“The U.S. Air Force has awarded a multiyear contract that calls for Microsoft to consolidate 38 various software license agreements and tighten security features. Part of the service’s One Air Force One Network initiative, the agreement could amount to more than $500 million over six years, Microsoft said Friday,” W. David Gardner reports for TechWeb News. “The contract is part of an overall agreement with Dell Computer, which will supply more than 525,000 software licenses for desktop computers and servers.”
“‘Our group will work directly with the Air Force,’ said Al Horowitz, general manager, Microsoft public sector services. With security as a driver of the contract, he added that improved security will be integrated across the board among Air Force users globally,” Gardner reports. “A goal of improving security runs through the announcement, which stated: ‘Also core to this strategic agreement is a highly proactive effort by the Air Force and Microsoft to jointly work to solve security concerns across the Air Force’s global enterprise.'”
“Included in the agreement is a provision for Air Force personnel to use Microsoft software at home as well as at work. In such cases, Microsoft said licensed copies of ‘select Office desktop applications’ can be acquired at a nominal cost,” Gardner reports. “Also supported by the agreement are additional Department of Defense organizations including the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and various Joint Combatant Commands.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: “A goal of improving security runs through the announcement.” It’s good to have goals. In related news, NASA today announced a contract with Ted Kaczynski to head future space technology development, Lane Bryant announced the signing of Calista Flockhart as the retail chain’s spokeswoman, and The White House appointed Keith Richards as the new U.S. “Drug Czar.”
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Study: Apple’s Mac OS X ‘world’s safest and most secure’ operating system – November 02, 2004
Microsoft: The safest way to run Windows is on your Mac – October 08, 2004
Axcess Business News: Is the U.S. government ‘too dependent on Microsoft?’ – September 26, 2003
Baltimore Sun columnist suggests adding Mac OS X to mix of government computers for safety – September 17, 2003
CCIA wants U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security to reconsider buying ‘insecure Microsoft software’ – August 29, 2003
Apple’s Mac OS X added to U.S. government list of supported platforms – August 28, 2003
U.S. Department of Homeland Security says Windows vulnerable to attack – August 01, 2003
Department of Homeland Security chose Microsoft due to time and money limitations – July 21, 2003
U.S. Department of Homeland Security awards enterprise agreement to Microsoft – July 15, 2003
MDN Take: LOL!
As for the Air Force, don’t you all feel safer now in America? Leave it to the gov’t to make the most bone-headed decision possible.
Now it can be known as the US Air Farce.
“A goal of improving security runs through the announcement, which stated: ‘Also core to this strategic agreement is a highly proactive effort by the Air Force and Microsoft to jointly work to solve security concerns across the Air Force’s global enterprise.'”
Yep, and when something goes wrong, MS will use this clause to say the fault is with AF for not being proactive enough!
It was already known as the Air Farce. Or the Chair Force.
“Off we go, into the wild blue yonder
Lost again — son of a b*tch!”
Does the Air Force not know that the NSA (National Security Agency- the Dod’s experts at signal protection and intercept) spent a ton of time and money developing a SECURED version of LINUX for Gvt use? I guess the folks over at AF Systems Command are looking forward to a job at Microsoft or Dell after they retire.
There is no such thing as a secure computer running ANY version of Windows that is connected to a network (internet included).
Amazing…simply amazing
Also, in related news, People Magazine today named Ed Asner “World’s Sexiest Woman.”
Remind me to head to the lowest concrete-encased bathroom during Air Force fly overs at the ballgame from now on.
Well once again the yanks are falling behind. Sorry folks, we have had the Air Farce for a long time ago. We know that you will repeat “Air Farce” to your citizens until they believe Microscum invented it, but the free world knows what the Air Farce is all about.
http://www.airfarce.com/
But don’t feel too bad, take the US Navy for example, using MS on it’s fleet only to have some real sinking trouble.
But remember the software is only as bad as the people that run it. Thanks to the amazing technology of Canada we are even confidant to withstand a US attack, as illustrated here:
This is a transcript of an actual radio conversation of a US Naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland in October 1995. The transcipt of the Radio conversation was released by the Chief of Naval operations on the 10th october 1995.
Americans: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.
Canadians: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the south to avoid collision.
Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy Ship, I say again, divert your course.
Canadians: Number One, I say again, divert your course.
Americans: This is the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, the second largest ship in the United States Atlantic fleet. We are accompanied by three destroyers, three cruisers and numerous support vessels. I demand that you change your course 15 degrees noth. Thats on five degrees north, or counter measures will be undertaken to ensure the safety of this ship.
Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.
road warrior
LOL
Calista Flockhart will be a size 16 long before Microsoft is secure.
I’ll give the Canadians props for one thing, you did bomb the Baldwin’s. Thanks for doing that.
Wow, no need to wait for the terrorists to attack anymore; we can screw ourselves. Now _that’s_ proactive!!
Road Warrior–
would that it were true– that story is an old joke, not a true story.
more info here:
http://www.snopes.com/military/lighthse.htm
As to the topic at hand, it’s extremely sad that Microsoft can get such a huge amount of money to fix its previous errors– where is the incentive to improve? It will only probably get a huge amount of money again in the future to fix this system when it proves to be full of security holes.
Toeknee..
good defense of US Intelligence..
Wonder why that ‘joke’ has lasted this long.. considering only Canadians would proliferate it (30m of us.. )
Good thing it’s not the Marines. My mother is a retired Marine (20 year vet.) and would have a heart attack. She got her first Mac from them.
Oh, no!
I wonder how pockets got lined with a piece of that multi-billion dollar MS stockpile?
In related news, People named Abe Vigoda this year’s Sexiest Man Alive.
I used to respect the USAF
Until now
Just plain foolishness. More planes will fall out of the sky (literally) on this one.
Off we go, into the wild blue (screen) yonder …
Military Intelligence
Who puts these Bozos into power?
Its not security that’s the big concern, its the people involved making these decisions and what’s driving them. It would be a scary prospect being a fly on the wall during those ‘negitiations’ with Microsoft.
Unfortunately its announcments like this that make you realise some things will never change.
I guess we’re going to see a lot more elementary schools shot up…
I’m booking my flight to Europe as we speak…
Didn’t the USAF used to make magnetic tape?