The technology office of the federal government's Defense Information Systems Agency has gone on the record as saying that the defense procurement process needs to be altered in order to better mesh with open-source software. I agree 100 percent.
But it's not just federal procurement that needs to change. For anyone who has sold open-source software subscriptions into any enterprise, you know that legal and purchasing departments everywhere have a lot to learn about open source.
But at least the Defense Department is getting the picture. Fritz Schulz, who works in the office of the chief technology officer at the Defense Information Systems Agency, spoke on the topic last week at a Red Hat conference. Here's what he said, according to Government Computer News:
Although current policies adequately accommodate open-source acquisition, the requirements analysis that defense agencies undertake to get new software should be executed differently, "to allow for proper consideration of open source," he said.
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According to the Associated Press, the US Defense Department took 1,500 computers offline as the result of a cyber attack. No additional information about the event was provided. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the attack happened sometime yesterday and that e-mail systems were expected to be back online later today.
Gate said during a press conference on the matter: "We obviously have redundant systems in place. ... There will be some administrative disruptions and personal inconveniences." When asked if he, personally, had been inconvenienced, Gates replied that he's a very low tech person. "I don't do e-mail."
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