Deep Thoughts from Mother Maud

Someone should put Maud to a public challenge involving a PC. Doubtful she can even turn one on. And if that is true, well, once again, Vienna is getting what they deserve by voting for her.

>>Griffin said discount computers often do not include expensive software suites used by the town, such as Microsoft Office, and sometimes lack sufficient memory to handle complex programs such as the Geographical Information System used by the Planning and Zoning and Public Works departments.

Hey Griff, computers in service today have more memory than you can handle... and you can always pop extra RAM in the few GIS workstations.

>>Kelleher also wanted to know why the town replaced computers every three to five years instead of the more typical five to seven years.

Cause Griff is too lazy to manage machines issued over several generations and now just wants to leap to Vista even though XP will run just fine for years to come on the equipment he's got.

>>Griffin responded that computers are much more likely to suffer major failures after three years, when the warranties expire.

Total bulls**t, Griff! New equipment is most likely to fail during burn-in in the first few months. Otherwise, that equipment is likely to run solid for 5 or more years. Sure, a hard drive or power supply might pack it in here or there, but you just replace those and get back to work. Griff is lazy... why maintain equipment, cleanup accumulate user issues, and manage multiple generations of hardware and software when you can get the {...]s on Town Council to pay for a forklift upgrade every 3 years. Now more than ever before, current machines running XP are very serviceable and do not need to be upgraded. Plus, Griff is a fool to jump to a new hot-off-the-press OS like Vista now... wait at least a year after its release.

>>Some computers, such as those used by the police department, are used 24 hours per day and thus subject to greater-than-normal wear and tear, he said.

This is totally lame bulls**t, Griff! A computer running 24x7 is less likely to fail since it is not being thermally cycled. Its circuitry is always on at a constant temperature... this is good for electronics. The only mechanical wear and tear is on the keyboard, mouse, and hard drive... but these typically last anyways, and are easily replaced IF they fail.

Well, what do you expect? If the Town is run by {...]s, they are likely to hire idiots and then believe them. And in Maud's case, instead of critical thinking, she blames everything on something... jeesh, what a thoughtless old griper she is.

I don't think you necessarily have to lay it all on Griff's back. He may just be parroting what he is told by management. I compare his practices to those of public works, etc. replacement vehicle program. Nice new trucks decorating the town that probably are sold when their warranty expires. We have a nice new repair facility that probably does nothing more than oil changes. And who gets the trucks that the town disposes. We have never been told in the newsletter where town citizens could go to bid on disposed property.

I could not have said it better.

Am I believing my eyes? Did the town invest in Vista?

Why?

Any expert person having any smarts with computers will tell you that this is not a wise move. I 'll bet the software GIS, isn't even written to run on Vista yet.

They just need to spend our tax money because they can, and we let them.

TG is right, the town is being run by {...]s, but we are bigger {...]s for allowing them to get away with it!

I would have rather seen the money spent on things this town really needs, but a single voice is but a whisper when it comes to a town rampant with corruption and cronyism.

Here's to the algae growing strong in the Town Brown.

>>Kelleher also wanted to know why the town replaced computers every three to five years instead of the more typical five to seven years.

That's simple: they want the old trail of e-mails gone! Freedom of information does not sit well in Vienna!

>>I don't think you necessarily have to lay it all on Griff's back. He may just be parroting what he is told by management.

Perhaps. If management is as dumb as AdamS, we need new Town management. But regardless, tech support budgets are always difficult and it is Griff's ongoing responsibility to manage resources wisely to minimize this capital overhead. His explanations to TC don't hold water, so he ain't cutting it, imo. Other people spending other people's money on other people... where's the oversight? Maud? Jane? They are fast becoming children again... vote, Vienna!

Hey Griff, hurry up and get all of those new Vista computers ordered and deployed for the Town so you can get to work upgrading them first quarter '08 with Vista Service Pack 1! You see, Griff, you are rushing it... foolishly compressing technology in time... wasting our money and making work for your staff and your users.