BusinessAndWar

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From the New York Times, September 29 2000:

: The [Global Information Grid], the outlines of which are still being shaped, aims to provide "a seamless, secure, end-to-end environment for both war-fighting and business applications," Money said in a speech this month.

For more context:

: The ultra-secretive U.S. National Security Agency, an arm of the Pentagon, said in June that it planned to turn to the private sector for the overhaul of most of its non-spying support technology in what could be a 10-year contract valued at up to $5 billion.involved in war-fighting and intelligence collection in a vast new architecture it calls the Global Information Grid, or GIG.

: [Yes, the NYT web site has "billion.involved" exactly as you see it. Sigh...]

I'm curious as to the nature of the business applications alluded to. Apart from that reference, this doesn't sound different from the systems integration and IS services that defense contractors such as LockheedMartin? (cf. [1], [2]) already provide for our government as well as private firms. -- anon.

: Agreed that this isn't too uncommon, and it's not a bad idea. Many of the requirements of war-fighting and business are similar, and could be met with similar products. The idea of a "seamless ... end-to-end environment" including both war and business brought up some amusing images, however:

Support operator:: "GIG technical support, how may we help you?"
Customer:: "Ummm... I was using the GIG All-In-One-Click(tm) ordering tools and my mouse slipped. Is there any way to cancel an order?"
Support operator:: "No, just try to be more careful in the future."
Customer:: "Oops. I think I just ordered the bombing of Paris."

--CliffordAdams

I've always maintained the 'net reduces to a set of p-words = { pornography, piracy, Pentagon, programming, profanity, profit, people }. -- SunirShah

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