The Register Buzz Report

In association with The Register

IT buyers’ views of technology vendors are shaped by a myriad of different inputs, which together create a ‘buzz’ of sentiment around each player. There are many ways of measuring buzz, both in the positive and negative sense, and in this inaugural Register Buzz Report, we look at those companies that stand out from the crowd. For those at the top, the question is what’s behind their success. Meanwhile, do those languishing at the bottom of the heap really deserve to be there?

WHAT’S THE BUZZ?

The IT industry ecosystem between sellers and buyers is quite unique in the world of business, combining real technological innovation and atrociously hyped snake oil in equal proportion. Like the girl with the curl, when it’s good, it is very very good, but when it’s bad, it can be most spectacularly horrid. As a buying community, we express concern about the failures, all the while remaining hopeful that technology will continue to make a big difference to our business and personal lives.

Against this background, some companies will invariably stand out from the rest. IT companies want to be talked about – but for the right reasons of course. Manufacturers talk to journalists who speak with analysts, and peers and colleagues read the press, research, and discuss among themselves – together they create a level of sentiment around specific vendors that we call the ‘buzz’, combining the general aspect of mindshare, with the more positively focused areas of leadership, culture and ethos.

WHO’S GOT THE BUZZ?

According to a research survey conducted with The Register readership in October/November 2007 (1,192 respondents), the top 5 ranked vendors from a list of 25 global IT brands were as follows: