Digital Government
Cylink sells wireless division to P-Com
Cylink Corp. announced today that it will sell its wireless communications division to PCom Inc. for $60 million and focus solely on its information security division.
Digital Government
VINES grows new functions, Y2K compliance
Banyan Systems Inc. this week is announcing a new version of its VINES network operating system that provides current users with a onestep upgrade to new features and Year 2000 compliance. VINES 8.5 is the first in a series of Year 2000compliant products expected from Banyan's Year 2000 Readiness
Digital Government
Transition to FTS 2001 network has agency users worried
ATLANTA Federal users of the governmentwide FTS 2000 longdistance network last week raised concerns about how the transition to the FTS 2001 network may adversely affect missioncritical applications and whether agencies are making adequate preparations for the switch. For example, Ron Hack, dir
Digital Government
Fedwire
DOD's Valletta joins SRA Anthony Valletta, acting assistant secretary of Defense for command, control, communications and intelligence, last week announced plans to join SRA International Inc. as a vice president of federal systems. Valletta, who has been acting ASD/C3I since the departure of Emmet
Digital Government
Private comments imperil fed's employment
Charles Powell, a GS8 computer operator at the Justice Department, learned that the government does not always honor its promise to keep confidential counseling services private. A recent decision by the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) [Charles A. Powell Jr. v. Justice Department, DC075295
Digital Government
NIH adds leasing to 3 pacts
The National Institutes of Health has entered the leasing market with plans to add clauses to contracts in its three multipleaward procurement programs that would allow customers to lease computer equipment. Vendors are requesting the clauses, and several vendors have been allowed to add the claus
Digital Government
Strategic planning in government: mistakes and misconceptions
Strategic information technology planning has become fashionable in all levels of government over the past few years, especially where chief information officer positions have been established in the hopes of bringing IT into better alignment with overall 'business' goals and objectives. However, s
Digital Government
New remote-access software eases telecommuting woes
Remoteaccess software, which makes it possible for PC or laptop users to dial in to a central office from the field or home, has been around for years, but it is gaining in popularity as the need increases and the software offers richer functionality. Remote access is inherently complex because of
Digital Government
How Much Should Computer Support Services Cost Your School District?
The Chicago Board of Education has no method for gauging what it should pay for information technology support services.
Digital Government
Federal Bytes
Russellmania Federal IT workers were honored last week at FCW's Federal 100 Awards banquet, where comedian Mark Russell entertained attendees. Russell said the absence of President Clinton who was visiting Africa and Vice President Al Gore who was launching his presidential campaign has le
Digital Government
DOD extends vendor registration deadline
Partly due to industry's sluggish response, the Defense Department has extended the deadline for companies to register in a central database that eventually is expected to play a key role in allowing the department to conduct business electronically. DOD issued a proposed rule last September direct
Digital Government
Do we Need a Spatial Data Superagency?
The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) in a new study has recommended that the federal government create a new organization to push development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), which is a kind of national motherboard for public and privatesector geographic data sy
Digital Government
GIS Power Politics
City and county governments have spent years building powerful repositories of geospatial data necessary to deliver a majority of public serviceseverything from building roads to dispatching ambulances. But local geographic information systems players until recently have been shut out of the strat
Digital Government
DOD envisions 'system of systems'
The Defense Information Systems Agency's architectural responsibilities would be enhanced and solidified in a draft plan for the reorganization of the Defense Department's command and control and its information technology management and oversight. The draft, which is under evaluation by Secretary
Digital Government
Group issues framework for storing electronic records
A working group examining options for managing federal electronic records late last week issued for public comment a framework for managing digital files over the next two years while the government develops more permanent electronic recordkeeping solutions.
Digital Government
What would constitute industrial espionage?
An industry representative asked the following question: Competing companies sometimes go to considerable lengths to gather information on each other. Are there limits on how far a company can go in this area? What are the potential impacts of using information gained through industrial espionage?
Digital Government
Recruits use smart cards for supplies
Army recruits entering basic training at Fort Sill, Okla., this month received smart cards that store copies of their fingerprints to identify them whenever they spend more than $10 to purchase supplies on base. The pilot project, the last of three digitalcash applications being tested at Army bas
Digital Government
IRS establishes BPA for Dell PCs
With its nextgeneration PC procurement still under evaluation, the Internal Revenue Service has awarded a oneyear blanket purchase agreement to Intellisys Technology Corp. to provide desktop PCs from Dell Computer Corp. The IRS originally bought Dell PCs from BTG Inc. under the Treasury Departmen
Digital Government
SEC gets Year 2000 warning
In reporting to Congress on the Year 2000 problem, the Securities and Exchange Commission has failed to single out the computer systems that may be critical to the continued functioning of U.S. stock markets in the next millennium, according to a General Accounting Office report released this month
Digital Government