Badgernet.org

The Soul of the Machine

Wisconsin rates #7 in overall tax burden. Our per-capita income is below the median value for all states, and our best and brightest are leaving at record rates. Wisconsin’s taxes have always been relatively high, but in the old days we received good value for our money in terms of educational applications and infrastructure. This is certainly no longer the case - we read every day about failed technology and educational initiatives, costing the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. It is clear to everyone (except carrier lobbyists) that the culprit is CENTRAL PROCUREMENT.

The diagram below traces the path of a new technology initiative through the design and implementation process at CENTRAL PROCUREMENT at the WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION (DOA).

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Recently, several proposals have been brought forward (that means: have asked for funding) that seek to use the electrical service grid to transmit integrated media services. With respect to the systems analyzed by this reviewer so far, these proposals appear to either ignore or cavalierly dismiss the obvious structural problems of efficiency and security.

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The ECB is Wisconsin’s only representative agency; its board members represent the governor, the legislature, private citizens, K-12 schools, the University of Wisconsin and both public and private K-12 colleges. Although its budget is tiny, its successful past management of broadcast systems is envied by State agencies and departments that are not accountable to Wisconsin’s citizens.

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Wisconsin is preparing to give up most of its 33 wireless channels to certain selected (read: politically connected) vendors. These ireplaceable FCC-licensed frequencies were originally designated for use by schools and colleges to facilitate distance education applications. Many educational professionals (including yours truely) believe such an unconditional “sale” is not wise, because the educational institutions would end up contracting with these same  vendors to “buy back” their own wireless capacity when their students and faculty need to extend the range of their “hot spots”.

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