Please Mr. Gates, Take Your Time
By Scott R. Cooper, Crook County Judge
This column originally appeared in the Central Oregonian of April 2006
This column originally appeared in the Central Oregonian of April 2006
Upgrading Software Is Stretching County Capacity And Patience
I read in the newspaper the other day that Microsoft has delayed the release of its new software operating system because of technical problems. Frankly, I’m relieved.
For those who aren’t technically savvy, the operating system is the “guts” of a computer. It makes all the other parts work together. Periodically, Microsoft releases new versions of operating systems to help our computers work more efficiently.
As we demand more and more of our computers, the old systems aren’t powerful enough to make the computer work efficiently. Software is a dynamic thing. Each time a new package is put on the computer, all sorts of unexpected things happen with the software which is already there. Microsoft continuously upgrades its systems with “repair kits” developed mostly by Microsoft, to fix the problems that Microsoft created. You have to use them or else the whole system quits will eventually lock up and quit working. Then you’ll get to buy them, like it or not.
Eventually, when Microsoft starts “repairing the repairs” it releases a brand-new operating system and forces everybody to buy it by not supporting the old system with any more repairs.
This is good for Bill Gates and Microsoft. This is not so good for Crook County and the rest of us who buy Bill Gates’ products.
This is on my mind this month because Crook County has spent a great deal of time lately dealing with computer issues. While there isn’t a particularly “political” dimension to this activity, it is important because the efficiency of our computers and the proficiency of our staff in using them determines how well we can serve the public. But because most of us aren’t 17 and weren’t born with a keyboard attached to our thumbs, we’re honestly dreading Mr. Gates’s new operating system and all the challenges it will bring.
For the past year, the county has been working through changeover of its major computer systems.
The Treasurer’s office is switching from one accounting/payroll package to another. This was not a voluntary decision. The company which has maintained our current program for 15-plus years is going out of business. Next time we call for repairs, there isn’t going to be anybody to answer the phone. Thus, we’re switching, which wouldn’t be so bad if the airplane didn’t have to keep flying while we swap out the engines!
The same company which supports the treasurer’s software also supports the tax and assessment software used by Crook County. Since assessing and collecting taxes is central to what we do at the county, the software used by the assessor and tax collector also has to be changed out. Unfortunately, you can’t just run down to BiMart and buy a new software program to calculate Oregon property taxes. Oregon’s 36 counties are the only potential users of that program, and that market is way to small to interest TurboTax or Bill Gates. Thus, the county has to invest in expensive and customized software packages to keep the tax system running.
You would think that given the importance of the taxing system to fund vital systems, the state’s lead tax agency, the Department of Revenue, would take the lead on helping counties find and fund a common and appropriate tax software package. For whatever reason, they don’t, and in any case, another department’s experience has shown that asking for state help can be a two-edged sword. Sometimes help is worse than just doing it yourself.
The clerk’s office is also in the middle of a massive changeover of its elections system as it uploads data to the Oregon Centralized Voter Registration System. The concept of this is simple. When completed, the Oregon secretary of state will maintain a database of voters statewide. That computer in turn will link to a federal database. As people vote, the fact that they have already voted will be noted (although who they voted for remains secret) and concerns about people voting twice will be eliminated.
Sounds good, but it is fraught with challenges. Because each state and each county make their own decisions about voting systems, voting machines and voting software, making all the pieces work together has been a challenge to say the least. Its one thing, to say, “We need a new system. Make it happen!” It’s quite another to actually put it together, especially considering that their is an election May 16, and the thing has to work. There have been a lot of late nights and a lot of overnights in Salem poured into the centralized voter registration system by the county clerk and her staff for the past six months. We’ll soon see if everything works as expected.
As if all this weren’t enough to worry about, the County Court last year launched a program to upgrade desktop computer systems and operating systems countywide. Using the proceeds of a one-time property sale, the county is replacing outdated computers and software that individual employees use daily to write reports, calculate budgets, accept payments, write checks, process email and all the other functions of a government. With new technology, some of our old machines won’t support new generations of software. In addition, the county currently has to maintain four different versions of individual pieces of software in order to match the software to the operating system. A single standard machine and standard operating system greatly reduces the complexity of maintaining the system and providing training. It also ensure that county staff are able to communicate efficiently with constituents, vendors and other local, state and federal agencies. There hasn’t been a general update of this type in the county for five years, so the time has come.
This is important, if incredibly boring work. It isn’t the stuff of the front page, but once completed, these upgrades will assist the county in remaining responsive to citizens, ensuring accuracy, getting work done, improving efficiency, holding down costs involved with hiring additional employees and contracting out work. All this sounds like the stuff you want your elected officials to worry about. And we are, and ever so slowly, with excruciatingly uninteresting conversations, we’re getting the job done throughout Crook County.
Meanwhile, here’s a message for Mr. Gates and Microsoft: Take your time releasing that new operating system. We’re plenty busy already.
For those who aren’t technically savvy, the operating system is the “guts” of a computer. It makes all the other parts work together. Periodically, Microsoft releases new versions of operating systems to help our computers work more efficiently.
As we demand more and more of our computers, the old systems aren’t powerful enough to make the computer work efficiently. Software is a dynamic thing. Each time a new package is put on the computer, all sorts of unexpected things happen with the software which is already there. Microsoft continuously upgrades its systems with “repair kits” developed mostly by Microsoft, to fix the problems that Microsoft created. You have to use them or else the whole system quits will eventually lock up and quit working. Then you’ll get to buy them, like it or not.
Eventually, when Microsoft starts “repairing the repairs” it releases a brand-new operating system and forces everybody to buy it by not supporting the old system with any more repairs.
This is good for Bill Gates and Microsoft. This is not so good for Crook County and the rest of us who buy Bill Gates’ products.
This is on my mind this month because Crook County has spent a great deal of time lately dealing with computer issues. While there isn’t a particularly “political” dimension to this activity, it is important because the efficiency of our computers and the proficiency of our staff in using them determines how well we can serve the public. But because most of us aren’t 17 and weren’t born with a keyboard attached to our thumbs, we’re honestly dreading Mr. Gates’s new operating system and all the challenges it will bring.
For the past year, the county has been working through changeover of its major computer systems.
The Treasurer’s office is switching from one accounting/payroll package to another. This was not a voluntary decision. The company which has maintained our current program for 15-plus years is going out of business. Next time we call for repairs, there isn’t going to be anybody to answer the phone. Thus, we’re switching, which wouldn’t be so bad if the airplane didn’t have to keep flying while we swap out the engines!
The same company which supports the treasurer’s software also supports the tax and assessment software used by Crook County. Since assessing and collecting taxes is central to what we do at the county, the software used by the assessor and tax collector also has to be changed out. Unfortunately, you can’t just run down to BiMart and buy a new software program to calculate Oregon property taxes. Oregon’s 36 counties are the only potential users of that program, and that market is way to small to interest TurboTax or Bill Gates. Thus, the county has to invest in expensive and customized software packages to keep the tax system running.
You would think that given the importance of the taxing system to fund vital systems, the state’s lead tax agency, the Department of Revenue, would take the lead on helping counties find and fund a common and appropriate tax software package. For whatever reason, they don’t, and in any case, another department’s experience has shown that asking for state help can be a two-edged sword. Sometimes help is worse than just doing it yourself.
The clerk’s office is also in the middle of a massive changeover of its elections system as it uploads data to the Oregon Centralized Voter Registration System. The concept of this is simple. When completed, the Oregon secretary of state will maintain a database of voters statewide. That computer in turn will link to a federal database. As people vote, the fact that they have already voted will be noted (although who they voted for remains secret) and concerns about people voting twice will be eliminated.
Sounds good, but it is fraught with challenges. Because each state and each county make their own decisions about voting systems, voting machines and voting software, making all the pieces work together has been a challenge to say the least. Its one thing, to say, “We need a new system. Make it happen!” It’s quite another to actually put it together, especially considering that their is an election May 16, and the thing has to work. There have been a lot of late nights and a lot of overnights in Salem poured into the centralized voter registration system by the county clerk and her staff for the past six months. We’ll soon see if everything works as expected.
As if all this weren’t enough to worry about, the County Court last year launched a program to upgrade desktop computer systems and operating systems countywide. Using the proceeds of a one-time property sale, the county is replacing outdated computers and software that individual employees use daily to write reports, calculate budgets, accept payments, write checks, process email and all the other functions of a government. With new technology, some of our old machines won’t support new generations of software. In addition, the county currently has to maintain four different versions of individual pieces of software in order to match the software to the operating system. A single standard machine and standard operating system greatly reduces the complexity of maintaining the system and providing training. It also ensure that county staff are able to communicate efficiently with constituents, vendors and other local, state and federal agencies. There hasn’t been a general update of this type in the county for five years, so the time has come.
This is important, if incredibly boring work. It isn’t the stuff of the front page, but once completed, these upgrades will assist the county in remaining responsive to citizens, ensuring accuracy, getting work done, improving efficiency, holding down costs involved with hiring additional employees and contracting out work. All this sounds like the stuff you want your elected officials to worry about. And we are, and ever so slowly, with excruciatingly uninteresting conversations, we’re getting the job done throughout Crook County.
Meanwhile, here’s a message for Mr. Gates and Microsoft: Take your time releasing that new operating system. We’re plenty busy already.
Labels: Upgrading Software Is Stretching County Capacity And Patience
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