Can the government handle big data analytics?
Just how big are big data? Not the big data hype bubble, mind you-we know that's enormous. Rather, how large do data sets have to be before we can consider them big data?
There is no one answer. Big data is a relative term. It refers to data sets, and the corresponding data challenges, so large that traditional data management and analytics approaches aren't up to the task of squeezing all the value we desire from the information we have. As a result, as our tools and techniques improve, the "bigness" threshold for big data will continue to rise.
This threshold also depends upon the context for the data, which generally aligns with the industry responsible for them. Genomics research, weather prediction and other scientific pursuits push the limit of data set size, but any business that collects information about its customers may also have big data challenges. Read more...
Internet Explorer needs fresh dev infusion for a full recovery
Despite years of pressure from government antitrust actions and open-source upstarts like Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) browser still commands more than 50 per cent of the global desktop browser market. While Microsoft remains an obvious choice for many consumers, there's some indication that Microsoft's venerable browser may be in trouble with a potentially more important demographic: developers.
For years IE was in free fall as Chrome gained market share due to its superior speed, security, and ease of use (including managing extensions). By late 2011, it wasn't surprising that some were writing eulogies for IE as it shed 6 per cent market share in just three months while Chrome soared. In fact, by some estimates, Chrome actually surpassed IE's market share in early 2012. Read more...
Group questions Google government contract claims
An organization headed by a former federal CIO contends that despite Google's claims, its consumer privacy policy does apply to government customers in some cases.
SafeGov.org, a group focused on promoting a set of best practices for cloud deployment in the government, has cited three instances where it found Google Apps for Government (GAFG) contracts governed by the company's consumer privacy policy.
In a blog post, SafeGov.org said the CAFG contracts in each case explicitly incorporated the consumer privacy policy that Google had said did not apply to government contracts.
SafeGov was co-founded by Karen Evans, de facto federal CIO during the George W. Bush Administration.
The latest Google consumer privacy policy was created earlier this year amid some controversy. Read more...
TechAmerica Foundation: Governments need to get into the cloud
Cloud computing presents opportunities for governments to modernize and improve cost efficiency, public officials stressed Thursday at the introduction of a report advising state and local governments on cloud adoption. But one California official cited government tendencies making the modernization process a slow one.
The TechAmerica Foundation's State and Local Government Cloud Commission released its report entitled "The Cloud Imperative," offering best practices for cloud computing for state and local governments. In an introduction of the report at Microsoft's Silicon Valley offices in Mountain View, Calif., government officials including California lieutenant governor Gavin Newsom and San Jose mayor Chuck Reed emphasized potential benefits of cloud computing.
"San Jose's approach is very simple. We're trying to do more with less," Reed said in explaining San Jose's perspective on the cloud. Newsom, however, stressed how governments need to wake up to technological change. "You're seeing with this rapid and extraordinary change with the cloud in the private sector how it is dramatically changing the way people are doing business," bringing down costs and boosting collaboration, he said. "But government has been slow to pick up on this." Read more...
Obama wants feds to digitize all records
President Obama this week gave government agencies four months to come up with a plan to improve records management by moving to electronic records management systems "where feasible."
In a memorandum, Obama said one aim of the plan is to improve public access to government records by moving them to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), which will "provide the prism through which future generations will understand and learn from our actions and decisions."
Paul Wester, chief records officer for the U.S. Government, said in an interview with Computerworld that the president's directive is really about driving a more open government where citizens can access information in a more "Web 2.0" format. Read more...
Death of the G-Cloud was greatly exaggerated – but there’s a lot of catching up to do
Early in 2010 the government unveiled the G-Cloud - its grand plan to slash £1bn from the public sector's annual IT spend by using cloud technologies to haul its tech infrastructure into the 21st century.
Soon after the initial fanfare, however, the G-Cloud was called in for review by the newly elected coalition government.
Government has fallen behind schedule on creating a central government app storePhoto: Shutterstock
Despite the review, the core parts of the G-Cloud programme - the creation of a centralised government application store to allow public bodies to find applications, and plans to reduce the number of datacentres used by government - still appear to be intact.
Martin Bellamy, who sits on the government G-Cloud delivery board, told a Westminster e-Forum event in London on Tuesday: "Anyone who thought the G-Cloud had gone a bit quiet, or that it's died - well, no it's not, it's alive and kicking."
"With a change of government it is inevitable that IT policy will be reviewed, and indeed it is a good thing because IT policy needs to be aligned to the overall government's business objectives," Bellamy told silicon.com. Read more...
Pittsburgh looks to save money with Gmail migration
In an attempt to get away from paying for high-priced email administrators, the Pittsburgh city government is looking to save money and move to the cutting edge with a migration to Google Apps.
Pittsburgh CIO Howard Stern said the city is set to sign a contract with Google in mid-August and then begin the process of migrating to Gmail and Google Calendar in November. All of the city's 2,000 to 3,000 email accounts should be moved over to the new system by the end of the year, according to Stern.
"Going to the cloud seems like a great option for us," Stern said. "I'm optimistic.... I'm a little anxious about any change that will impact 2,000 to 3,000 users, but I think the disruption will be minimal and the impact will be huge." Read more...
7 high-tech programs that want to pick your brain
With increasing frequency it seems agencies of the government are looking to tap into the public consciousness to gather information on everything from how you surf the Web to how they can use information generated by you to predict the future. It's all a little creepy, really. Here we take a look at seven programs announced this year that in some cases really want to crawl into your brain to see what's happening in the world. Read more...
Minnesota furloughs 75% of IT staff amid shutdown
Many of Minnesota's IT employees have been furloughed due to a state government shutdown that was prompted by a budget impasse.
The state's Office of Enterprise Technology (OET) has furloughed about 75% of its 338 employees as a result of the shutdown, according to Cathy de Moll, director of planning, communications and marketing in the technology office.
The state government has 1,800 IT employees in its executive branch, including the OET staff, but it's uncertain how many overall are in layoff status.
"I think most IT staffing at the agency level is minimal, except for a few major applications, including unemployment insurance and the new ERP system that just went live on the first day of the shutdown," said de Moll.
The shutdown began July 1.
Under the rules imposed during a shutdown, government agencies are only allowed to continue "critical" services, which for IT has been defined as those providing security, networking, hosting and communications services. Read more...