UK: SWITCHING ON TO INTRANETS.

The past year has seen a surge of interest in intranets and their ability to open up access to information which companies have long held but which has been hidden behind incompatible technologies. Jane Bird cate.

Designing a modern vehicle is a collaborative process involving a host of experts in such areas as bodywork, electronics, engines and transmission systems. Traditionally, incompatible operating systems have made such collaboration a slow process for Jaguar's 1,000 engineers, who have often found themselves unable to send each other files electronically even when they are based in the same office.