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

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: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.