USDOI Goes 100% Microsoft

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"

Comments

Microsoft *is* the choice for Dept of Interior

[tshoppa]

What the head article fails to mention is that a Federal judge ordered the Department of the Interior to shut down all internet connections last year. With no from-the-outside network attacks, the Microsoft systems might stay up for days, even.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:All-Microsoft?

[Quixote]

As a taxpayer (I assume), I sure hope your interest in this issue is more than just in making snide remarks.

As a taxpayer, I don't like the idea of my tax dollars being used to get locked into some monopoly; and I'm not talking about MS' business monopoly here. For example: all the documents created in Office2K or whatever will not readable (faithfully) by any other software, including OpenOffice.

If USDOI wants to go with MS exclusively, then they should have a plan in place to be able to use replacement software in an emergency situation. In other words, make MS release the specs for the documents created using MSOffice before finalising this deal.

I urge all the readers to contact your local congressperson and state Senator about this. Here's a list of the senators in the Interior subcommittee (the department comes under Appropriations):
Senators Byrd, Leahy, Hollings, Reid, Dorgan, Feinstein, Murray, Inouye, Burns, Stevens, Cochran, Domenici, Bennett, Gregg, Campbell.
Of these, Sen Feinstein may be the one who can be most influenced by the geeks here.

If possible, write (deadtree letter) or FAX them; an email just doesn't cut it.

as a DOI employee

[briancnorton]

I work first hand with DOI IT, and I can tell you that there will be waivers flying every direction. Everything is UNIX now, and there are not enough qualified people to migrate. They spent MILLIONS replacing 3000 mail servers with 32 Domino servers, and they arent changing that anytime soon.

All specialized applications are UNIX, and will be waived.

The major problem is with administrators. There arent enough qualified people here to run a multimode environment. They cant pay enough to get qualified Americans to work for them, and they cant contract out to H1Bs.

in short, I dont think this will have much of an effect.