XML how-to: First of all, never cross your authors
Agencies that don't already have an Extensible Markup Language evangelist should get one, advises Brand L. Niemann.Why? Because the person tapped for the job can act as a guide to the burgeoning technology, said Niemann, an Environmental Protection Agency computer scientist and member of the CIO Council's Emerging Technology Subcommittee.
ONI counts on defense-in-depth, redundancy for its nets
Absolute network integrity is vital to protect Office of Naval Intelligence operations, said George M. Barton, deputy director of ONI's Information Technology Directorate.
USDA centralizes online user ID authentication
In the last year, the Agriculture Department has connected 30 applications to a central authentication service that manages the online identities of USDA employees and customers alike.
L.A. suburb dials up VOIP, reaches cost savings
The city of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., had been using an analog voice system for 20 years, but the Los Angeles suburb had a powerful reason to upgrade. Avaya Inc. of Basking Ridge, N.J., was phasing out technical support.
Air Force tracks work online
Traditionally, the military hasn't tracked work hours. Soldiers, sailors and flyers were expected to work until the job got done.In the face of recent concerns about retention, however, the Air Force is studying the workloads of its personnel with an online data collection tool.
Treasury crafts smart software license buy
The Treasury Department plans to use savings from reduced maintenance fees on a contract for its IRS.gov portal to expand the contract and help pay for enterprisewide software licensing.
Cyber Eye: Online ballot warnings should be heeded
The Defense Department responded predictably to analysts who criticized its online voting program for U.S. citizens stationed overseas.'We don't have any intention of stopping this,' DOD spokesman Glenn Flood said. 'The only 100 percent safe solution from a security standpoint is not to do it. That is not an option.'
Army Corps wants one contract vehicle for IT services
Following guidance from the Office of Management and Budget, the Army Corps of Engineers wants to establish a single contract vehicle for almost all of its IT services, the corps' CIO said this morning.
HHS usability guidelines for Web sites
The Health and Human Services Department has produced Web design guidelines suitable for all federal Web sites.The 128-page guidebook, Research-Based Web Design and Usability Guidelines, is based on extensive studies of user-friendliness and accessibility. HHS' National Cancer Institute originally developed the guidelines to present cancer information to the public.
Site-smart
Playing pretend is a good way to make a Web site more welcoming. Specifically, designers suggest, agencies should test their sites' friendliness against realistic but fictitious user profiles.
3-D tools help Mars rovers get real
The NASA scientists studying the Mars rovers' explorations are getting help from virtual-reality research at the agency's Ames Research Center.
Navy's communications game plan calls for teamwork in the field
The military services could learn about cohesive teamwork from the New England Patriots--and the services' own Joint Task Force 519, Navy Adm. Walter F. Doran says.
Marines aim to use IT against friendly fire
Despite military successes in the Iraq war, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. James T. Conway said he's haunted by friendly fire incidents. "We're demanding a technical solution to that," he said.
Editorial Cartoon
None
Significa
Winter motorists grimly gripping their steering wheels as their cars careen across unplowed roads can take comfort from the thought that the federal government is working to ease their plight.
Another View: At OMB, green does not always mean go
OMB is making significant strides on its aggressive Federal Enterprise Architecture agenda, developing a highly structured evaluation framework to ensure that America's IT investments deliver the best value to citizens.
Livin' lean
It's that time of the year again. Washington's own bestseller, the president's budget proposal, has hit the street, to be eagerly devoured by everyone with a stake in what Uncle Sam spends.
Major programs within the Treasury Dept.
<b>Business Systems Modernization</b>. The IRS is implementing IT to modernize and integrate its business systems, including the new taxpayer database, the Customer Account Data Engine; the Integrated Financial Services system; Modernized e-file for business electronic filing; and consumer and business e-services.
Air Force tests C2 battle-planning system
The service has a new command and control tool to test for regular use as part of its arsenal for planning air battles.
Smarter cards control access at Treasury
Treasury Department employees no longer show a laminated photo identification card to Secret Service agents to enter department headquarters. Now they simply swipe a smart card through readers installed on turnstiles at the building's entrance.
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