Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Wins $927 Million Pentagon Contract To Provide Technical Support (petri.com)
Microsoft has secured a massive $927m contract to provide technical support and consultation to the United States Department of Defense. This is the latest in a series of key deals that Microsoft has won with the US military. From a report: The contract comes after the software giant Microsoft secured a deal in February 2016 with the Department of Defense (DoD) to bring Windows 10 to all 4m of its employees within a 12-month timeframe. This was the largest enterprise deal for Microsoft in the company's history. In 2013, Microsoft signed a similar deal to bring Windows 8 to 75pc of all DoD employees.
Sadly there are no real alternatives to Windows. OSX (if you're willing to pay the Apple tax) is terrible in a managed environment, and so is Linux. AD with Office+Exchange is quite unbeatable in terms of convenience. You can cobble together something in OSX/Linux just like you can use an Arduino as a PLC to run a manufacturing plant, but its going to be brittle.
...you know what's cool? A billion dollar Pentagon contract!
Being that it is a Pentagon contract, it will end up costing 10 billion.
"Do you want some fries and an F-35 with that . . . ?"
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
Given the amount of telemetry within Microsoft OS these days, I see this as more of an outsourcing move for that whole 'cause-terrorists-think-of-the-children requirement to help address negative publicity.
See, when the NSA spys on its own citizens and employees, it's viewed as evil and unconstitutional.
But when Microsoft does it, it's viewed as sales and marketing.
Gotta love how that shit works.
... and then have people pay you lots of money to troubleshoot their issues.
Thank you for calling Microsoft Advanced Combat Systems technical support
Please press 1 if you are in a combat situation other wise please hold for the next technician... ...hold music...
beep
Please in put your mission number...
beep boop beep booop beeep boop beep boop beep beeep boop boop beep boop beep
Mission verification complete we will now transfer you to a support technician...
Thank you for calling Microsoft Advanced Combat Systems technical support, may name is nahmeed how may I be helping you?
Look buddy my radar is froze up and I'm dodging a MIG 35 at the moment how about you fix this thing so I can take this sucker out.
I'm sorry to hear about that sir what Microsoft Advanced Combat System system are you calling about? ... its the radar in the f-35.
The radar!!
I understand sir but we have a lot of radar systems do you know the model number?
No!
Ok very good sir I can look that up. please hold ... ...more hold music...
Sir you still there ??
Yes I am I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to shake this MIG.
Thats fine sir, can you tell me what firmware revision of the radar you are using?
What?? I don't know all I know is that its stuck with the same blips thats been on the screen for the last 15 minutes and nothing has changed. Look just log in and fix it.
I would be happy to be helping you sir. Let me know when you have landed the plane and come to a full stop and all weapon systems are in their safe position.
Are you kidding me?? I can't land this plane right now this MIG will make mince meat of me once I stop evasive maneuvers!
Ah I see sir unfortunately I can not help you until the planes is at a full stop and all weapons are safe.
Is there any thing else I can be doing for you?
Yeah how about you.... BOOM*&@!*shzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzsssssssssssss
Sir hello are you there?
Hello sir??
Thank you for calling Microsoft Advanced Combat Systems technical support I hope you found this session helpful please reply to the survey at the end of this call. have a good day
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...