James Kobielus Position: Senior Analyst, Burton GroupEmphases: Messaging, collaboration, conferencing, workflow, instant messaging, mobile/wireless communications, Extensible Markup Language (XML), e-business, middleware, network security, directories.Background: More than 17 years in distributed computing and telecocommunications industry. Freelance telecommunications writer. Contributing editor with Network World since 1987 and author of popular "Above the Cloud" column. Formerly, special associate for Rapport Communication, product manager at LCC International (a wireless network engineering firm), telecommunications analyst with DynCorp (a systems integrator), and research associate with the International Center for Information Technologies (MCI-established IT research organization).Primary distinctions: Recognized authority on strategic telecommunications and information systems topics, and occasional speaker at network-computing industry conferences. Has published more than 150 columns, feature articles, and buyer's guides for Network World and other industry publications since 1985. Authored the 2001 Prentice Hall PTR title, "BizTalk: Implementing Business-to-Business E-Commerce." Authored the 1997 IDG Books title, "Workflow Strategies," which is used as a business-process-reengineering text at universities in the U.S. and Canada. Also co-authored 1987 ICIT Press book, "Measuring Business Value of Information Technologies."