Computers May Thwart 2010 Census

smooth wombat writes "With the Constitutionally mandated census of 2010 just around the corner, it appears the Commerce Department's attempt to use handheld computers to gather census information may not come to fruition. Originally, the contract was awarded at a cost of $596 million to Harris Corporation. However, the GAO has now estimated the revised contract, now costing $647 million, could grow to $2 billion and the equipment may still not work properly. There is consideration that the paper and pencil method might have to be employed to complete the census."

Comments

Let me just get this straight...

[tommyhj]

In the US, the government has to go around, manually counting people in the streets??? Aren't you people registered centrally with your citizenship at birth or something? I mean, counting people like that is what I heard they did in a very popular Christmas story 2008 years ago, but I honestly though technology and advances in governmental practices had made manual counting obsolete...

Re:Anyone have any idea...

[modecx]

This is what decision by committee yields.

Which is why I've always said that the monotheistic God of certain religions can't be one particular god, but a committee of gods in a perpetual circle jerk. What other severely screwed-up creative force could have come up with things like the duck-billed platypus--or Jack Thompson?