Digital Government

How government data is changing the way we understand health care

Physician utilization data from CMS gives developers the raw material to build tools that allow for the comparison of doctors on a number of criteria.

Ideas

10 Facts about Federal Websites

How many sites are reachable via HTTPS and how many are powered by open source?

Digital Government

Lessons Learned from Australia's Chief Technology Officer

Australian government’s chief technology officer, John Sheridan, is a big proponent of taking small steps to achieve large, federal IT service goals.

Emerging Tech

Once the Government’s Printing Press, GPO Jumps into Website Design

The Government Publishing Office has completed what is likely its most noteworthy website redesign to date.

Cybersecurity

Data.gov help desk, FTC tech office and credit card theft

News and notes from around the federal IT community.

Cybersecurity

Map app, data gap and more

News and notes from around the federal IT community.

Ideas

3 Reasons Why Open Source Means Better Security

Many U.S. IT professionals prefer open source software to proprietary tools because of increased security. Government agencies are also now taking heed.

Modernization

Can PaaS carve out its place in the federal cloud?

Platform as a service offers obvious upsides, but agencies are still working through specific needs and uses.

Digital Government

NIEM: The key to improved information sharing

The National Information Exchange Model's usefulness extends far beyond its origins in justice and law enforcement.

Digital Government

Sandia looks to open-source robot tech

The national lab is developing more energy-efficient motors to improve the endurance of legged robots used in disaster response.

Digital Government

NSA returns to open source

The National Security Agency wants the private sector to use its NiFi tool to handle commercial big-data needs.

Digital Government

Bug Accidentally Shut Down Military Open Source Software Portal

Problems with a backup system are preventing Pentagon from recovering Forge.mil.

Digital Government

Los Alamos uses Wikipedia to predict disease outbreaks

Researchers aim for "an operational disease monitoring and forecasting system with open data and open source code."

Acquisition

A bold approach to transforming IT acquisition

Without a future vision and an appetite for risk, reforms lead down a rabbit hole. There is a better way.

People

18F hackathon aims to involve more women in civic tech

GSA's innovation hub hosts training day and coding collaboration geared toward women in technology.

Digital Government

PwC pitches open-source electronic health records

Firm touts cost and flexibility in its VistA-based bid for an $11 billion defense health record contract.

People

Picking up the open-gov torch

Obama administration officials are confident a solid foundation and a new team will support open-government plans even after the departure of two key leaders.

Cybersecurity

Is open source really a security concern?

A new report suggests common components contain serious vulnerabilities, but an open source advocate argues that's only half the data.

Digital Government

9 things to look for in an open-source project

Although there is no litmus test for "good" open source, there are several indicators of a healthy project, writes GitHub's Ben Balter.

Digital Government

Turn your smart phone into a microscope

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is pushing out its mobile phone microscope tech to the public.