Computer Companies Offer More Than Cash

In the wake of the Sept. 11 attack, several companies have offered free products or services to the rescue efforts, victims' families, or others who were directly affected by the events. Most of these companies were quiet about their offers, and didn't send out press releases. In fact, a few of them were reluctant to talk about them.

Please note that we do not endorse these products or services; in some cases we cannot confirm the exact nature of the vendors' donation. (Also see our listing of company donations, which we'll continue to update as we get more resource information.)

Donated Services
Polycom Inc. and PictureTel Corp. formed a worldwide network to help all victims, families, friends, coworkers, and relief agencies. They've provided a link to locate videoconferencing facilities around the world. You also can volunteer your company's videoconferencing facilities at the site.

AccessLine Communications Corp. is donating free virtual PBX services. The company is offering emergency phone numbers to businesses with New York and Washington operations that have been closed due to the attack and to individuals that have been displaced.

NTT Communications Corp. and Verio Inc. created an Emergency Response Program to assist any company whose data communications services have been impacted by the disaster. SAP is providing free consulting services to businesses to help restore IT infrastructure damaged during the attack. That's in addition to SAP's $3 million donation to support individuals and their families harmed in the attack. MapInfo Corp. is offering assistance to local emergency-response units and other organizations involved in relief efforts. IsoSpace Inc. is offering its online collaboration service free to all displaced Manhattan-area companies. PlaceWare Inc. is offering its online-meeting services free of charge for 90 days to any emergency or governmental agencies that need to conduct disaster-recovery or mission-critical communications. It's also extending two weeks of free online-meeting services to any affected businesses. Gartner is giving free access to research on disaster recovery, business-continuity planning, and technology-crisis management until Sept. 28. Basex Inc. is making three of its papers available to the business community, free of charge, until Oct. 15. These publications include "The Community Factor" and "From Toy to Tool," two reports that investigate how to use community as a fundamental part of electronic business, and "Expertise Software: KM's Killer App?" covering how companies can harness the expertise of their human capital. Hardware and Other Hard Assets
In addition to donating (through the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund) $1 million to the families of firefighters, police, and other emergency-response personnel who lost their lives, Apple Computer will donate one iBook to each of these families with children. ClickArray Networks Inc. is donating its Array1000 and Array500 integrated Web infrastructure appliances, along with full technical support, to organizations that require assistance in maintaining and optimizing the performance of their Web sites and disseminating critical information to the public. DriveSavers, in Novato, Calif., is offering free data-recovery services to those agencies that have recovered damaged hard drives. A consortium of leading hardware and software vendors addressing the backup and restore needs of business is providing free consulting and technical support to help companies get back online. Its hotline is 800-859-8559. WorldCom is offering office space as well as data, Internet, and local and long-distance services to impacted businesses in New York. Contact the WorldCom help desk (877-892-2839 or [email protected]). Universal Access is offering use of some of its office space in Chicago, Herndon, Va., and Santa Clara, Calif. Companies that need temporary space should contact Mary Meyer, senior director of corporate services. How You Can Help
The New York Software Industry Association is acting as a clearinghouse for people who want to offer software and services, office space, Web hosting, and anything else that seems appropriate. CompTIA, the Computing Technology Industry Association, is soliciting its 8,500 members to compile a list of companies offering IT services to help rebuild damaged computer and telecommunications networks and restore operations as quickly as possible. Some charities have established specific funds related to the attacks. Among them: The United Way and the NY Community Trust's The September 11th Fund to aid emergency-services groups and to assist victims and their families. All contributions will go directly to relief efforts. The New York Times has set up a special fund related to the attack. The New York Better Business Bureau is compiling a list of charities, from Goodwill Industries to the New York Blood Center. Diane Rezendes Khirallah contributed to this story. Did we miss anything? Please feel free to add to the list of good-hearted companies in the Listening Post Talk Shop. We'll also add a link, shortly, to a list of IT assistance resources that we'll keep updated.