Computer Story

This got brought up today via N-TV (German commercial news), and it's a curious IT-related story.

Around ten years ago....Windows 7 came out.  For those who aren't aware of the deal....there's typically 'support' and security enhancements with each version of Windows for roughly ten years.  So last week (14 Jan 2020)....Microsoft came to a conclusion on supporting Windows 7.  No more updates.

Now for most folks, the way this works.....you go out and buy your most modern version of Microsoft and check if your PC can 'run' it.  A PC or laptop that is six years old.....might be able to marginally run the latest and greatest.  Beyond that....it probably won't be able to handle it. 

So the Green Party stood up in the Bundestag and asked the question.....has the German federal government gone to the next version.  It's a logical question.

Right now, the government admits that 33,000 computers are still using the old Microsoft 7 software. 

But in the midst of the update....they admitted that five of the fourteen ministries....aren't listed.  Reasons?  That was left blank.

One central group working for the German government to buy the necessary licenses and enforce standards across the entire government?  No, that was another criticism of the Green Party over the way that things work.

I am reminded of a personal criticism that I had from twenty years ago.  In the US....in the late 1990s....various state agencies (car tags, licenses, etc)....all had computers and data-sets.  Germany?  It wasn't until 2008 that they finally delivered computers to the car tag offices of each 'county'.  Curiously, as they delivered the computers and printers.....they moved the normal clerks (all over the age of forty-five) out, and into offices where no computers were required.  In came the young crowd.....all 18 to 22 years old.  Professional and friendly (unlike the older crowd who I typically had to do business with).....I asked why the change occurred, and the response was that the older folks couldn't grasp the hardware and software (that was the response from the 18-year-old German gal).

The Greens may have a point here and it might be a good business practice to hire one central authority to provide support in each city for all agency operations.  But getting them all to agree to this?  Forget it.