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U.S. DOT considers switch to Mac, Linux

updated 01:05 pm EST, Mon March 5, 2007

DOT may switch to Mac

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has banned Windows Vista, Office 2007, and Internet Explorer 2007 from its offices, and is considering switching its operations to Macs and PCs running Novell's SuSe Linux. The DOT enacted the ban in mid-January, according to one blogger, because certain applications essential to the agency's function can't run on Windows Vista. Microsoft has attracted intense criticism over its new operating system since it began shipping earlier this year, lacking proper driver software for a wide array of devices and utilizing a new user interface that closely resembles Apple's Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger system. Apple is also taking aim at the enterprise market with its upcoming Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard release, which incorporates numerous features that cater to large business needs.

 
Previous Comments

Tax money

03/05, 01:24pm reply

This is better use of our tax money. Why should half of IT's budget be used for fighting MS flaws?

rvhernandez

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2005

0

Makes Little Sense

03/05, 01:45pm reply

I am all for this as well, but if there applications work fine on XP, but won't work on Vista, they most certainly will not work on either Linux or OS X.

dynsight

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Joined: May 2005

0

parallels

03/05, 02:00pm reply

I don't know if it is suitable to an enterprise environment, but in case you have not heard dynsight, the Macintel's can run both OS X and XP concurrently, when Parallels is installed.

climacs

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2001

0

overstated

03/05, 02:07pm reply

According to the article quoted in the article quoted in this article (does anyone bother to read the original?), the DOT chief technology officer is "weighing as a possible alternative or complement to Windows Vista" the option of Macs "for a limited group of users." That's a far cry from "switching its operations to Macs...."

jvoskuil

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Joined: Feb 2006

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Not Likely

03/05, 02:20pm reply

As a former gov. exec (SES level) in IT, you can be sure that the pressure to conform that will come from the Gov't CIO council, plus MS lobbying with key congressional staffers, will kill any effort before it even gets up any momentum. This will include any "limited group". CIO-types in gov't interested in Macs should do their innovations quietly, with no fanfare or publicity, if they want any flexibility in doing what's best for their department.

fsauer1

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Joined: Jul 2002

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"Yellow Journalism"

03/05, 02:29pm reply

Having now read the orginal article, this MaCNN article is out and out misleading. There is no consideration of "switching" to Mac by the DOT. There is no statement by the DOT saying they are even considering any switch. Looking at "options" is a far cry from "considering a swtich. In fact, DOT states that they will stick with XP Pro for the time being. Shame on you, MacCNN

fsauer1

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Joined: Jul 2002

0

To which you say,

03/05, 03:31pm reply

Go get 'em Tiger.

Eccent

Junior Member

Joined: Dec 1999

0

I'll bet

03/05, 03:34pm reply

one personal visit by Steve Jobs to the head of the DOT would erase all the years of MS lobbying almost overnight.

Apple should really consider "deploying" personal visits by Steve as a carrot when the account potential is big enough.

chas_m

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

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entirely bogus article

03/05, 05:30pm reply

fsauer1 is right on the money here; as usual this macnn article is just lame.

maybe try another line of work instead like boxing; blah, blah, blah...

hokizpokis

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Joined: Jan 2007

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What if Gold PSP Come?

03/06, 07:44am reply

A New Treat To Apple TV: PlayStation 3 movie downloads

"Now Sony has indicated the introduction of a movie download service for the PlayStation 3, to match the Xbox 360, the console war has moved into new territory - territory Apple has already marked as its own"

More: www.mobile-video-converter.com/news

Cadilicsp

Banned

Joined: Mar 2007

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