Deal with the Devil

From Cnet News.

The U.S. Air Force is drafting Microsoft to help simplify its networks and software contracts, a move that could improve its computer security and deliver savings of $100 million.

The Air Force is consolidating its 38 software contracts and nine support contracts with Microsoft into two all-encompassing, agencywide agreements, according to a statement seen by CNET News.com.

The contract, done in conjunction with Dell, will call for the installation and configuration of software as well as ongoing maintenance and upgrades. The deal, which includes 525,000 licenses of Microsoft's Windows and Office, is valued at $500 million over six years, according to Microsoft.

The move is part of the "One Air Force, One Network" strategy that the Air Force plans to announce Friday. An Air Force representative confirmed many details of the announcement, including that it is expected to save the agency $100 million over six years.

"The consolidation will result in standard configurations for all Microsoft desktop and server software," the Air Force said in the statement. "The standard configurations will enforce rigorous security profiles and will be updated online with security patches and software updates."
Digital agenda

Microsoft representatives confirmed that the company will work with the Air Force to define security configurations for the agency's desktop and servers. The representatives also said the deal includes an agencywide help desk service contract.

Now, the fanboys will say,

"OMG teh M$ Windoze suxors, so the computers will crash all the times. STFU K THX!" - Tom Kapowski, age 11, Chicago IL

But that's not really the case anymore. The Air Force is not getting a bunch of servers loaded with Windows 95. Has anyone tried Windows XP or Server 2003? They are like a rock, baby (unless you mess around with system setting, download a bunch of spyware, and watch gobs amount of porn.).

We have a server with Windows Server 2003 sitting in our shop that we store our little word documents to, and it's been very reliable so far. Now, I wouldn't of gone with Microsoft on this deal, and that's mainly because of the bad press with security holes Microsoft has been getting latetly. We all know that it will spell bad news for the Air Force if this system goes down because of a few security exploits "haxored" by kids like Tom Kapowski.

Sad Panda.