It is often difficult to define, never mind embrace, a silver lining from occurrences that are so profoundly negative. However, government can, or more pointedly should, greatly benefit from our current, prolonged economic downturn.

In short, government at all levels (Federal, State and Local) is required to change its overall operational model – some entities already have or are well down the path. Operations, processes, and most importantly stakeholder/citizen interactions must change to accommodate current and future budget constraints. All of these changes must occur while providing citizens with enhanced customer services.

Many of you might find this to be a funny question but almost daily I am asked, “what would you suggest as a platform for the development of XYZ Application --- .Net or Java?” or better yet “which one is better, .Net or Java?” Quite honestly, this is a loaded question and cannot be answered without significant analysis into both technical factors and a comprehensive review of the overall organization structure, existing investment, and review of why and what business problems XYZ application is being built to solve.   

Is Open Source a Viable Option for Government?

In recent years there have been thousands of articles, blog posts, and ancillary commentary evaluating the use of Open Source technology by government. In recent months, the commentary has increased based on the State of California’s recent decision to approve open source as a viable offering for the State. www.cio.ca.gov/.../IT_Policy_Letter_10-01_Open_Source_Software.pdf. The use of Open Source software is an important decision for government and business technology decision makers alike and should be evaluated on a program basis. Further, the decision to use open source does not and should not be an all or nothing proposition.