Moving beyond its traditional network computing business, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania-based HDS Network Systems Inc has set up a new subsidiary company that has used bridging technology to develop software to quickly rectify year 2000 compliance problems. Bridging Data Technology Inc, located in Atlanta, Georgia, has launched SmartBridge for Cobol programs, designed for businesses who haven’t done anything about sorting out their compliance problems. Scott Holland, vice president of finance and administration at HDS estimates that some 95% of organizations across the world haven’t even thought about sorting out year 2000 compliance problems. HDS says it started on the development of SmartBridge in March. Bridging Data Technology currently has five employees and is to be operated as a separate entity. Holland believes SmartBridge has a bright future, even after compliance problems have been solved, owing to its bridging intelligence capabilities that will enable users to upgrade and alter other problems in the future. Holland admits the concept behind SmartBridge is not unique, but claims the intelligence behind the product makes it stand out from the competition.
