US Army Signs $471,000,000 Deal for Microsoft Software

zero_offset writes "According to this article at Yahoo, Microsoft will provide software for 494,000 Army computers during the next six years. At roughly $950 per computer this clearly involves more than just the OS, although the article unfortunately doesn't provide details, and I was unable to find any references to this on the Microsoft website." The great things about this deal: the Army is going through a reseller, when clearly they have the purchasing power to buy direct; and most of the computers they purchase are normal consumer machines which will be purchased with Windows and Office already installed, so the Army will be paying twice for each machine.

Comments

Thanks to the ARMY for feeding my children.

[Anonymous Coward]

Good decision. It's nice to see that bigger organisations getting normal again and use software that works, costs money and which is proven to be some sort of industry standards. The ARMY secures a lot of peoples employment by this decision. They can work on software, earn money, sell the software for a good price, knowing that they can feed their kids with the money they take home every month..

I am an open source developer and it sucks working the hell out on professional software without getting paid for the shit I am doing. Not that I don't get paid I also need to deal with a lot of complaining and ranting faggots all the time.

Open Source is killing legitimate work of professionals, software engineers and those who need to feed their kids with the money they earn each month. Open Source means that the company can't make any serious money and thus can't even pay their employees.

There's more to this story, I guarantee it.

[taumeson]

Keith Hodson, a Microsoft spokesman, said the contract could help the Army reduce its costs and "validates the Army's belief in our security model."

What...are you FUCKING kidding? This is basically worst-case scenario when it comes to security. Anybody remember M$ offering their source to China? Hello, McFly?

The U.S. government is investing aggressively in technology as part of its war on terror and focus on national security.

Of course they are....everything comes back to 9/11, right?!

The six-year deal, which also involved a software reseller called Softmart that will get a commission

Somebody...find out which congressman/senator's wife/retired general has a major stake in Softmart. There's got to be collusion SOMEWHERE. This move is too boneheaded and expensive for this not to be an insider deal.

although....

Anybody know if any of these costs include all the immense testing, or paperwork, or the percentage that gets siphoned off for black projects?

I'm not being snide about that last one...a percentage of all projects goes into black projects..that's how they fund the Skunkworks, after all.

Michael can't play by the rules

[poot_rootbeer]

"The great things about this deal: the Army is going through a reseller, when clearly they have the purchasing power to buy direct; and most of the computers they purchase are normal consumer machines which will be purchased with Windows and Office already installed, so the Army will be paying twice for each machine."

There, Michael, I just took your smart-assed thoughts about the story submission and posted them as a Comment in response to the story. Is that so hard? I mean, it's what us common folk have to do all the time if we have something to say about a story. We don't have the luxury of forcing everyone else to read our comments without the ability to mod them up or down.

You're an ass and you continually abuse your article posting privileges. And since you also have unlimited mod points, I expect you'll abuse them too and mod me down for pointing your abuses out.

Kiss any chance of justice goodbye...

[teamhasnoi]

Now that the Army is so dependent on Windows, there will be no more noise made from the DOJ about monopoly. MS equals 'national security'.

MS has made the leap to cherished company, like MacDonnell-Douglas. Even if Linux or OS X was to smash Windows on the desktop, MS won't go down. They will recieve 'maintenence contracts' to stay afloat, so that in times of need, production of Windows CDs can be ramped up for wartime.

MS can now claim 'National Security' anytime there is call for opening up an API, or documentation on a Windows function.

Am I being sarcastic, or amazingly phophetic?

This is false. The above statement was true

[Acidic_Diarrhea]

Let's look at the summary:
The Submitter: At roughly $950 per computer this clearly involves more than just the OS, although the article unfortunately doesn't provide details, and I was unable to find any references to this on the Microsoft website.
Michael: ...and most of the computers they purchase are normal consumer machines which will be purchased with Windows and Office already installed, so the Army will be paying twice for each machine.

Did Michael not even bother reading what was submitted? The cash isn't for the OS. So the army isn't paying twice for the OS. You may assume that part of the money is going towards the OS but since no details have been released, making that assumption is just slanting the story to fit your particular political view of the situation - which is not what a journalist should do in reporting news.

Pacifists Dreams are coming true.

[Edmund Blackadder]

After severeal deals like these every pacifists dream will become true. The US military will have fully disarmed,and while being the most expensive military in the world it will not be able to hurt a fly.

If anyone has followed the most recent military programs, such as the last super-advanced bombers and fighters that have all proven absolutely useless, knows what i am talking about.

Re:Yeah Buddy!

[fitten]

I know this is mod as funny but, this scenario would be highly doubtful as they would most likely have wanted some level of support to go along with the software.

Something that folks frequently forget is that not everyone knows how to install and support software on Linux much less install and support Linux on hardware. You cannot expect non-technical folks to do it all themselves.