Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

This irks the ish outta me. They can push through a stimulus package of nearly a trillion dollars yet they can't make sure Washington has the latest technology??? Fail.

How about this quote from Peter Orszag: "It's time to bring the government into the 21st century." Really dude? Shouldn't that have been done 10 years ago, you know, when the 21st century started?

[url=http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/75965-white-house-blames-inefficient-government-on-outdated-technologies]White House budget director blames old computers for ineffective government - The Hill's Hillicon Valley[/url]

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

I stopped listening to what they say. I only look at what they do. If Obama is giving Queen Elizabeth an IPOD than the WH staff can't blame "insert F-Up" on old computers.

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

[quote=Trample the Elderly;654958]I stopped listening to what they say. I only look at what they do. If Obama is giving Queen Elizabeth an IPOD than the WH staff can't blame "insert F-Up" on old computers.[/quote]

Granted this article is referencing the current administration, but I wasn't trying to make this a partisan issue really. Bush was in office for 8 years before him when technology was making rapid strides. It's on both of them really.

But to say "it's time to bring the government into the 21st century" a decade after the 21st century started... my God. Come on. Get it together.

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

[quote=GMScud;654959]Granted this article is referencing the current administration, but I wasn't trying to make this a partisan issue really. Bush was in office for 8 years before him when technology was making rapid strides. It's on both of them really.

But to say "it's time to bring the government into the 21st century" a decade after the 21st century started... my God. Come on. Get it together.[/quote]

I'm no apologist for GWB. I heard some jazz this morning about them blaming something on old computers. That's rubish. If it's not it's incompetence. That's all I'm saying.

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

[quote=Trample the Elderly;654960]I'm no apologist for GWB. I heard some jazz this morning about them blaming something on old computers. That's rubish. If it's not it's incompetence. That's all I'm saying.[/quote]

Agreed. It's rubbish, incompetence, and totally unacceptable. Technology is not the area to cut corners on spending.

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

There are a lot of old people in government riding out their time to retirement. They like doing things the old way. They don't want change, and they don't care if they're inefficient. The government can't really get rid of people, unfortunately. The second problem I see is that the government ($$$) is spread very thin and really can't pay for cutting edge technology everywhere. My suggestion is to cut the fat, but we all know that that will never happen.

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

[quote=cpayne5;654965]There are a lot of old people in government riding out their time to retirement. They like doing things the old way. They don't want change, and they don't care if they're inefficient. The government can't really get rid of people, unfortunately. The second problem I see is that the government ($$$) is spread very thin and really can't pay for cutting edge technology everywhere. My suggestion is to cut the fat, [COLOR=red]but we all know that that will never happen[/COLOR].[/quote]
you are correct............

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

Even with streamlined technology, you will still have reoccuring ID-10-T errors...

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

[quote=BDBohnzie;655056]Even with streamlined technology, you will still have reoccuring ID-10-T errors...[/quote]

Those and PEBKAC errors are serious pain in the necks ;)

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

Goverment is the problem they just use this as an excuse and this current administration has done nothing but lay blame on everyone except itself. Why don't they bring in Gore who invented the internet to get thing fixed. The only change I'm getting is my underwear each time I hear Obama's crap.

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

[quote=CRedskinsRule;655064]Those and PEBKAC errors are serious pain in the necks ;)[/quote]

A guy I used to work with told me about one of his co-workers who would screw up anything if it had to do with computers. His last name was Werb. So, they would use him for quality control testing, and if the software passed Werb testing and was deemed Werb proof, they knew they were good to go. It's a term I still use today. :)

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

[quote=GMScud;654954]This irks the ish outta me. They can push through a stimulus package of nearly a trillion dollars yet they can't make sure Washington has the latest technology??? Fail.

How about this quote from Peter Orszag: "It's time to bring the government into the 21st century." Really dude? Shouldn't that have been done 10 years ago, you know, when the 21st century started?

[URL="http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/75965-white-house-blames-inefficient-government-on-outdated-technologies"]White House budget director blames old computers for ineffective government - The Hill's Hillicon Valley[/URL][/quote]

Well, how are they supposed to work when the Clintons removed all of the W keys and stuffed food in the floppy drives?

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

Funny thing is I have this great new computer and all I know how to do is use the programed sites our company has for us to do business. My gaol this year is to learn how to scan and save customers documents instead of having a file for each one. I'll have to add some kind of back up syatem but thats not a big deal.

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

Her is local goverment at its best. In Norfolk Va. the guy in charge of building a new light rail syatem is fired for 47% over runs and loosing $80,000.
[url=http://hamptonroads.com/2010/01/hrt-head-michael-townes-under-fire-agrees-retire]HRT head Michael Townes, under fire, agrees to retire | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com[/url]

Two days after he is fired (agreed to retire) he gets a national award for transportation. I guess they give the award to anyone who has cost over runs and looses tax payer money.
[url=http://hamptonroads.com/2010/01/hrts-townes-receives-national-transportation-honor]HRT's Townes receives national transportation honor | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com[/url]

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

47%?!?!?!?!?!?

Geesh.

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

The article is horse shit. Old outdated computers my ass.

1. The decision making process is what slows everything down the most. The decision making process cannot keep up with the advancement of operating systems. Maybe that is why people think that the computers are old, but that is not the case. The computers themselves have a natural phase out cycle, it just takes forever to decide on an image.

2. The gov't has technology there, but as always security trumps performance. Not only that but sometimes you have all the right stuff, just not enough of it.

3. If and when I can think of a 3 it will go here.

Things just always sound better in threes.

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

[quote=Buster;655110]47%?!?!?!?!?!?

Geesh.[/quote]

About each % point equals about a million more its going to cost so right now its about 45 million over budget. This light rail system only runs about 7 1/2 miles and I'm guessing will get little use.

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

Technology in gov't is a disaster. I have worked as a defense IT contractor and now I work for a local gov't in their IT dept. The problems are the same...nobody except the IT workers have a clue what IT really means and what IT should be doing for it's customers. If the right people aren't in charge and lobbying for IT resources and investment then nothing happens. The computers are the simple stuff. It's easy to throw away an old machine and buy a new one. It is the SYSTEMS that are woefully behind. We run a financial package here bought, configured and deployed in 1994. 16 YEARS AGO!!! We're not a podunk little town. It was a POS then and it's an even bigger POS now. Except now it suffers from "Bus Screwed" syndrome. If the wrong person gets hit by a bus my city might as well shutdown because we're screwed. An ounce of strategic planning and long term vision would have cost little and put us in better shape today. But that aint how it works. Local/state/federal it is all the same. Too many stupid people who don't care and not enough smart people advocating for the right things.

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

[quote=FRPLG;655133]Technology in gov't is a disaster. I have worked as a defense IT contractor and now I work for a local gov't in their IT dept. The problems are the same...nobody except the IT workers have a clue what IT really means and what IT should be doing for it's customers. If the right people aren't in charge and lobbying for IT resources and investment then nothing happens. The computers are the simple stuff. It's easy to throw away an old machine and buy a new one. It is the SYSTEMS that are woefully behind. We run a financial package here bought, configured and deployed in 1994. 16 YEARS AGO!!! We're not a podunk little town. It was a POS then and it's an even bigger POS now. Except now it suffers from "Bus Screwed" syndrome. If the wrong person gets hit by a bus my city might as well shutdown because we're screwed. An ounce of strategic planning and long term vision would have cost little and put us in better shape today. But that aint how it works. Local/state/federal it is all the same. Too many stupid people who don't care and not enough smart people advocating for the right things.[/quote]
You can have the best computer in the world but if people don't know how to run the system its a waist. I have a great system in my office and I probably use about 1% of what it can do. I'm a sales person not an IT guy so it just goes un used.

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

[quote=FRPLG;655133]Technology in gov't is a disaster. I have worked as a defense IT contractor and now I work for a local gov't in their IT dept. The problems are the same...nobody except the IT workers have a clue what IT really means and what IT should be doing for it's customers. If the right people aren't in charge and lobbying for IT resources and investment then nothing happens. The computers are the simple stuff. It's easy to throw away an old machine and buy a new one. It is the SYSTEMS that are woefully behind. We run a financial package here bought, configured and deployed in 1994. 16 YEARS AGO!!! We're not a podunk little town. It was a POS then and it's an even bigger POS now. Except now it suffers from "Bus Screwed" syndrome. If the wrong person gets hit by a bus my city might as well shutdown because we're screwed. An ounce of strategic planning and long term vision would have cost little and put us in better shape today. But that aint how it works. Local/state/federal it is all the same. Too many stupid people who don't care and not enough smart people advocating for the right things.[/quote]

1994? Damn I bet Y2K was a bitch! ;)

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

if the admin bought all new computers we'd hear whining about that too though, this has really been an issue for years and years though according to my uncle who does IT in congress

I'd have to know more specifics to have an opinion I guess

Re: Ineffective Government? Blame the computers!
 

Public school systems technology purchasing isn't much different. You have to spend what the budget allows. It's not like they can make a better product or provide better service to increase revenue to buy better equipment. I'd say the life expectancy of our computers to remain in operation in some form of capacity is 8 years before it goes surplus. We actually spend a lot on technology purchases compared to other school systems.