AP/Boston.com: Saving Firms Money to be Top Theme at Shrunken CeBIT Technology Fair

“Technical advances that can save companies money will be a top
theme at the at the CeBIT fair opening here Tuesday, as the
high-tech world gathers to look for new directions even as the
prospect of war in Iraq dims the already gloomy outlook.

“One key number suggests the mood: the number of exhibitors at
the world’s biggest technology fair has fallen almost 20 percent
from last year, to around 6,500 from 8,000. Some participants from
past years have gone out of business, and others are trimming costs
by staying home…

“Cost-cutters such as open-source software and using the
Internet to carry phone calls will be the subject of more than a
few sales pitches, observers say. IBM, for example, is expected to
show off ‘self-optimizing’ software that lets businesses spread
sudden surges in user demand over more computers…”

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