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USDOI Goes 100% Microsoft

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the look-at-the-bright-side dept.

SatanIsHere writes: "A memo (here, here, here, and here) dated September 19th, 2002 from the Department of the Interior's Acting CIO notes the new policy of a "Department-wide standard for computer operating systems (desktop and server)" Of course the good news is that this will herald a new era in government transparancy for the Department of the Interior. SatanIsHere Continues: "On September 13, 2002, the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget signed the attached Findings and Determination establishing Microsoft Corporation's enterprise desktop and server software as the Department-wide standard for computer operating systems (desktop and server), office automation, and asset management software.... Benefits of establishing this new Department-wide standard include:
  • Lower Total Cost of Ownership for the desktop, including lower user training costs.
  • Centralized and efficient security policy administration
  • Greater flexibility and management functionality from products that offer a broader range of management solutions that integrate with non-Microsoft environments
  • Greater productivity and reliability attributed to less downtime.
  • Extended support for a large base of software applications.

Business specific application software requirements (such as Sun/Solaris, IBM, AIX, etc.) outside the established Microsoft standard may be addressed through the OCIO waiver process."

This looks to freeze out an entire Federal Department (70,000+ employees) from non-Microsoft solutions, requiring a "waiver" to use anything non-MS. One more step to complete Microsoft World Domination. This is particularly ironic considering the problems DOI has had recently regarding IT security. If this isn't leveraging a desktop monopoly into other areas I don't know what is. :-P"

3 of 380 comments (clear)

  1. Re:transparancy? by isorox · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    What qualifications do you need to be an editor, anyway?

    Mouse, hand, arse to scratch, bannana to eat.

    Perhaps they should employ google's news-bots.

  2. Re:All-Microsoft? by cscx · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    For example: all the documents created in Office2K or whatever will not readable (faithfully) by any other software, including OpenOffice.

    Will YOU be reading the documents? No. So STFU.

    If you are THAT upset about your tax dollars buying gvn't copies of Office XP, then, well, move to Canada.

  3. Re:Fraud, waste and abuse hotline 1 (800) 647-8733 by cscx · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Wow, sounds like your sysadmins were a bunch of know-nothing retards. If you've ever seen a properly run NT network, you'd be amazed.