Apple Gaining Acceptance in Government?

[MacRumors]

MacWorld.co.uk reports that Linux and Mac OS X have been added to the list of computer platforms officially supported by the US Federal Government.

The document ultimately referenced is version 1.1 of The Technical Reference Model (TRM) (PDF).

 

[arn]

Page 2'd because... I'm not familiar with this document... nor the implications.

Is this is broad an implication as implied in MacWorld.co.uk?

I skimmed through the document, but it wasn't clear to me. Is there anyone with more familiar knowledge about this to be able to explain it's impact?

arn

 

[KershMan]

This is a good start for OS X to break into the Government. However, the really big item to watch out for is if OS X gets certified under the Common Criteria. Especially if it is certified at Level 3 or higher.

IBM in conjunction with SuSE just had collaborated to have an IBM Server with SuSE certified under the Common Criteria. Red Hat is working with Oracle to certify the Red Hat server version with Oracle 9i. These are huge steps because Common Criteria certifies a particular level of security that the systems maintain.

This is big because the Government is not supposed to buy commercial products like operating systems, firewalls, etc. that ARE NOT on the Common Criteria approved list.

The TRM is a good step because it shows OS X has the technical merit to make the ref model, but the real step is to get the security evaluation and certification. Then it *could* be adopted in mass.

 

[10 Goto 10]

Hmm, doesn't this sound too much like " Dan Quayle, slowly gaining acceptance" to anyone else? And we know how that worked out.

 

[Rustus Maximus]

Come on now...Mac OSX is waaaaay more user-friendly than Danny boy. At least my Apple knows where Phoenix is .

I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix. -- Dan Quayle

 

[Scott Smith]

Some macs are already there

I worked for NASA over the summer (still in school), and there were many macs already in use. In fact I went to several labs where there was not a single Windows computer there, just Macs and other Unix variants. Additionally, almost all of the portables where macs, and this would apply to the scientists, engineers, business, etc.
My boss was telling me a story of using Performas in the early 90s, for networking and other stuff, and currently uses a cube.

Maybe this document pertains to other departments of the government, but I had a friend working for R&D in DoD. He can't tell me much, except that there are lots of macs in his department.

I biggest area macs were laking from my experience is similar to industry, in business and management.

 

[MrMacMan]

Eh, they also put Linux.

They say it has interoperating abalities with microsoft products... yay, they got it right.

I doubt it means much of anything, but oh well, still good to know.

 

[Powerbook G5]

It can only be a good thing. If it makes the list, it shows the Mac OS X is a secure and powerful choice for them to rely on for their possible purchase.

 

[Phil Of Mac]

Originally posted by KershMan
IBM in conjunction with SuSE just had collaborated to have an IBM Server with SuSE certified under the Common Criteria. Red Hat is working with Oracle to certify the Red Hat server version with Oracle 9i. These are huge steps because Common Criteria certifies a particular level of security that the systems maintain.

Wait...is Windows XP certified under the Common Criteria? And for god's sakes, why?

That's the government for you.

 

[Powerbook G5]

Originally posted by Phil Of Mac
Wait...is Windows XP certified under the Common Criteria? And for god's sakes, why?

That's the government for you.

Scary, isn't it? Even more so that the Department of Homeland Security decided that Microsoft was the answer to their needs...

 

[Mudbug]

anyone else find it a little odd that this story was found on Macworld.co._UK_ instead of a publication from the North American side of the pond? Why would the British version of an American magazine have dibbs on info about an American something-or-other? Probably just me - just caught my eye as odd, that's all...

 

[KCK]

Last week I was listening to the radio and they had an hour on computers. A lady called up to ask a question. This lady was a Mac user who is starting a small business. She had just been to a class taught by the Small Business Administration. In the SBA class she was told that she would have to get rid of her Mac and get a PC. The person running the SBA class claimed that all business used PCs and that Quickbooks wasn't supported on Mac. Luckily the computer expert on the radio corrected these "facts" being put out by this SBA class.

 

[Powerbook G5]

If I recall, Quickbooks is pre-installed on PowerBooks, isn't it? Well, my computer teacher last year insisted that Microsoft didn't make Word for the Mac and that in order to continue, I had to use a PC in order to get any work done.

 

[PowerBook User]

Originally posted by Powerbook G5
Scary, isn't it? Even more so that the Department of Homeland Security decided that Microsoft was the answer to their needs...

That is scary. They make it sound like Windows is more secure than Mac OS.

 

[Powerbook G5]

If I recall, Quickbooks is pre-installed on PowerBooks, isn't it? Well, my computer teacher last year insisted that Microsoft didn't make Word for the Mac and that in order to continue, I had to use a PC in order to get any work done.

 

[MasterMac]

Originally posted by Powerbook G5
If I recall, Quickbooks is pre-installed on PowerBooks, isn't it? Well, my computer teacher last year insisted that Microsoft didn't make Word for the Mac and that in order to continue, I had to use a PC in order to get any work done.

Double post?

 

[mmmdreg]

Someone mentioned NASA. Do they use OSX or are they like those dodgy schools that use <OSX still?

 

[Steven1621]

with the recent worms and the usual windows flaws, it makes one wonder why the government would use windows at all. certainly other os's have a better reputation for safety and security.

 

[Mac Dummy]

Hey, maybe now NASA will stop using Windows NT aboard the International Space Station!

 

[timman]

This is really nothing new, the US Federal Government has used Macs in various areas since the mid 80's. There are pockets that use Macs strictly for DTP and art and then there are agencies that have historically used many OS's (like NASA). I work for a major subcontractor to NASA in Houston. NASA has HISTORICALLY used Macs and UNIX boxes quite a bit (however, these OS's are NOT the majority). I would think that the Apple's sales job to NASA should be a little easier these days, OSX is a great consolidator... you don't need two boxes anymore, your UNIX box (OSX) can now run Powerpoint, Excel and Word.

Steve

 

[SiliconAddict]

Why any government would use anything outside of *nix is beyond me. They have zero control over the code and zero abilities to fix a problem if found. In order of use I would say:

*nix
OSX
Amiga OS
DOS
Paper
a runner from point A to B
Anything else??!?!?!
.
.
.
Windows XP

I'd consider it criminally stupid to use windows in a federal facility. Criminal in that if data gets compromised by a hacker/cracker the person who decided to use Windows should be thrown in jail for treason J/K Well sort of. If nothing they should be out of a job.
I thought I had read somewhere that the NSA has their own custom roll of BSD they use. Complete control over your OS from top to bottom. That is why many governments are going open source. The US gov isn’t because they are the pinnacle of MS whoredom. I mean you HAVE to be licking Bill’s backside if the Department of Homeland Insecurity issues a warning about Blaster
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/08/20030814.html
and it doesn’t give people serious pause for thought.

 

[rt_brained]

If I were the head of any government organization that decided to use Macs exclusively, I'd probably wish to keep the news quiet.

So while everyone else's computers are being attacked, my department goes about it's day-to-day business (as the Mac community does) stable, dependable and virtually untouched by outside intrusion.

There are probably a lot more departments testing or adding Macs than we think.

 

[10 Goto 10]

What was that sound I heard? The Apple Firewall being built

Imagine being a Fed purchasing Macs for the first time. Imagine that you have to spend your funds in the next few days or you'll lose the money forever. Imagine having your shipment yanked from under your nose today after planning to test the unit all next week. Imagine your superior advising that anyone buying Apple was a fool. Don't imagine anyone being dumb enough to order a mac anytime soon.

Happened to a friend today. Trust him to never be Jobs's b*tch again. This cancelation right around the end of the fiscal federal year was profoundly stupid and will make Mac promotion in the Gov't even more difficult.

 

[szark]

Originally posted by SiliconAddict
I thought I had read somewhere that the NSA has their own custom roll of BSD they use.

Actually, it's a version of Linux, and you can download it here.

 

[coolsoldier]

Re: What was that sound I heard? The Apple Firewall being built

Originally posted by 10 Goto 10
Imagine being a Fed purchasing Macs for the first time. Imagine that you have to spend your funds in the next few days or you'll lose the money forever. Imagine having your shipment yanked from under your nose today after planning to test the unit all next week. Imagine your superior advising that anyone buying Apple was a fool. Don't imagine anyone being dumb enough to order a mac anytime soon.

Happened to a friend today. Trust him to never be Jobs's b*tch again. This cancelation right around the end of the fiscal federal year was profoundly stupid and will make Mac promotion in the Gov't even more difficult.

I'd have to agree that apple needs to be more reliable with their shipments before they can expect to gain any ground in government or business.