Major keeps tech talk simple

NEW ORLEANS--What better place for a former British prime minister to espouse his thoughts on global change than a technology conference filled with network administrators?

John Major, recently ousted from office by current Prime Minister Tony Blair, offered anecdotes on global change sparsely peppered with allusions to the computer industry and jokes about his own electoral downfall to attendees of Computer Associates' user conference.

Major restricted his statements to the obvious: "Technology is quite literally changing the world in every aspect of our endeavor."

The conservative political figure then offered his thoughts on the rate of global change, the countries with emerging economies to watch, and the triumph of free markets.

CA chairman and CEO Charles Wang has always had a penchant for attracting the world's political figures to his company's conference--former President George Bush spoke one recent year.

When asked during a question and answer period what the British government can do to encourage information technology, Major said, "I think the first thing government can do is get out of the way and let private enterprises get on with it."