Comments on: Obama Whitehouse Stuck With Windows XP, No IM, No Facebook http://synthesis.net/2009/01/22/obama-whitehouse-stuck-with-windows-xp-no-im-no-facebook/ Entertainment with a techy twist, twisted content, and other entertainment oddities viral and live from Northern California since 1995. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:20:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: William Sheridan http://synthesis.net/2009/01/22/obama-whitehouse-stuck-with-windows-xp-no-im-no-facebook/comment-page-1/#comment-237428 William Sheridan Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:00:37 +0000 http://blog.synthesis.net/?p=10359#comment-237428 While I am sure that the Bush administration was in the computer stone age, it is important to note that the security considerations and the flow of communications has to be carefully addressed. So, some very smart people will have to work on this difficult balancing act. This is more about mindset, security, interoperability, communication policy, and the transition than about hardware. Trying to reduce this to "once you go mac you never go back" is too cliche. The white house will have to put out an RFP, and then, the best submittal will win, if we are lucky. While I am sure that the Bush administration was in the computer stone age, it is important to note that the security considerations and the flow of communications has to be carefully addressed.

So, some very smart people will have to work on this difficult balancing act. This is more about mindset, security, interoperability, communication policy, and the transition than about hardware.

Trying to reduce this to “once you go mac you never go back” is too cliche.

The white house will have to put out an RFP, and then, the best submittal will win, if we are lucky.

]]> By: Gill Bates http://synthesis.net/2009/01/22/obama-whitehouse-stuck-with-windows-xp-no-im-no-facebook/comment-page-1/#comment-237340 Gill Bates Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:59:59 +0000 http://blog.synthesis.net/?p=10359#comment-237340 First, Microsoft hasn't had a stellar track record with security, so I suspect what has been deployed is very locked down and heavily modified, given the strict record-keeping laws in place. Trying to switch all of that to Apple is simply not doable in a short period of time. Remember that this is the White House... every spy, agent and script kiddie will be actively trying to intrude. Yes, the world is rooted in technology these days, and not a day goes by that something supposedly secure is hacked to death. We can take ZERO chances with the White House. None. If that means that Obama has to resort to paper, at least for a while, I'm quite certain he can wrap his head around how to work a pen. What's the over/under on how long until the first exposed Blackberry data shows up on the web? There is no such thing as a secure mobile/wireless device. They can always be tracked with the right tools. First, Microsoft hasn’t had a stellar track record with security, so I suspect what has been deployed is very locked down and heavily modified, given the strict record-keeping laws in place.

Trying to switch all of that to Apple is simply not doable in a short period of time. Remember that this is the White House… every spy, agent and script kiddie will be actively trying to intrude.

Yes, the world is rooted in technology these days, and not a day goes by that something supposedly secure is hacked to death. We can take ZERO chances with the White House. None. If that means that Obama has to resort to paper, at least for a while, I’m quite certain he can wrap his head around how to work a pen.

What’s the over/under on how long until the first exposed Blackberry data shows up on the web? There is no such thing as a secure mobile/wireless device. They can always be tracked with the right tools.

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