As a former Contracts Administrator for a computer oem, I may be able to shed a little light on how all this works.
Basically, if your product (toilet paper, paper clips, software, whatever...) is on the GSA schedule, then the various government agencies are allowed to purchase it. If your widget is not on the schedule, then they can't.
There are a number of ways around the rule of "GSA-Buy, No GSA-No Buy", but that is the way its suppossed to work. For those that are curious, here are a couple of ways the various governemtn agencies can get around the GSA... 1) This is probably the easiest way to get around this rule - Simply buy the widget via a different contract (schedule=contract). Your favorite toilet paper isn't listed on GSA, but it is listed with XYZ MAS? And, it "just so happens" that your agency is allowed to buy via XYZ? Go ahead and buy all you need. 2) Another "popular" way to get around the rule is for the agency that needs whatever product to write their request in such a way that only 1 particular product can meet the specifications. Government rules allow for such exceptions. "I don't care if its not on the list! Our agency simply MUST have toilet paper that is produced in Walla Walla, Washington by non-caucasion midgets with two left hands." Ta-Da... Your TP is on the way. Writing the specs this way is extremely easy when the TP sales rep writes the specs for you. Oops... I mean, the sales rep makes "suggestions". Having them write it would be (cough, cough) illegal.
Now, lets assume that your specific government agency strictly abides by the GSA, and your favorite TP is on the GSA schedule. Here's what happens, more or less... 1) Agency writes up their needs. (2-ply TP, blue flowers, single roll wrapped) 2) They submit their needs to a buyer. 3) Buyer looks at the GSA list. 4) Buyer chooses whatever the heck s/he wants. - "Least Cost" is the typical over-riding factor in the decision.
It's not particularly hard to have the buyer buy the specific TP that you want. It may be more expensive in actual dollars, but "look at the customer service! Surely that's worth something!"
Everywhere above that I mention TP, substitute MySQL... Its the same. Its a product. ---
I'm rambling, so I'll wrap up now...
-If anyone in government really wanted MySQL, they could have gotten it with or without GSA. -Now that MySQL is on the GSA, so what? People won't "buy" it on a whim. Someone has to sell it. (And I mean "sell", in a used car type of way.) -That 5 year contract? It's really a 10 or 15 year deal. Extensions are easy.
------ ------
I've over-simplified quite a bit, and I should probably have defined MAS, RFP, RFQ, SAS, etc. but I don't want to ramble anymore.
Umm... It should be illegal to reference the Great Leap Forward by using wikipedia, when wikipedia is unavailable in the country that did the Great Leap Forward.
I remember a short story by a famous sci-fi author (Larry Niven comes to mind, but this could be wrong. Edited by LN maybe?) where he pontificated on the idea of Superman.
Questions that came to his mind included: -Wouldn't Superman's super-piss shoot through the bottom of toilet bowl? -After doing Lois Lane, wouldn't the Supersperm result in 1,000,000 (or so) super babies?
Anyone know the story I am referring to?
And, in a feeble attempt to try to be on topic of Spiderman...
Would Spiderman, with his wrist web-sticky-stuff, be idolized by the bondage community?
If someone reads the article, they would now know that:
Home Depot uses/did use: "Windows for 8,200 Windows desktops, 42,000 Windows embedded for POS devices, 1,000 licenses of Visio, 1,000 licenses of Project, 200 Windows Servers"
Metro C&C (major German retailer): uses/did use "8,000 Windows XP(e) clients, 8,000 SQL CALs, 8,000 Windows 2000 Server CALs, 320 SQL Servers and 320 Windows 2000 Servers"
and
Ameritrade: "on 5 Windows 2000 servers. This deployment is scheduled to expand to hundreds of Windows 2000 servers."
---
I'm not suggesting anything, of course. But I think CIOs, CTOs, etc need to THINK before they let anyone know what kind of installation base they have.
Want to tell us what brand and version of firewall you have installed too? So... Are you using those fancy Cisco routers that this newly released program can fiddle with? How do you transfer data between locations?.. FTP?
I live in SF, CA. We have two newspapers here. The Chronicle and the Examiner. The San Jose Merc is also widely read in this town.
In the sports section, in particular, I have seen different writers for different papers, who were at the exact same press conference, refer to the exact same statement by a player/coach/owner, and put the statement in quotes... Yet the quoted text is different.
The jist (gist?) of the quote is the same, but if they are different, then someone is quoting incorrectly.
Quotes should be "quotes". Not paraphrases.
I sure hope the execs that are approving these quotes for publication are saying the actual statement out loud.. at least once... in front of a mirror. Thats the only way they can actually look themselves in the eye, and say, "Yep. I said that."
I believe the only reason the US Postal Service exists as it does today is because of the fact that it is part of the government.
Government subsidies are what has kept the Postal Service from adapting. And those same subsidies are what will keep it from dying off.
IMHO, we should NOT want it to die. Some governmental services are actually worthwhile. And, low-cost communication via snail mail is one of those worthwhile services.
When the BBC allows -1 Troll moderation of its news stories and editorials, I'll support its right to throw out unfounded accusations. Until then, I'll keep my Tin-Foil Hat (Media-Cynic version) handy.
Unless you've entered into a contract and committed not to distribute it
In which case you either abide by the contract and voluntarily agree not to distribute, or break the contract. But the law doesn't change, and from what I understand, such a contract would not withstand court scrutiny anyway. shrug.
Assigning exclusive right to distribute copyrighted material to a third party... Happens quite often.
By willfully breaking the contract you are willfully breaking the law.
Any lawyers have insght as to what takes precedence? Copyright or Signed Contract?
Slashdot Mirror
Hardcase hit the nail.
... Your TP is on the way. Writing the specs this way is extremely easy when the TP sales rep writes the specs for you. Oops... I mean, the sales rep makes "suggestions". Having them write it would be (cough, cough) illegal.
As a former Contracts Administrator for a computer oem, I may be able to shed a little light on how all this works.
Basically, if your product (toilet paper, paper clips, software, whatever...) is on the GSA schedule, then the various government agencies are allowed to purchase it. If your widget is not on the schedule, then they can't.
There are a number of ways around the rule of "GSA-Buy, No GSA-No Buy", but that is the way its suppossed to work. For those that are curious, here are a couple of ways the various governemtn agencies can get around the GSA...
1) This is probably the easiest way to get around this rule - Simply buy the widget via a different contract (schedule=contract). Your favorite toilet paper isn't listed on GSA, but it is listed with XYZ MAS? And, it "just so happens" that your agency is allowed to buy via XYZ? Go ahead and buy all you need.
2) Another "popular" way to get around the rule is for the agency that needs whatever product to write their request in such a way that only 1 particular product can meet the specifications. Government rules allow for such exceptions. "I don't care if its not on the list! Our agency simply MUST have toilet paper that is produced in Walla Walla, Washington by non-caucasion midgets with two left hands." Ta-Da
Now, lets assume that your specific government agency strictly abides by the GSA, and your favorite TP is on the GSA schedule. Here's what happens, more or less...
1) Agency writes up their needs. (2-ply TP, blue flowers, single roll wrapped)
2) They submit their needs to a buyer.
3) Buyer looks at the GSA list.
4) Buyer chooses whatever the heck s/he wants. - "Least Cost" is the typical over-riding factor in the decision.
It's not particularly hard to have the buyer buy the specific TP that you want. It may be more expensive in actual dollars, but "look at the customer service! Surely that's worth something!"
Everywhere above that I mention TP, substitute MySQL... Its the same. Its a product.
---
I'm rambling, so I'll wrap up now...
-If anyone in government really wanted MySQL, they could have gotten it with or without GSA.
-Now that MySQL is on the GSA, so what? People won't "buy" it on a whim. Someone has to sell it. (And I mean "sell", in a used car type of way.)
-That 5 year contract? It's really a 10 or 15 year deal. Extensions are easy.
------
------
I've over-simplified quite a bit, and I should probably have defined MAS, RFP, RFQ, SAS, etc. but I don't want to ramble anymore.
-----
Have fun.
M
Umm... It should be illegal to reference the Great Leap Forward by using wikipedia, when wikipedia is unavailable in the country that did the Great Leap Forward.
(I live in the PRC.)
2600
Dr Dobbs
You can find lots of free magazines related to many specialties here: http://www.TradePub.com/
Devoid?
Actually, it's "DevoID". It's the number assigned to you when you join the fan club.
"Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn
Great book.
Doc Ock glasses = Indians Jones Hat?
... They did it on purpose?
In other words
Forgive me if someome already mentioned this...
I remember a short story by a famous sci-fi author (Larry Niven comes to mind, but this could be wrong. Edited by LN maybe?) where he pontificated on the idea of Superman.
Questions that came to his mind included:
-Wouldn't Superman's super-piss shoot through the bottom of toilet bowl?
-After doing Lois Lane, wouldn't the Supersperm result in 1,000,000 (or so) super babies?
Anyone know the story I am referring to?
And, in a feeble attempt to try to be on topic of Spiderman...
Would Spiderman, with his wrist web-sticky-stuff, be idolized by the bondage community?
I'm with mandalayx on this one.
I'm another registered Libretarian that will not vote for Bush.
I have a friend that works for the government.
She's not at the Patent Office, but the rules at her Municipal Courts job just might apply for the Patent Office people (and this would be scary)...
No Internet access allowed.
...Assuming they read the article.
If someone reads the article, they would now know that:
Home Depot uses/did use: "Windows for 8,200 Windows desktops, 42,000 Windows embedded for POS devices, 1,000 licenses of Visio, 1,000 licenses of Project, 200 Windows Servers"
Metro C&C (major German retailer): uses/did use "8,000 Windows XP(e) clients, 8,000 SQL CALs, 8,000 Windows 2000 Server CALs, 320 SQL Servers and 320 Windows 2000 Servers"
and
Ameritrade: "on 5 Windows 2000 servers. This deployment is scheduled to expand to hundreds of Windows 2000 servers."
---
I'm not suggesting anything, of course. But I think CIOs, CTOs, etc need to THINK before they let anyone know what kind of installation base they have.
Want to tell us what brand and version of firewall you have installed too? So... Are you using those fancy Cisco routers that this newly released program can fiddle with? How do you transfer data between locations?.. FTP?
On a different but quite related note...
... in front of a mirror. Thats the only way they can actually look themselves in the eye, and say, "Yep. I said that."
I live in SF, CA. We have two newspapers here. The Chronicle and the Examiner. The San Jose Merc is also widely read in this town.
In the sports section, in particular, I have seen different writers for different papers, who were at the exact same press conference, refer to the exact same statement by a player/coach/owner, and put the statement in quotes... Yet the quoted text is different.
The jist (gist?) of the quote is the same, but if they are different, then someone is quoting incorrectly.
Quotes should be "quotes". Not paraphrases.
I sure hope the execs that are approving these quotes for publication are saying the actual statement out loud.. at least once
Only because you mentioned it...
NOLF 2 is fun stuff.
Die Mime Die!
-Cool
/back story of your choice.... Moderate as appropriate.
-Duh!
-huh?
-Whoa!
Please feel free to apply to comment of your choice, to the
I believe the only reason the US Postal Service exists as it does today is because of the fact that it is part of the government.
Government subsidies are what has kept the Postal Service from adapting. And those same subsidies are what will keep it from dying off.
IMHO, we should NOT want it to die. Some governmental services are actually worthwhile. And, low-cost communication via snail mail is one of those worthwhile services.
Seems to me that AOl could be hit with a "restraint of trade" lawsuit.
Especially by those companies that have been incorrectly marked as spammers by AOL.
h323 is "funky nonstandard protocol"?
Really?
I thought h323 was ITU-T standard.
Or do you mean to say that ITU is "funky" and "non-standard"?
The parent isn't off-topic at all.
If he had posted while logged in, he probably would have gotten a few "insightful"
why not change ichat to make it compatible with GnomeMeeting?
Sorry for replying to myself, but I thought I should point out Daily Rotation as well.
It's not a program, but rather a website. It pulls headlines from 250+ tech-related sites, not all of which have RSS feeds.
Sharpreader is my Win32 RSS reader of choice.
In fact, I'm reading this story, and sending this post from within Sharpreader.
I disagree that the Grateful Dead "based their entire careers on covers".
Yes. They did a lot of their own arrangements of older "standards".
But, they also have a huge catalog of their own songs as well.
Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics here, just FYI
When the BBC allows -1 Troll moderation of its news stories and editorials, I'll support its right to throw out unfounded accusations. Until then, I'll keep my Tin-Foil Hat (Media-Cynic version) handy.
Unless you've entered into a contract and committed not to distribute it
In which case you either abide by the contract and voluntarily agree not to distribute, or break the contract. But the law doesn't change, and from what I understand, such a contract would not withstand court scrutiny anyway. shrug.
Assigning exclusive right to distribute copyrighted material to a third party... Happens quite often.
By willfully breaking the contract you are willfully breaking the law.
Any lawyers have insght as to what takes precedence? Copyright or Signed Contract?
You're not helping by adding all this noise to the conversation.
This "noise" is the conversation.
Need someone to explain the concept of slashdot to you?