Reply From: Matthew Patton <patton@sysnet.net>
Sounds like a lot of sour grapes. Typical of firms who prostrate
themselves at the feet of the feds and sue and countersue if they didn't
get their enormously lucrative contract. Heck, why compete in the real
business world when you have the whole range of readily dupped gov't
offices to cater to? And his audience with C3I is probably not going to
do him much good. His rant will be heard and after a minor flurry of
activity (if that) will be summarily dismissed and henceforth ignored. I
have dealt with C3I reps, even at high levels and read the constant BS
that spews forth from the directives and the degree of clulessness is
amazing. Those who read this list probably scoff at the whole C2 rating
nonsense anyway.
The pheds don't need a C2 OS. They need properly trained, intelligent
system operators and administrators to run their networks. Such
individuals are in very short supply, especially among the ranks of gov't
employees as well as the various beltway bandit corporations. Oh sure,
they may have a MSCSE but as many of you can attest that doesn't mean
squat. "C2" is nothing more than a checkbox and a warm blanket of false
security. It is the ultimate cop out. "we use a C2 OS ==> secure. QED" I
can point to many NT and unix installations with nominal C2 credentials
that will give root or it's equivalent in short order.
Maybe Compaq is bankrolling this guy. Afterall, they are poised to make a
ton of money selling "truly certified systems" to federal procurement
agents. They own Digital too.
As to MS's misrepresentation of their evaulation, I have to say that every
high to mid-level decision maker I've come across in the Pentagon believes
in their heart that MS is C2 (even networked). To be informed to the
contrary was a genuine shock to them. Someone has definately been playing
loose with the facts.
-o-
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Received on Thu Oct 15 08:17:52 1998