Licenses

Tim Worstal writes about Another Government IT Contract. Gorse Fox has a degree of experience in these matters. What amazes the Gorse Fox is the number of licensing systems that are being developed. At one stage, recently, Starfleet was asked to develop five separate licensing systems for "The Department"... each was subtley different, but each essentially the same. GF pointed this out, but each was requested by a separate sub-department, and none would admit the generic nature of their request and share a solution. Fortunately, a new acting CIO, Magnum PI, joined "The Department", and GF got his way.
Some observations:

• All licensing systems are essentially the same
• Most are requested by departments intent on spending their budget before year end
• Nobody looks to see if an existing licensing system can be re-used (after all, its tax payer's money and there's plenty of it)
• All are requested against unrealistic deadlines
• GF has just been asked to develop another one
• Every license is another freedom that has been taken away

[File under: Government IT]