Vista, IE7 and Office 2007 banned from DOT use

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=197700789

Among the concerns cited by Mintz are compatibility with software applications currently in use at the department, the cost of an upgrade, and DOT's move to a new headquarters in Washington later this year. "Microsoft Vista, Office 2007, and Internet Explorer [7] may be acquired for testing purposes only, though only on approval by the DOT chief information officer," Mintz writes.

Among the options the Transportation Department is weighing as a possible alternative or complement to Windows Vista are Novell's Suse Linux and, for a limited group of users, Apple's Macintosh hardware and software, he says.

According to a separate memo, a number of key software applications and utilities in use in various branches of the department aren't Vista compatible. Among them are Aspen 2.8.1, ISS 2.11, ProVu 3.1.1, and Capri 6.5, according to a memo issued by staffers at the DOT's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Apparently, Aspen and all that run on Linux, and retraining all the staff for Linux is cheaper than getting this software fixed


All the anti-Vista FUD sure is paying off.

Stupid people are making stupid decisions. Nothing new.

Same people would be happy to dry out all lakes to protect people from drowning.

We'll see after 1 year of "retraining" and "rehardwareing".

Weren't there 'storeys' like this about XP, and followed roughly 6 months later, by how the same gov/org/company changes back, after user acceptance levels were so poor.

Usually the government is scared of cheap/free things, it's very odd indeed.

No major business is about to rush into a major OS change, so that's hardly a surprising viewpoint. As for the murmurings of switching to Linux or OS X, well you don't want to go letting Microsoft think they've already made a sale before you negotiate a nice big discount....

Seriously?! I'm sure that Aspen 2.8.1, ISS 2.11, ProVu 3.1.1, and Capri 6.5 all refuse to even think about upgrading their software to work on Vista. Only a half-minded twit would need to create a "moratorium" on upgrading to the next version of any OS immeadiately following its release.

We get it, now isn't the best time for "you" to upgrade, but do you need to make it a public affair? Either this guy is bored, or just another over-paid government clown.  Maybe someone should call him and find out if he's planning to go public for all his technology decisions.

Daniel Mintz
Chief Information Officer
Department of Transportation
202-366-9201
daniel.mintz@dot.gov

foxbar wrote:

They're supposed to choose an OS which is incompatible with their software and cause havoc at the DOT just to make you all happy? I'm sure they will take your complaints seriously. Not. I'm sure with their massive budget and staff, they have no idea what they're doing. This thread is silly.

AndyC wrote:

No major business is about to rush into a major OS change, so that's hardly a surprising viewpoint.

W3bbo wrote:


But the reluctance to upgrade to IE7 is notable, there's few breaking changes in IE7.

sirhomer wrote:

Isn't it illegal for the government to use a more expensive product if there is a more inexpensive one available?

LiquidSpy wrote:

I'm sure that Aspen 2.8.1, ISS 2.11, ProVu 3.1.1, and Capri 6.5 all refuse to even think about upgrading their software to work on Vista.

AndyC wrote:

I'm guessing you've not been exposed to the horrors of many corporate Intranet apps yet? We're still stuck on IE6 due to the incredibly flaky nature of one web app, which refuses to work properly on anything else, until the company we bought it off can get it working.

sirhomer wrote:

Isn't it illegal for the government to use a more expensive product if there is a more inexpensive one available?

W3bbo wrote:



AndyC wrote:I'm guessing you've not been exposed to the horrors of many corporate Intranet apps yet? We're still stuck on IE6 due to the incredibly flaky nature of one web app, which refuses to work properly on anything else, until the company we bought it off can get it working.

Good point.

Question: Why are intranet sites/webapps so terrible then?

LiquidSpy wrote:


We get it, now isn't the best time for "you" to upgrade, but do you need to make it a public affair? Either this guy is bored, or just another over-paid government clown.  Maybe someone should call him and find out if he's planning to go public for all his technology decisions.

Taking jabs at Microsoft makes you look intellectual. It makes the DOT seem more competent.

LiquidSpy wrote:


Daniel Mintz
Chief Information Officer
Department of Transportation
202-366-9201
daniel.mintz@dot.gov

sirhomer wrote:

Isn't it illegal for the government to use a more expensive product if there is a more inexpensive one available?

sirhomer wrote:

Isn't it illegal for the government to use a more expensive product if there is a more inexpensive one available?

Well in Japan, the previous prime minister called on businessmen to stop wearing ties during the summer because ties = heat = more air conditioning = more money and emissions.

Just an amusing fact.