Microsoft Sinks Teeth Into New Orleans

An anonymous reader writes: "The New Orleans Times-Picayune is reporting that Mayor Nagin is considering letting Microsoft upgrade the city's computers free of charge. The catch? New Orleans eventually has to buy the software and Microsoft gets to use the city as a marketing model to push this on the rest of the country." According to the article, a similar system Microsoft developed for Oklahoma "is expected to expand into accident reporting, video arraignment and automated pawn-shop-ticket tracking." So don't worry about privacy -- it's all taken care of. Open bidding's taken care of too: "Because these services are considered a gift, the city won't have to publicly bid the project." Sounds like dirty pool to me.

Comments

Article light on details

[Kilmor]

Is microsoft going to "give" them software And hardware, or just a bunch of software?
"Upgrading Systems" isnt a very clear term.

IF they are giving them a bunch of hardware And software, hey no problem, let them spend the $$, and they can just say to microsoft in X years, "Oh sorry, we actually broke bid laws since we Do end up paying you, so, we cant pay you. Oh, and those systems are critical to our police doing their job, you cant have them back. What, you would cripple an entire city's ability to fight crime?! ::calls new outlets::"

If its just software, then , well, Is there even anything Like this being done in the *nix world ?

from the article : "New Orleans police will be using a system Microsoft developed for the state of Oklahoma. Dubbed the Offender Data Information System, the system can link dozens of law enforcement agencies, jails and court systems. A virtual crime-fighting tool, the system also provides officers with online mug shots of suspects, warrants and other data. In Oklahoma, the system is expected to expand into accident reporting, video arraignment and automated pawn-shop-ticket tracking. "

Why New Orleans is doing this

[localroger]

Much as I hate Microsoft, I have to admit this is a smart move on Nagin's part. What the linked article fails to point out is the nature of the system Microsoft is replacing -- an antediluvian mainframe system whose contractor has kept getting the nod because of entrenched patronage since, literally, the days when Elvis was alive. It doesn't mention the death threats (!) which members of the Nagin administration received when they started inquiring about the computer contract.

Basically, Nagin got elected on a platform of cleaning up the corruption and he'd sign a contract with the Devil himself to get rid of the current scumbags. Wait, he actually did just do that. Well, I for one can't blame him under the circumstances.

Re:Why New Orleans is doing this

[meschman]

the entrenched contractor on the mainframe? those were all city employees. the contractor on the novell network, which has been highly effective for 4+ years, and has the best cost-benefit ratio in the city, [not my company, my isp, dsi at http://www.dsi-us.com] is out too, without review or prior notice.

all the troubles in new orleans stem 100% from circumventing the public procurement process.
if that stops, everything else will be able to work itself out.

this is exactly how crooked people in new orleans operate.

and the idea that a new effort in IT will be costless is suspect, it smells upwind.

The gift that keeps on taking...

[gnovos]

One must wonder just what the Mayor would say to a free gift of Redhat with NO contract to buy in the future? Someone living in New Orleans may want to offer such a gift.

Re:Eventually...

[gilroy]

Blockquoth the poster:

In the article, it said it was saving us $100 million. Except that New Orleans doesn't have $100 million to spend.

This is almost certainly Bad Politican Math. Who came up with the number? Whom did they consult? I think it is shady, if not illegal, that

Meffert [city tech officer] who has been working for weeks on the Microsoft deal, recommended the contract cancellation after saying the job could be done for less than $100,000 [emphasis added]

Did he get those numbers from Microsoft? Perhaps there was an ulterior motive in them?

We don't really know if this is the best solution, because

Because these services are considered a gift, the city won't have to publicly bid the project, he said. [emphasis added]

I'm reminded of the KIA commercial where one guy is bragging about buying the most expensive car in America and KIA guy comments, "Well, mine is the least expensive... I guess I saved $493,000" at which Obligatory Babe's eyes light up in awe of his fortune.

Whenever anyone advertises using the line "Such a good deal, you can't afford not to buy", you should take a pass.

I don't understand..

[Kwil]

..the aversion to a public bidding process.

If the mayor had some amount of intelligence, he could say, "Look, we gotta have a proper bidding process here, but feel free to offer your stuff on the same terms for the bid."

This way, he'd avoid bribery allegations and it would also open things up for an even better offer to come through. Also, if Microsoft won (which I would actually expect, especially if they're offering migration support as well as software) they could then point to the city and say "See? Our software got chosen over supposedly 'free' software. Our software is therefore better, and that's why we charge."

Easy opportunity for a double win for MS (they get their test city and get it in an open bid) and a double win for the mayor. (He's squeaky clean, plus gets his free software)

Is there some flaw in the logic that MS and the mayor are seeing here that I've missed, or are they just going blind?

How did this get +4?

[Wakko Warner]

If you need a system customized for running a traffic ticket managment system, then Linux can be customized to do so. Do you need a way to keep track of city salaries, Linux can do a better job of managing a database of names and income levels.

Oh, really?

What evidence do you have of this?

How many cities do you know of that use Linux to run their traffic lights, manage their employee information, or do any of the other things you mention?

Getting ahead now is fine, but what is Microsft going to say 5 years from now when its time to upgrade again? Do you really think they'll allow the city to keep its copies of Windows XP when the special license agreement says they must upgrade or else?

I have never seen such an agreement on any piece of software (Microsoft included) I have owned. Can you explain the terms of this agreement further, or are you just FUD-mongering?

- A.P.