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.

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Re:Open Source

[tshak]

Open Source is not always the best solution. It is better to not give anything a preference and simply choose technology for it's own merit, and then determine it's licensing afterwords.

Yes, we still put people to death. People who murder, rape, and unfortunately has exhausted the grace of the people. And what do you do in Brazil? Let the guy out of prison in 5 years so he can rape and murder your mother? No, you keep him in prison for LIFE. How is that humane? Being locked up in a cage with other violent people. Have you even visited a minumum security prison, let alone a maximum security prison? I think death is a huge grace when compared to life in one of these hell holes.

Anyone put to death is a very sad thing, no matter how bad they may have been. Nevertheless, evil exists, and the painful reality is that we have to take extreme measures to those consumed by said evil.

Re:Open Source

[JPriest]

They keep moralizing and thumping their bibles crying "thou shalt not kill", but man, when they really want to kill someone, they have the PR.

lol, true, but most orginised religions are like that.

Completely OT, but...

[WowTIP]

Have you even visited a minumum security prison, let alone a maximum security prison? I think death is a huge grace when compared to life in one of these hell holes.

Yes, you think that ...death is a huge grace... compared to beeing locked up in any kind of prison. Does that mean everyone have to share your point of view? My very uninformed guess is that there are lots of people currently on death row that would rather be in a very high security prison. I guess the opposite isn't that very common. In my not so humble opinion it is not the matter of any state to decide whether it's citizens are to live or die. Recognize this quote?

Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.

Who? A fictional character called Gandalf (Well, Tolkien), speaking of another fictional character called Gollum. Still it is one of the best all-time quotes imo.

Re:Completely OT, but...

[WowTIP]

Remind me to remind you of what you just said when it is you or your daughter innocently convicted to the chair/chamber/needles.

Re:Completely OT, but...

[WowTIP]

I don't see how someone who rapes, tortures, and murders your wife is even allowed to have a point of view at that point.

You have your right to think so, but what about all those who are innocently convicted? My guess is that their number is bigger than anyone would like to think about. Death sentences may look fine (an eye for an eye...) to some people when not taking those people into account. I guess most peoples trust in death penalties would be shaken a bit by having their own parents/children/siblings/partners risking being convicted to death innocently. ;(

Re:Open Source

[tshak]

A) I agree with your assesment of the US justice system accept that you exaggerate the problem. OJ Simpson may or may not be guilty, it is not for us to judge. Also, yes, to a small degree you can buy your way in court and I hope that changes radically. However, it's not as bad as you'd like to think.

I know why I despise christians. They keep moralizing and thumping their bibles crying "thou shalt not kill", but man, when they really want to kill someone, they have the PR.


Well, all properly translated contexts of that commandment are "thou shall not murder". Murdering is differnent then killing. Also, Christianity is the foundation of so many religions and denominations with such a wide array of beliefs that it's impossible to accurately classify any group of people as "Christians" whie claiming they all believe the same thing.