$250B Ain't What it Used to Be

Obama's various economic stimulus packages have tens, if not hundreds, of billions of dollars worth of information technology spending in it, but don't expect that to help out the IT industry. That's what John Gantz, chief research officer at International Data Corp., told that company's annual Directions event, a get together to discuss where the IT industry is headed. (Gantz characterized the industry's health as "the worst economic crisis since the computer was invented in 1940s," according to an EE Times article.)

But don't expect government spending to turn the industry around, he said. "The 112 technology line items in the package could amount to as much as $250 billion in spending over four years, but that's a drop in a $10-12 trillion computer and communications market over the period," according to the article.

" 'We've advised our analysts not to bake this into growth packages,' Gantz said. 'Our thinking is to assume the stimulus packages will not make things worse.' "

Hmm, $250 billion "won't make things worse?"