Staff Finds White House in the Technological Dark Ages

[lanlady]

Source: Washington Post

Staff Finds White House in the Technological Dark Ages

By Anne E. Kornblut
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, January 22, 2009; A01

If the Obama campaign represented a sleek, new iPhone kind of future, the first day of the Obama administration looked more like the rotary-dial past.

Two years after launching the most technologically savvy presidential campaign in history, Obama officials ran smack into the constraints of the federal bureaucracy yesterday, encountering a jumble of disconnected phone lines, old computer software, and security regulations forbidding outside e-mail accounts.

What does that mean in 21st-century terms? No Facebook to communicate with supporters. No outside e-mail log-ins. No instant messaging. Hard adjustments for a staff that helped sweep Obama to power through, among other things, relentless online social networking.

"It is kind of like going from an Xbox to an Atari," Obama spokesman Bill Burton said of his new digs.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/21/AR2009012104249_pf.html

[polichick]

1. "It is kind of like going from an Xbox to an Atari,"

Well, that pretty much says it all!

[lunatica]

6. Republicans and their base just scratched their heads over that statement.

Huh? What's Xbox and Atari?


:dunce: :shrug:

[DRoseDARs]

10. Good gawd, that line is nerdcore.

Most people under 30 are going to wonder "What's an Atari?"

Christ, I feel old now.

[katusha]

15. ahhh the memories....

for the younger generation here is the console in all it's glory.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_2600

The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in. The first game console to use this format was the Fairchild Channel F. However, it was the Atari 2600 that made the plug-in concept popular among the game-playing public.

[shanti]

20. heh

i remember when my ex-husband won his (our) first atari in a submarine sandwich eating contest. it was quite the prize back in the late 70's, even tho the only game on it was PONG!

[Carni]

48. Was the dreaded "PONG" played on those?

I remember the Atari and yes, what a piece of cutting edge fun (NOT) lol

[Sin]

33. Hey I'm 27

And my Atari holds a special place in my heart :)
that and my nintendo with non red blaster gun :) sega, sega 32x, sega cd, snes, nu64, dreamcast, Cdi interactive, playstation, playstation 2,
playstation 3, xbox, xbox 360, game boy, gameboy advanced, and psp..

ok yea so I'm a geek :)

[DRoseDARs]

52. We're the same age, geezer. I have an Atari and the NES w/original orange zapper.

We got our first computer a few years after and I've been a computer nerd ever since. :)

[Odin2005]

40. Im 22 and I remember my sister playing an Atari 5200 when I was, like 3 or 4.

supposedly I was totally enraptured by it! :rofl:

A year after that my doctor told my mom that video games were good for my brain and eye-hand co-ordination, so she bought me an NES, and then a couple years later and SNES. My mom still whines that was the worst medical advice she ever got. :rofl:

[Faygo Kid]

16. I was an Intellivision guy. Of course, I bought Beta over VHS, too.

Cutting edge - that's me.

[Turborama]

53. Mattel Intellivision > Atari

...in my book too


Quality vs Quantity IMHO


:kick: & R for nostalgia ... :thumbsup:

[Posteritatis]

32. And a presidential spokesman said it. That fills me with glee (nt)

[RobinA]

2. I Work For State

government and it isn't much diferent here. I share a computer with an ancient printer with three other people, all of whom have considerable responsibilities that involve computer usage. It's a bit of a joke and seriously impedes efficiency.

[NashVegas]

11. I'm Not Surprised

IT has no control over whether the people getting hired are the type who can resist opening whatever porn spam passes the filters, or downloading some groovy Weather Channel ap carrying 18 trojans.

[aquart]

17. What's that about the Weather Channel????

Because I have that little temperature indicator down at the bottom here....and sometimes I get memory low messages. And when I do, my weather thingy is using a huge amount of memory when I haven't asked it to do anything. So I've wondered.

[NashVegas]

29. That Doesn't Sound Like a Trojan

So much as a processor chewer. Do you really need it?

[Carni]

49. Is it that damned "weather bug"????

I have *weather bug* on my computer and I will be damned if I know where it came from...my daughter swears she didn't put it on here and I know I certainly didn't.
In any case since this damned *weatherbug* showed up I have had constant problems and have run every spyware, adware program known to man to try to get rid of my issues with no luck!

[RobinA]

21. I Have Nothing Against IT

I know it isn't their fault and they have to keep this ancient crap sorta working. My point is that every governmental agency I've worked for, County and now state, is well behind the private sector where I've worked when it comes to equipment, so it doesn't surprise me that the WH has old junk to work with. They never seem to get that the hour and a half I spend trying to find a printer and making it work so I can print out my report is time and money wasted. I work in a VERY understaffed field, and this just makes life harder for everyone.

[TrogL]

41. Then your IT department needs to be fired

It's not difficult to lock down a desktop.

[NashVegas]

44. My IT Is Just Fine, Thanks

Rather than go that route, most of the foolish downloads came to a screeching halt when everyone signed a little sheet of paper stating they understood non-approved DLs were grounds for dismissal.

Unlike a state government, we're a small company and a solution like that can do the job.

I'd love to see an accountant's assessment of the cost of internet / computing when all related expenses and productivity are included, compared to the old paper office.

[happyslug]

45. The same with most large organizations

I have a Lap top from my employer, every time I attached something its USB port, up spring a Message "A high Speed USB device is connected to a non high speed USB port". Why? The organization I belong MUST work within its budget AND connect to an inner office SECURE internet and Intranet system. The latter (i.e. the internet and Internet capability) having higher priority then upgrading any one's system (The CRT monitor I am using is over 15 years old, I should be happy I remember when I received it 15 years ago, to finally replace a Black and White monitor).

The White House has the same problem most LARGE organizations have, upgrading the connections between people's computers and other input devices (i.e. Cell phones) is more important then upgrading the input devices themselves. One of the reason for the Dot.Com burst of 2000 was that Personal computers were leap years ahead of the net, and most people found out they did NOT need to upgrade computers if all they wanted to do is cruse the net, get and receive E-Mail and write an occasional letter (Engineers and gamers needed newer equipment but NOT most users). Since 2000, Google has expanded, access to the net has expanded, Cable has expanded to better handle the net (Even the phone system has improved to better handle the net). The problem since about 2000 has NOT been having an Atari instead of the latest MAC, but interconnecting the Atari's (if the Atari could, it can not but if rebuilt, like 250% it may be able to and such a level of rebuilding is NOT unknown especially in large organization where the IT unit not only repair old machines but upgrade them on a constant bases) AND making sure the LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RECORD ACT IS FOLLOWED. You will be surprised what you can do on an Atari (If it was rebuilt as many computers used in large organizations are instead of being replaced), properly connected to the net. Such a system is better then the latest MAC with a un-secure and bad connection to the net (Compare the speed of an Atari connected via Cable to other high speed net system with the latest MAC whose only connection is via a phone line that is over 20 years old. You will find the Atari's ability to connect to the net and other computers a lot faster then the MAC (And this is do to the CONNECTION system to the net NOT the computers themselves).

Sorry, you will find most large organization with this same problem, more do to the need (Both actual and legal needs) to preserved records SECURELY, to access those records, to access the net, and other inter-computer activities. Unless you have had a high stream of income over the last eight years (And that was mostly do to the real estate boom, so real estate saw a huge increase in computer and internet activities) every LARGE organization has had adopt a policy of replacing computers when they break down OR otherwise become unusable (And while being unusable was common in the 1990s, since 2000 that has come to an almost complete halt). Yes, new organizations buy new (As Obama's Campaign did), old organizations do not (As is the case with the White House), they keep the old that is usable and only buy new when it is needed. Furthermore given the LEGAL requirements of the law, I question whether you can upgrade, with any level of speed. This slow pace of improvements has more do to the need to make sure the upgrade meets the record keeping requirements of the law, the ability to store the information securely, and the ability to retrieve such records by others, including the Federal Courts, then any other reason.

[ixion]

3. uh-huh... so tell me.. if there is this massive constraint of no outside email

they how the hell did millions of emails get sent through the RNC and various other domains over the Bush years?

[aquart]

18. They cheat.

Clear now?

[ixion]

27. do I need to use the sarcasm icon for even the most obvious?

I guess so.

[Peace Patriot]

4. The Bushwhacks spent BILLIONS of our tax dollars on technology!

Where is it?

[Dennis Donovan]

5. "...security regulations forbidding outside e-mail accounts."

UNLESS the accounts are with the RNC or one of its toady IT firms.

[CitizenPatriot]

7. and that guy (GOP IT Main Guy) was mysteriously killed

in a plane crash days after testifying in first rounds against GOP for the Ohio election fraud....so he won't be telling any tales.

[redqueen]

23. Totally a coincidence though, so totally not newsworthy.

Totally.

[CitizenPatriot]

42. riiiight......(as in, wing media)

The Decider morphed into The Denier, and he flew around the country covering up krime and he never let someone's life get in his way.









"Obviously some of my rhetoric had been a mistake," *.

[RobinA]

22. I Ran Into

the same nonsense. Have to have special permission to have an outside e-mail account. Meanwhile, my job description involves working with outside agencies.

[ozu]

30. Pretty standard

Allowing outside access in any secure data environment is a pretty gaping security hole, not only for the transmission of confidential information out side of the environment, but also allowing potentially crippling viruses into the internal network.

We don't allow internal employee access to gmail at all.

[RobinA]

37. Well I'm Not Working

for the DoD for heck's sake, I'm a social worker. Only the governmental agencies seem to have a problem with this. The nonprofits I've worked for seem be able to allow outside e-mail without global armeggedon. Business was done pre-e-mail, but these days it certainly puts one at a disadvantage not to have it. Ditto the Internet in this day when we don't have all kinds of reference books hanging around the office and the expectation is that information needed to do your job can be gotten from the Internet.

[ozu]

43. Yes

I just believe the "outside email" they're referring to is 3rd party email systems like yahoo and gmail, which are never covered by the corporate virus scanning and quarantining software.

I'm sure the ability to email someone outside of the office is allowed through their corporate, or in this case government, email address.

[Odin2005]

8. Yuck. That really needs a re-vamp. n/t

[woodsprite]

9. They probably took the newer stuff with them or otherwise disposed

of it. Then hauled the crap that's in the offices now out of storage.

[Skink]

12. Yeah find out if any of those Keyboards are missing any lettters.

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. Since Obama's the president, he can order the upgrades

Not surprising that the Bushistas had no goddamn clue, since they live in the fucking 19th century anyway.

[bdamomma]

14. Fast forward to the 21st century please and leave the dark ages

behind.

[HooptieWagon]

19. Not a surprise...

Govt bureaucracies bid this stuff out, take the lowest bid, so end up with the oldest technology still available on the market or stored in a basement.
Here's a personal account - about 25 years ago, docked at a small naval base in Mexico, I exchanged boat tours with a US Coast Guardsman - He gave me a tour of the cutter he commanded, I gave him a tour of the 41' ocean racing sailboat I skippered. On the bridge of the cutter, I was astounded at the stone-age navigational equipment, recently installed, for which a premium price had been paid. Aboard "my" boat, the CG Captain was equally astounded - the 2 LORAN units (long range navigation, used before SATNAV and GPS became common)we had were far more accurate, had greater range, were more compact, used less power, and together cost far less than the equipment he had. He admitted they gotten "lost" (not really, but they couldn't get an accurate fix on their position) on the way to Mexico, and we ended up "talking" them in - they were using a direction finder to home in on our radio transmissions to them. He said when he got back to the States, first thing he was going to do was raise hell over their inferior equipment.

[slackmaster]

24. This is exactly what happened when Bill Clinton's people moved in

History repeating itself.

[japple]

25. Guess Obama's team will be sending back the new IBM selectric

typewriters.

[One_Life_To_Give]

26. Anyone who worked with DoD could of told you this

On their behalf.

Think of all the foreign governments, corporations, etc. who would love to hack into their systems? What do you think Carlyl would pay for inside intelligence on what people in the Whitehouse are thinking? Is there a minute of any day when less than 5 people are actively trying to hack into the system?

[lanlady]

28. when Bush wanted to turn the clock back on the Clinton years

I didn't realize that included reconstructing a whiz-bang Netware 3.x network. Do they even run TCP/IP in the White House?

[Posteritatis]

31. Slightly OT, but I've always wanted a rotary-dial cell phone (nt)

[kentauros]

51. Here ya go!

(It's even red ;))

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=287

[scytherius]

34. New staff find White House in tech Dark Ages

Source: MSNBC

'It's kind of like going from an Xbox to an Atari,' an Obama aide says

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28787998/

[BrklynLiberal]

35. This is somewhere between pathetic and embarrassing.

[Downtown Hound]

36. Bush's Xbox was probably the only high tech thing he knows how to use

And he likely took it with him. If they look around hard enough though, they might be able to find one of those old Speak and Spell machines. Bush probably used to it prepare for speeches.

[happygoluckytoyou]

38. it is a lot like going from BUSH to OBAMA... put away crayons, break out blackberry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[happygoluckytoyou]

39. wait.... don't forget Laura's 2009 Lady Finger, the vibrator with a heart !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BattyDem]

46. Well, the rest of the country has been in the Dark Ages for the last 8 years ...

Why would the WH be any different? :shrug:

[Maven]

47. "The team members, accustomed to working on Macintoshes..."

"...found computers outfitted with six-year-old versions of Microsoft software."

Get them back on Macs, please.

[BrightKnight]

50. Being really tech savvy means understanding enterprise security.

No secure enterprise permits external email accounts or external IM. What people do at home is nothing like what has to be done to protect this kind of network. There is always a tradeoff between security and convenience. I would fully support spending the money to upgrade the capabilities but the Xbox crowd is never going to be very happy with life in a classified network.

Completely separate computers and networks with very clear usage rules work. There will probably be data leaks.

[eppur_se_muova]

54. Bu**sh** wasn't cutting edge? Who knew? nt

:shrug: