organized under its CBS Interactive division.

In May 2010, ZDNet redesigned its site to place emphasis on the topics its blog network covers—now "Companies," "Hardware," "Software," "Mobile," "Security" and "Research" -- and de-emphasize the downloads and reviews it imported from CNET post-merger.^[37][38]

Content[link]

ZDNet currently operates a network of about 50 blogs loosely aligned by its major verticals: companies, hardware, software, mobile, security and IT research. Within those general areas are blogs on gadgets, management strategy, social media, datacenters, technology law, SOA, healthcare, CRM, virtualization and sustainability.

The site still offers product reviews and software downloads, which are mostly imported from CNET. It maintains an extensive database of enterprise-focused white papers.

Competitors[link]

Publications from IDG – PCWorld, InfoWorld, NetworkWorld and CIO – and TechTarget are primary competitors to ZDNet. The site also competes with technology publications from its former corporate owner, Ziff-Davis.

Newer publications such as GigaOm, TechCrunch and ReadWriteWeb also compete with ZDNet. Gadget-oriented consumer publications such as Engadget and Gizmodo are indirect competitors. Corporate sibling CNET—specifically News.com -- remains an occasional rival from a coverage standpoint, though their respective audiences do not overlap significantly.

Awards and recognition[link]

At the 14th Annual Computer Press Awards in 1999, ZDNet was adjudged the Best Overall Online Site.^[39]

In 2007, the Association of Online Publishers awarded ZDNet UK under the Business Website category for its contribution to innovation in incorporating Web 2.0 and community features effectively on its site.^[40]

ZDNet international editions[link]

ZDNet India[link]

CNET Networks in India closed their operations in 2001, but they continue to have the jobs site of ZDNet operational.^[41]

ZDNet Japan[link]

A Japanese news publishing company called Asahi Interactive owns the ZDNet Japan website. According to alexa.com statistics, the Japan.zdnet.com subdomain is the second most visited on ZDNet, after the blogs subdomain. Also, the ZDNet website has an overall traffic rank of 558 in Japan.^[42]

ZDNet UK[link]

The ZDNet UK Live feature displays real time news updates and comments on the website and on social media including Twitter.

Other country editions include Australia, Asia, Belgium, China, Germany, Netherlands, UK and France, in their native languages.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• ZDNet Australia
• ZDNet Belgium
• ZDNet UK

Michael Dell
Michael Dell, founder, chairman and CEO of Dell
Born	(1965-02-23) February 23, 1965 (age 47) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Residence	Austin, Texas
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	Jewish [1]
Alma mater	University of Texas at Austin (Dropped out)
Occupation	Chairman and CEO of Dell
Net worth	US$ 15.9 billion (2012)[1]
Spouse	Susan Dell

Michael Saul Dell (born February 23, 1965) is an American business magnate and author. He is known as the founder and CEO of Dell, Inc., one of the world’s leading sellers of personal computers (PCs). He is ranked as the 41st richest person in the world on 2012 Forbes Billionaires list, with a net worth of US$15.9 billion as of March 2012.^[2] In 2011, his 243.35 million shares of Dell stock were worth $3.5 billion, giving him 12% ownership of the company.^[3] His remaining wealth of roughly $10 billion is invested in other companies, and managed by a firm called MSD Capital (named after Dell's initials).^[4]

Early life and education[link]

Michael Dell was born to a well-off, Jewish family, on February 23, 1965.^[5] The son of an orthodontist^[6] and a stockbroker, Dell attended Herod Elementary School in Houston, Texas.^[7] In a bid to enter business early, he applied to take a high school equivalency exam at age eight. In his early teens, he invested his earnings from part-time jobs in stocks and precious metals.^[8]

Dell purchased his first calculator at age seven and encountered his first teletype machine in junior high, which he programmed after school. At age 15, after playing with computers at Radio Shack, he got his first computer, an Apple II, which he promptly disassembled to see how it worked.^[9] Dell attended Memorial High School in Houston, selling subscriptions to the Houston Post in the summer. While making cold calls, Dell observed that newlyweds and people moving into new homes were most likely to buy a subscription. He targeted this demographic group by collecting names from marriage and mortgage applications. Dell earned $18,000 that year, exceeding the annual income of his history and economics teacher.^[10]

Career[link]

A PC's Limited Turbo PC signed by Dell

Michael Dell lecturing at the Oracle OpenWorld, San Francisco 2010

While a freshman pre-med student at the University of Texas at Austin, Dell started an informal business putting together and selling upgrade kits for personal computers^[11] in room 2713 of the Dobie Center residential building. He then applied for a vendor license to bid on contracts for the State of Texas, winning bids by not having the overhead of a computer store.^[12][13][14]

In January 1984, Dell banked on his conviction that the potential cost savings of a manufacturer selling PCs directly had enormous advantages over the conventional indirect retail channel. In January 1984, Dell registered his company as "PC's Limited". Operating out of a condominium, the business sold between $50,000 and $80,000 in upgraded PCs, kits, and add-on components. In May, Dell incorporated the company as "Dell Computer Corporation" and relocated it to a business center in North Austin. The company employed a few order takers, a few more people to fulfill them, and, as Dell recalled, a manufacturing staff "consisting of three guys with screwdrivers sitting at six-foot tables." The venture's capitalization cost was $1,000.^[15][16]

In 1992 at the age of 27, Dell became the youngest CEO to have his company ranked in Fortune magazine's list of the top 500 corporations.^[17] In 1996, Dell started selling computers over the Web, the same year his company launched its first servers. Dell Inc. soon reported about $1 million in sales per day from dell.com.^[18] In the first quarter of 2001, Dell Inc. reached a world market share of 12.8 percent, passing Compaq to become the world's largest PC maker. The metric marked the first time the rankings had shifted over the previous seven years. The company's combined shipments of desktops, notebooks and servers grew 34.3 percent worldwide and 30.7 percent in the United States at a time when competitors' sales were shrinking.^[19]

In 1998, Dell founded MSD Capital L.P. to manage his and his family's investments. Investment activities include publicly-traded securities, private equity activities, and real estate. The firm employs 80 people and has offices in New York, Santa Monica and London. Dell is not involved in day-to-day operations.^[20]

On March 4, 2004, Dell stepped down as CEO of Dell Inc. but stayed as chairman of the board, while Kevin Rollins, then president and COO, became president and CEO. On January 31, 2007, Dell returned as CEO at the request of the board, succeeding Rollins.^[21]

Accolades for Dell include "Entrepreneur of the Year" (at age 24) from Inc. magazine;^[22] "Top CEO in American Business" from Worth magazine; "CEO of the Year" from Financial World, Industry Week and Chief Executive magazines.

Dell serves on the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum, the executive committee of the International Business Council, the U.S. Business Council, and the governing board of the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, India. He previously served as a member of the U.S. President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.^[23]

In July 2010 Dell agreed to pay a $4 million penalty to settle SEC charges^[24] of disclosure and accounting fraud in relation to undisclosed payments from Intel Corporation. Dell Corporation and two other company executives also paid to settle all the charges.

Writings[link]

Dell's 1999 book, Direct from Dell: Strategies That Revolutionized an Industry, is an account of his early life, his company's founding, growth and missteps, as well as lessons learned. The book was written in collaboration with Catherine Fredman.^[25]

Wealth and personal life[link]

As of 2011, Forbes estimates Dell's net worth at $14.6 billion.^[26]

Dell resides in Austin, Texas with his wife, Susan, and their four children.^[27][28]

Philanthropy[link]

In 1999, Michael and Susan Dell established the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, which focuses on children’s causes. By 2010, the foundation had committed more than $530 million to assist nonprofit organizations serving urban communities in the United States and India.^[29] The foundation has also provided $65 million in grants to three health-related organizations associated with the University of Texas: the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living, the Dell Pediatric Research Institute, and the Dell Children’s Medical Center, as well as funding for a new computer science building on the University of Texas campus.^[30][31]

In 2002, Dell received an honorary doctorate in Economic Science from the University of Limerick in honor of his investment in Ireland and the local community and for his support for educational initiatives.^[32]

Political contributions[link]

In 2004, Susan and Michael Dell were among 53 contributors of $250,000 (the maximum legal donation) to the second inauguration of President George W. Bush.^[33]

Criticism[link]

In the April 2011 issue of Mother Jones, a timeline of Michael Dell's life is included in the article American Magnate: Michael Dell: How a homegrown geek outsourced, downsized, and tax-breaked his way to the top. The article juxtaposes the CEO's spending on luxurious homes and private jet travel with his pursuit of tax breaks and tax holidays and Dell Computer's eventual offshoring of jobs overseas after receiving the incentives for setting up shop locally.^[34]

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

Dell, Michael; Catherine Fredman (1999). Direct From Dell: Strategies that Revolutionized an Industry. New York, New York: HarperColins Publishers. ISBN 0-88730-914-3. 

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