White House switches to Macs
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- neonspice
This week, the White House became a switcher. As the new presidential team took over 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, they were met with outdated equipment still apparently running the sturdy old Windows XP and Windows 2000, as well as a host of bureaucratic rules meant to ensure that all official work at the White House can be properly recorded according to the Presidential Records Act.
The Obama team has long been known for using Apple equipment. President Obama himself uses a Mac laptop, as does his media team, which according to the Washington Post is now facing the daunting prospect of updating the West Wing to modern equipment and doing so while complying with government regulations.
The Post article quipped that "if the Obama campaign represented a sleek, new iPhone kind of future, the first day of the Obama administration looked more like the rotary-dial past." It seems as if the White House is making great strides forward technologically in short order. This week alone, the Whitehouse website was updated with a new look and an official blog. Can a Mac-friendly West Wing be far behind?
- mg330
So, they didn't really switch to Macs yet, and the article doesn't even say the did either, and the thread title says the opposite. Strange.
- designbot0
One thing about Mac's is they simply cannot compete with Windows in the business environment. Maybe for a small portion of their machines, but there is no way.....
- why is that?DrBombay
- what software is unavailable?DrBombay
- A big part of it is the corporate software that has been available on Windows for decades.designbot
- plus this has always been Microsoft's focus....I would argue it has never been Apple's.designbot
- http://www.microsoft…DrBombay
- yeah I use this at work....can't speak for other progs but Outlook on Mac is shit.designbot
- Outlook is shit, period. why would anybody want to use that hellhole of a program.iCanHazQBN
- but businesses do use it.DrBombay
- i will argue that ms office isnt bad. its just bad on mac.squire225
- i never got used to ms office.. too complicated for a simpleton like me.. me like open office thoaidiro
- TheBlueOne0
So, this explains quite a bit, no? Obviously Steve Jobs has sold his soul to the devil - explaining the recent wasting of his physical body, but his technology lands in the most powerful office on the planet.
- sureshot0
I read it as "White House switches to Mac Donalds"..
- Only if Hillary had won...TheBlueOne
- ...would she be running Vista then?neonspice
- nilsnihil0
and for music in my opinion.
- harlequino0
Are those a couple of Zip/Jaz drives that Obama's rocking up in that photo?
- look like just external HD's to me, no?Jnr_Madison
- looks like zip sized disk slots on themharlequino
- they do look like 1st gen imac era zip drivesDrBombay
- cutting costs where ever he can i guess?!Andy_ssw
- sikma0
I love the way information travels on the internet
The Washington Post rights the original article.
Then arstechnica.com blogs about the article, adding their two cents.
Then neonspice posts about it here inaccurately claiming "White House switches to Macs"
My turn.
"Steve Jobs gives White House free Macs! Obama considering Jobs for cabinet position!"
- Obama appoints Steve Wozniak as technology emissary to the UN!ninjasavant
- ninjasavant0
look like superdrives to me
- digdre0
congrats.
wait untill you see the battery problems 1day after warranty, mr. obama.
- kalkal0
Whats with his extra shiney macbook pro?
- Pupsipu0
Is good taste a sign of potentially good leadership? Bill Gates vs Steve Jobs? Hmm.
- kgvs720
I can understand upgrading from Windows 2000. XP will be with us for at least another three years, unless Windows 7 does something miraculous. They ought to audit first before purchasing, upgrading or switching, especially if the apps used on that machine are only web browsers and MS Office.
- boobs0
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/2…
Windows gets worms.
- cuke4260
1.i hope that's a good use of our tax money.
2.if the wh did switch i wonder if you'd see a ton of mac viruses get written...
- aidiro0
mac>pc .. nuff said
- Dancer0
Those who worry about the cost and wimper about their taxs. Need to see reality and except that change happens.
- NEWSFLASH0
I could be wrong, but, are macs not much better for all image/audio editing/storing etc, and pc's are better for things like accounts and shopping lists etc ?, 8)
- section_0140
They should run a custom Linux distro for the whitehouse. They could call it Obamtu.