See our retrospective of the White House's evolving home page since 1996" data-pin-do="buttonBookmark">
WHITE HOUSE 2.0: President Barack Obama's motto "Change" extends to the White House's Web site as well, where his team has added new features, including a blog. See our retrospective of the White House's evolving home page since 1996
Image: Courtesy of Whitehouse.gov
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It must have been quite the scene when the crew of our oh-so-techy new president, Barack Obama, reported for their first day of work at the White House to discover "a jumble of disconnected phone lines, old computer software, and security regulations forbidding outside e-mail accounts" as The Washington Post reports today. Among other remnants of the past: The aides, who the Post says are accustomed to working on Apple Macs, instead found themselves using PCs running six-year-old versions of Microsoft software. Meanwhile, there are reportedly only enough laptops for a small number of West Wing staffers.
The White House Web site was apparently put on the back burner as Obama's staff adjusted to their first day in their new offices. The site, according to the Post, still said "The president has not yet issued any executive orders," hours after Obama had issued executive orders to tighten ethics rules, loosen Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) guidelines, and freeze the salaries of White House staff who earn more than $100,000. But the new West Wing whizzes didn't neglect it for long—the site was updated by last night.
Slide Show: The evolution of the White House Web site since 1996.
Wireless access will likely be an essential, although somewhat complicated, component of the Obama White House, given the Presidential Records Act (PRA) of 1978. Amended several times since, it requires that all presidential records (including e-mail and text messages) be preserved unless the National Archives and Records Administration gives its okay to scrap them.
As the Web site Engadget pointed out today, it's still unclear exactly which wireless device Obama will use now that he's in the Oval Office. The new president's well-documented affinity for his BlackBerry as well as his staff's relentless use of the Internet throughout his long campaign all but ensure that he'll use some sort of smart phone, even if it has to be modified to make it secure enough for a president. Obama's wireless devices are likely to provide a microcosm of the debate over how the need to secure information can run contrary to one's desire for privacy.
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7 Comments
Add CommentWow dude that is like so cool!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisRT
www.privacy-tools.net.tc
That is very interesting. The way it has changed over the years. That is evolution I can believe in, or is it intelligent design?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI did a Netcraft on the Whitehouse.gov site and it says running Linux, however, it's being hosted via Akami, so that doesn't tell me what the actual site is built on. I'd like to know. In today's 21st century world, I'm hoping BHO will be using open source and linux technologies, to save the taxpayer money and promote fairness rather than special interests.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOne of the more intriguing aspects of the article relates to how the President must view the technologically archaic White House he has entered. Sadly, many individuals do not have access to good, user-friendly technology. There are still areas of the US that don't even have Internet availability, or have impossibly slow satellite-only options. This is not acceptable in our tech-heavy society. Knowledge is power and the base of knowledge is information. That information needs to be accessible to all.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisA nit:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe 1996 "capture" shows user interface elements from MacOS X, which didn't get released until later. So a 1996 netizen wouldn't have seen the page quite that way. (You're taking away from the "retro" experience. ;-)
I'm told we should rename it to the GARTH HOUSE for
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe House of God and Earth, has my vote!
I am told we should rename it to the "THE GARTH HOUSE" AZ THE HOUSE OF GOD & EARTH, has my vote!
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