Tech

Weekly Round-up: November 19, 2010

Gadi Ben-Yehuda Slate’s Michael Agger asks the question “How should we use data to improve our lives?” An important question for those of us clamoring for more data. Mobile apps are paving the way for city services (har har har) reports the Wall Street Journal. Interesting to see that services can be built on dataRead… Read more »

Open data is data that delivers results

I struck a nerve around open data, as I mentioned in my earlier article, when I stated that “XML is simply a markup language, a container for data. Is it one of the most preferred containers? Absolutely. However, open government data is not synonymous with XML. Open government data is simply government-owned data that canRead… Read more »

Testing the Super Duper Blog Importer Again

So my first attempt to use the new GovLoop blog importer didn’t post in full – just a couple lines and “to be continued…” I mean, who wants to read 3 lines, then get linked off? I always hated that when sitcoms started doing that – waiting a full week for the next episode inRead… Read more »

Need more proof that open government data is creating jobs? Look at BrightScope

Alex Howard shared a good story today about BrightScope, a San-Diego based company that “quantitatively rates 401k plans and gives participants, plan sponsors, asset managers, and advisors tools to make their plans better”. BrightScope has used government data to create a profitable business. Now, as Alex notes: “Here’s the key point about the founders’ fascinatingRead… Read more »

What if GovLoop Had a Super Awesome Blog Importer?

So imagine you’re sitting wherever it is you sit when you compose a blog post. You compose it and hit “Publish.” And then you say, “Bah! Now I have to cross-post it at GovLoop…which requires me to copy and paste the code, adjust the formatting…oh, wait, I’m late for a meeting!” So the blog postRead… Read more »

Daily Dose: Isn’t It Time to Tear Down Federal Buildings?

A few months back, GovLoop Community Manager Andrew Krzmarzick made an appeal to the White House: “Mr. President: Tear Down Those Walls”. In a nutshell, he suggested that those “ugly, boxy buildings…represent everything that makes government less efficient and effective” and gave 5 reasons why it’s time to tear them down. So Ed O’Keefe onlyRead… Read more »

Will Federal Budget Pressures Help or Hinder Adoption of Collaboration & Social Networking Applications?

By Dennis D. McDonald, Ph.D. Last year I published Are Federal Acquisition Practices Accelerating the Move of Government Computing to the Cloud? I wondered then if complexities in cumbersome government acquisition processes might have the unintended consequence of stimulating a move to “cloud computing” and a resulting shift in both IT infrastructure and application architectures.Read… Read more »

Code for America’s 2012 City Application Now Open.

Is your city facing a fiscal crisis? I imagine so. We are at a critical point where most local governments are not able to provide the same services they could just five years ago. And it’s not just a fiscal crisis; it’s also an identity crisis, as city residents change how they communicate, how theyRead… Read more »

The People Behind the Numbers

The 2010 CFCNCA hit the $20 million milestone! Before this blog is written, posted and read by GovLoop users, we are confident Federal employees will have rallied again to hit the 2010 goal. The power behind this machine is fueled by Federal employees who give their time, demonstrate their commitment and showcase their creativity toRead… Read more »