is this still an EDS system? surely not another EDS system gone tits up...

I remember from my dole-scrounging days that my fortnightly visits to the Job Centre could be a major chore due to bad data. Old adverts, out of date information, poor keywords and abysmal regional mapping all made the visit an hour-long nightmare. Unless I was interviewed by the nice hippy chick. Unlike the evil old battleaxe, she would allow a cursory check of the list and a swift stamp of the book.

I've seen that job centre IT system (as I'm sure many have) and to be honest it does look like a bag of turds, but I have to object: people are always very quick to say that legacy IT systems make their lives more difficult, not easier - are they really saying they think they'd be better off with a pen and paper system!?

Oh - and re the question about donations and whether the government's continued use of EDS and friends is stupidity or corruption, see practically any issue of Private Eye over the past few years... See also Arriva, Capita, Reliance, etc., etc.

EDS did in fact have the initial contract, however die to many reasons (shit work perhaps ?) IBM Global took over the project. EDS controlled infrastructure (desks pc ...) and IBM the programming. A true mess...

Ha, what a load of shit. A little while ago, myself and my partner (who has said mentioned mental health issues, in particular a pathological fear of speaking to people on the phone) had to sort out her sickness benefits etc. for the upteenth time so we went down the JobCentre. Only to be told:

"No, sorry, we can't deal with this. Need to go home and phone this number. They'll then probably want you to bring us some documents, evidence etc.".

I was like,

"Noooo, my partner can't use the phone, had a breakdown over weird people stalking her on the phone. Can we speak to one of your (totally unoccupied; they were playing paper-planes!!) advisors please?"

"Naw, sorry, we're not allowed to talk to you (?!!)" JobDroid replies

"Well can we sit with an advisor and use their phone, so they can talk me through it and save us another (traumatizing) trip here)?" I plead. By this point my missus is beginning to go into a panic attack, as she often has with this hell-hole, drug-addled scum watching on, usually makes her a bit panicky. Doesn't help they keep the place an even 35 degrees C to keep people "docile". Makes her (and me) worse.

"Look, I've already told you what to do, now go away or I shall call security!" the JobDroid counters!

"Erm...excuse me, you're supposed to be here to help me (at my most sickeningly polite and sweetest). I don't like your attitude, please fetch you Manager"

"But but.."

"NOW!". Manager is duly summoned, by this point the missus is barely containing a panic attack. Junkies are starting to look on in interest, hoping for a fight to relieve their morning pre-smack boredom. Security bloke is knuckling over in the hopes of having to "break up a disturbance" (aka crack some skulls).

"Yes.....sir. What seems to be the problem?" (obviously my existence)

I explain the problem.

"Ah. Sorry, we're not liking it much either, we;re not even allowed to phone (?????!!!!) other JobCentre's. All has to go via e-mail" (WTF?? Seriously? In 100 years we've gone from telegraph to telephone to IM & Video Chat, but the Job Centre's gone back to written only!!)

"That's nice, but how do we resolve our problem here? My partner cannot use the phone. Can I phone on her behalf?"

"Nope, has to be her for security purposes."

"What if she grants me full executor privileges?"

"Nope, has to be her".

At that we leave the JunkiePit (as the staff affectionally title the shop floor) to go home. I tried phoning up, explaining the situation and having the missus briefly confirm I am who I said I am. No dice. They insist on talking with her only. We reluctantly submit. Panic attacks follow every phone calls, thanks for that! We are assured once they have a copy of my documents all will be fixed. Duly delivered to the JC the next day. Three or Four days pass and we again phone to see what's the hold up. Apparently they never received the papers. I can't have taken them in yet (I have a receipt in my hand. I've played this game before). We go through all this again. Twice more. Still no dice. They even started refusing to do anything just saying "We'll phone you back later". Yeah right.

A week later, we go see our MP, the venerable David Cairns (who is not, contrary to local opinion so slimy that if he were thrown in the sea Greenpeace would have to come clean all the birdies). Surprisngly he agrees that this is "not on". He sends an official letter and protest to the JobCentre, which has clearly had the effect of oil in a goose (merely a coincidence I'm sure) on the staff. When we go in again a couple of days later, we get shown into a private office (virtually unheard of since that JobDroid got mugged by a smackhead a year or two ago), and have the situation dealt with on the spot, taking no more than 10 minutes, as it would have if they'd just seen us to start with 4 weeks previously. All fixed. Only took 4 weeks, 10+ phone calls, 5 visits to the JC, an MP's letter and my missus crying at them to get it fixed. What was so hard? They needed to change her details/entitlement since I was now student. One piece of paper.

Nice.

My understanding is that there is over £200 million quids worth of new kit which they bought and paid for over 2 years ago but which they have been unable to install because they forgot to specify that the monitors on the frontline MUST be attached to secure fixed stands to prevent them being a) used as weapons and b)stolen. They had already spent their budget so they couldn't afford to buy the stands...

Well I've just written a 500 word rant on the JCP IT systems and processes & EDC along with defending the people being spat at by addicts & unemployed teachers for fourteen grand a year on the front line at Job Centres. I then thought about the sweep possible of all staff who read the register and I'd be out on my ear, and there are non of these average £24,000 jobs where I live, its all minimum wage, I've looked.

I work for an ousourcing firm (Not EDS), and all my dealings with local or national government tend to be the same. They don't actually know what they want from a project and when the supplier delivers what they asked and signed for its actually completely different to there actual requirements and not fit for purpose.

The problem is that the person spending our money we've paid in tax doesn't have a clue about what the requirements are or the technology that is available to them. They all tend to be jobs for the boys merchants that don't actually have a clue what front line staff actually do.

I'm not saying that the out sourcing firms a perfect, but surely before everyone slags them off people should look at both sides of the argument.