“What if the federal government were about to give away more than $400 billion in grants, but only people whose computers ran on Microsoft software could apply? That is the predicament that many scientists, scholars and others say they are in as the government enters the final phase of its five-year effort to streamline its grant-application process,” Rick Weiss reports for The Washington Post. “The new ‘Grants.gov’ system, under development at a cost of tens of billions of dollars, aims to replace paper applications with electronic forms. It is being phased in at the National Institutes of Health, Department of Housing and Urban Development and other federal agencies. All 26 grant-giving agencies are supposed to have their application processes fully online by 2007.”
“The problem: Although many U.S. scientists and others depend on graphics-friendly Macintosh computers, the software selected by the government is not Mac-compatible. And it is expected to remain so for at least a year,” Weiss reports. “Concerns about fairness during the transition have prompted angry humor on Mac-related listservs. ‘Uh, this would be the same government that spent a lot of time and money pursuing Microsoft for its anti-competitive behavior?’ one blogger wrote. ‘And they now offer a government site that mandates monopoly?'”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews reader “Qka” for the heads up.]
[UPDATE: 4:06pm EST: IBM has purchased PureEdge, and now calls the product IBM Workplace Forms; IBM plans to add Mac support in the future and Grants.gov has committed to providing a cross-platform solution by November 2006. In the interim, Grants.gov, in conjunction with NIH, has created a Citrix server solution that allows Mac OS X users to complete their application packages using Mac OS X. The University of Wisconsin has created a single preconfigured package for Mac OS X users to access this solution. This is provided as a service to the community. More info and download link (2.7MB .dmg) here.]
It’s also the same government that has accessibility laws on the books and is not supposed to exclude millions of people from such application processes. This whole mess is typical, of course. Weiss reports that the reason it’s all happening is because of “a small Canadian company called PureEdge Solutions [that was given] the job of creating the electronic forms. The PureEdge solution, it turns out, works only with the Windows operating system. And that is especially galling, several scientists said, as at least one major grant-making agency, the National Science Foundation, has for many years been using a ‘platform-independent’ system that works seamlessly with all kinds of computers.”
Why does the U.S. government feel it’s okay to ghettoize millions of Mac users? Do you feel it’s okay?
Judging from the number of emails we have received already alerting us to this story and based on previous experiences, we can all definitely make an impact here (MacDailyNews was visited by 2.7 million unique visitors in January).
The most important action that you can take, which could actually result in some positive result, as your vote is the key to their having the job: U.S. House of Representatives contact information: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml
Also contact: (1-800-518-4726)
Advertisements:
• MacBook Pro. The first Mac notebook built upon Intel Core Duo with iLife ’06, Front Row and built-in iSight. Starting at $1999. Free shipping.
• iMac. Twice as amazing — Intel Core Duo, iLife ’06, Front Row media experience, Apple Remote, built-in iSight. Starting at $1299. Free shipping.
• iMac and MacBook Pro owners: Apple USB Modem. Easily connect to the Internet using dial-up service. Only $49.
• iPod Radio Remote. Listen to FM radio on your iPod and control everything with a convenient wired remote. Just $49.
• iPod. 15,000 songs. 25,000 photos. 150 hours of video. The new iPod. 30GB and 60GB models start at just $299. Free shipping.
• Connect iPod to your television set with the iPod AV Cable. Just $19.
Related articles:
FEMA relents on Microsoft Windows-only policy – September 12, 2005
Macs need not apply for use on UK Parliament network – September 12, 2005
FEMA: Mac users drop dead – Hurricane Katrina online assistance site is Windows only – September 07, 2005
World Wide Web Consortium objects to US Copyright Office’s Internet Explorer-only browser plan – August 25, 2005
U.S. Copyright Office: Use only the world’s most insecure browser to secure your copyright – August 17, 2005
U.S. Copyright Office: is it okay if our new website only works with Internet Explorer? – August 11, 2005
While disappointing it’s not surprising that the government would be operating in total ignorance of the computing world.
It makes a strong statement about how informed our gov officials are without the influence of LOBBYISTS!
Do these idiots have a left hand that their right hand doesn’t know about?
In a world without borders, who needs Gates & Windows? Well, if you want a grant you’re gonna need both.
Shame on You!
Typical. They could have used PDF’s, but Nooooo-
Many researchers use Macs.. this was a big oversight. I went to the site… what part is not mac compatible?
I remember a few years ago that people at NASA were fighting tooth and nail to keep their Macs.
Does anyone know what happened about that?
In july IBM acquired PureEdge Solutions Inc. based in Canada. Is this the same PureEdge?
Surely, IBM can provide no-Windows-centric solutions. They can cover the whole Windows, Linux and OsX world methinks.
http://www.crm2day.com/news/crm/115072.php
Let’s not forget Linux either: nearly every faculty member I know uses either Linux or Macs as their primary OS. Now there are Windows machines around (in the student labs), so I suppose we can use them for the actual submission process, but WHAT A PAIN, and how incredibly stupid to force this behavior.
I’ve submitted numerous grants to NSF using my Mac, and their system works just fine. Why the he|| the rest of the government granting agencies couldn’t just “steal” the NSF fastlane procedure, I have no idea. Billions of tax payer dollars to re-invent the wheel–and then do it wrong. How typical indeed!
MW: Open. I kid you not
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
This is nothing new.
I’ve been forced to use Windows based systems for over a year since the U.S. Department of State made their DSP-5 submissions for getting authorization to talk technical details of items listed under ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) with non U.S. persons. Their altenative for the foreseeable future? Do everything by paper. (This is their form of assuring accessibility.) Get the forms from State, fill them out, have them delivered by courier (FedEx will do) then contact them about updates and status by mail. (I’ve never had any of the ITAR people answer their phone and they return phone calls when I’ve left messages <5% of the time.) So… I can use a Windows based system and file quickly, do updates and get status within minutes … or I can go back to the 70s and use snail mail.
The U.S. Department of State has been claiming for almost a year that they are in the process of moving to a system which allows non Windows based systems to file electronically. However, to date, they have not done so.
Because of this I don’t believe for a single second that NIH and others will be accessible by non Windows users within a year or so of the systems coming online.
The oddity here is that NIH is a big user of Macs.
you guys drool over anything Mac or Apple related who cares. Let them use windows. I will use what works for me.
Grants.gov and NIH is partnering to provide free access to Citrix servers for Non-Windows users (e.g. Macintosh users) who are looking for an alternative to using PC emulation software with the PureEdge forms. This service will be available for use at the end of December 2005.
The article read…
“But NIH and other agencies already have been asking for electronic applications for smaller grants, triggering hair loss among frustrated Mac users.”
This is EXACTLY what my research paper was supposed to to cover!
Once again, Mac users taken for granted.
“National Science Foundation, has for many years been using a ‘platform-independent’ system that works seamlessly with all kinds of computers.”
The only problem there is that its a solution that is fair and makes sense. Since when was common sense ever common?
Not a surprise.
I used to work for state government and I don’t believe I have ever seen a Mac in any government office I’ve ever visited.
People should write to PureEdge and voice their concerns. I don’t think it will make a difference however.
“I went to the site… what part is not mac compatible?”
The site is Mac compatible, idiot, but in order to actually submit a grant application you have to download Pure Edge’s software, which isn’t. When you look at the “Pure Edge support for Macintosh” link, it just says use Virtual PC. BTW, it lists “versions tested” as VPC 6 on OSX 10.2. Wankers.
MacDoctor, “I remember a few years ago that people at NASA were fighting tooth and nail to keep their Macs.
Does anyone know what happened about that?”
They won the fight but lost the war.
The people at NASA who were fighting against the 100% Windows mandate at a particular NASA center in Texas finally got the NASA Inspector General to investigate how that decree came about. (In some cases year old Macs were being replaced with new Windows machines.) The IG in his final report required that the particular NASA center stop — immediately — it’s forced move to Windows based systems. (Turns out the head of IT for that center was a die hard Windows fanatic and was even featured in a few Microsoft ads. Also a true cost/benefit analysis was never done before the mandate to move to Windows was made.)
The problem was that by the time the IG put an end to the forced move to Windows virtually all the non Windows systems were gone from that particular center. The conversion to Windows as a single platform was already nearly complete.
“you guys drool over anything Mac or Apple related who cares. Let them use windows. I will use what works for me.”
Um, yeah, this is a Mac news site you dolt. Why are you here is the question.
OH and get this!
The directions on how to get Citrix working on your non-windows machine…
PEClientCitrix.doc
A friggin Word file
Write your congressman, good ploy.
however…
My congressional rep is Bob Ney (Ohio)-not joke. My letter wouldn’t even make his radar, unless my name were Abramoff (it’s not).
Supposedly they’re working on a platform-independent system:
“Grants.gov recognizes that support to users of Non-Windows operating systems and the PureEdge Viewer is often required across a distinct segment of the grant applicant community. Although at this time, the PureEdge Viewer is only available for Windows based installs, Grants.gov offers support for Non-Windows platforms.
“Grants.gov is working with PureEdge in the development of a Non-Windows compatible viewer. PureEdge has committed to providing a platform independent viewer by November 2006. Information related to the Non-Windows compatible viewer will be posted to this webpage. Please bookmark this page and return at your convenience for more details.”
I’ve got it the government has it right after all – they know that the educational level of a Mac user is higher – they also know that educated persons are generally more creative – that means that Mac users are all gay – right!
So the best was to ghettoize millions of gays men and women is to cut off access to the internet, government and money!
You got to hand it to bush and company…
I’m applying for a grant to rebuild the system under OS X.
Hmmmmmm…..this is the same government that has had lawsuit after lawsuit over monopolistice tendencies….
Can anyone think with any logical consistency anymore? (That’s why I always despise watching Presidential debates….er, well, debates, that’s a misnomer….)
I have emailed the W3C
This is something worth them getting involved.
Other can email the W3C and bring these supporters of open web standards into the action.
http://www.w3.org/People/all#susan