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

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.