UK.gov awards managed services deal to lucky dozen Buying Solutions has announced that it has awarded a two-year IT managed services framework agreement to 12 suppliers. The government procurement agency said the contract, which includes the management of servers, PCs and laptops, is now live at public sector and associated organisations. "This framework agreement caters for …
At work - public sector body - last month we ordered and recieved a load of laptops. Took about a day for the people who got them to work out why they couldn't get on the wireless - the laptops did not have wireless cards. I overheard the manager shouting down the phone to the supplier "Its 2010, I didn't know you had to specify you wanted wireless. I didn't know you could *get* laptops with no wireless these days"
I am saddened to note the bastard supplier is on this list.
Sorry but thats the managers fault not the suppliers ESPECIALLY in a government environment (where wireless may be prohibited by design).
What is and isnt to be expected?, CD/DVD writer (think external drives on some), Blueray, firewire, how about external USB ports (we dont have those at work for a reason)
How about mobile phones, most have cameras, but thats a pain in some secure sites where you are lot allowed to take a camera on site.
This is absolutely right and the standard spec for most government departments specifically has no wireless, bluetooth or infra red, mainly because these services are as leaky as a cracked sieve.
Perhaps if the idiot had ordered the laptops via his IT department and actually stated what they would be used for, he might have got what he wanted.
In any case, this article is about SERVICES not hardware and software procurement.
Cameron will soon deprive public sector workers of sexy wireless laptops, dumb terminals much cheaper to implement and manage. Cloud will do for all other mobile/home access.
All the IT services giants and vendors are busy canvassing Whitehall as we type. They'd far rather not sell lappies at 1-2$ margin and concentrate on bigger infrastructre and managed service offerings.
I wouldn't complain tooo much ;-)
Change is a comin' - and it wont include Facebook, Twatter and hours of browsing for public servants.
Heavens to Betsy. I wouldn't have thought that it was unreasonable to assume a fundamental level of connectivity that comes as standard on a £250 netbook...
I'm guessing the list price of this taxpayer-funded hardware was EXTREMELY reasonable though. I'm right, aren't I? Of course I am. I'm sure you wouldn't have had to pay over-the-odds to order custom laptop hardware with the by-now-standard hardware spec trimmed down. That's be batshit crazy, wouldn't it?
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
