Related link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/09/AR2005090901866.…
Wash post article on the DC school computing debacle. Sounds like the DC Schools CIO has decided to start blaming Apache 2.0 on Windows instead of fixing what is most likely a poorly designed system. If you are familiar with the technology, you know that the following paragraph is a common “cover your a**”, “grabbing for any excuse instead of admitting incompetence” trick. Read on for some good quotes…
Dang! Oracle and Microsoft? DC schools must be paying a hefty price for this chance at failure.
“In fact, through our research the last few days, we have found an advisory on the Apache website that states, ‘Please note that at this time, Windows support is entirely experimental and is recommended only for experienced users.’ The Apache Group does not guarantee that the software will work as documented or even at all.” - D.C. schools Chief Information Officer Gregory Barlow
The DC school system paid a whole gaggle of expensive consultants to implement some “enterprise architecture”, and they’ve decided to blame Apache on Windows as the cause of performance problems…. That’s a good one. I wonder how much DC paid for this? My guess is in the many, many millions.
Comments on Slashdot are interesting :-)
“In my experience it is more often bad management that causes problems, regardless of the underlying technology (good or bad).” - AnonymousCoward
“Through our RESEARCH”? Heh, some research. The last time I installed Apache for Windows, is said that Windows support was limited in both the README file and the online documentation page. If this incompetent IT staff can’t read the damn README file before installing a product they’re unfamiliar with, I have no idea how they’re going to handle an operating system transition.” - leonbev
“How much time and money did they spend on a system without, apparently, having first determined if the various bits would play nicely together? How did they manage to get to the point of going live without testing? Why did the CIO discover fundamental issues only after system failures? Just who are these folks and why do they still have jobs?” - oldenuf2knowbetter
Advice to DC schools: fire IT management, hire a bunch of smart dudes, install ruby, rewrite project in a two months, spend the rest of the money on books. Maybe that’s oversimplifying?
Right. Since when did we start calling government employees “Chief Information Officer” of “Chief Anything” for that matter? Can’t we go back to calling our public servants by less corporate sounding monkiers?
Re:
through our research the last few days, we have found an advisory on the Apache website
This is some kind of joke, right?
First, that notice used to be the first thing in the Apache 1.3 manual’s Windows chapter. How did they manage to spend days looking for it if it was applicable to their installation?!
Second, it does not apply to the Apache 2.x family, which is designed with support for non-Unix systems built right in and runs natively under Windows.
Sounds like the can afford some pretty good stuff to smoke with salaries like theirs.
The Apache Group does not guarantee that the software will work as documented or even at all.
Has this guy read the EULA for any Microsoft product?
Noone ever guarantees that their software “will work as documented or even at all” – particularly when they take money for it.
This article sucks!
I'm confused. It sounds like this article is saying that bad management is the cause, yet the Slashdot comments you posted stress the problems of running Apache on Windows as the problem.
If you can't write an op-ed piece that clearly states your opinion, help us all out and stick to playing music.
Can anyone say with any type of certainty that Apache on Windows is not that cause of the problems? Are all school IT guys idiots? Can anyone gurantee this wasn't a packaged turn-key deal from another vendor? Do some investigation before assuming whose to blame!
Read the post
The Post article clearly states that Barlow epiphany is that Apache supprt on Windows is experimental. My point is that it shouldn't take taxpayer money for people to realize this. Even if it was Apache on Windows (which is unlikely), for someone to admit that they hadn't done the due diligence to figure this out beforehand should be evidence enough of incompetence and mismanagement.
Read the post
I did read the actual article. Although my spelling in my first post sucked equally as bad as this article, it's not an opinion article. I'll rant all day about my opinion as long as I have at least ONE solid fact to build that opinion against. I don't see that here? The referred article doesn't even mention what exact the cause is.
It's possible that the IT manager may have been saying that he knew it wasn't going to work, but got overruled in the final decision. I can verify that is very common in business. To me he's using the Apache on Windows disclaimer to make the same point we are making. He may be thinking "It says right here it's not going to work", the the "boss" bought it anyway.
Like I said, it's not a clear cut article to base this article on. This article almost appears to be a F.U.D. piece.
a little more information
Before you get too harsh, you may want to know that I have been here less than one month. I was brought in to look at such issues and make corrections as necessary. Unsupported environments in mission critical applications are usually not where you want to be. Greg Barlow
a little more information
Check my latest post, good luck, Mr. Barlow. Clean up work is the worst burden.