Silicon Graphics Inc is enlisting the help of Netscape Communications Corp, Informix Inc, and some of its own resellers and several UK-based on-line and Web software and services companies to plug the wide gap in its internet skills set, which until now, began and ended with providing Web servers. The Silicon Network will form an umbrella for providing hardware, tools, databases, systems integration, security, web authoring and site management and business consulting for corporate businesses who wish to deploy 3D and multimedia for the Web, and will be co-ordinated from Silicon Graphics’ professional services division in the UK. The Network, which is majority funded by Silicon Graphics, and partly by Informix and Netscape, will be focusing mainly on the areas of collaborative computing, computer-based training, edutainment and marketing and commerce. It hopes to expand into mainland Europe and the US, but gave no specific time frame. The company admits that some partners are in competition in some areas,but seem more concerned with addressing their own skills shortfall for the time being.
