The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has banned its users from installing Microsoft's new Windows Vista, Office 2007 and Internet Explorer 7 software packages, saying there was no business or technical justification for the upgrades.
"Based on our initial analysis (from internal recommendations and analysis performed by Gartner Group), there appears to be no compelling technical or business case for upgrading to these new Microsoft software products," the department's chief information officer Daniel Mintz wrote in a memorandum dated 19 January, 2007.
The CIO added there were specific reasons not to upgrade to the new software. These included the cost of the move (including hardware/software costs and labour), as well as compatibility concerns between Office 2007 and previous versions, primarily revolving around Microsoft Word.
Also, Mintz noted available funding was limited, and IT staff had already committed their time to the pending move of DOT's headquarters to a new building.
Mintz will issue a follow-up memorandum within 180 days from 19 January that would articulate his department's strategic desktop and laptop technology roadmap.
DOT is a large department within the US government responsible for the country's transportation networks, including railway, aviation, road and maritime transport. It has around 55,000 staff.
This is good news. There is no reason anyone's hard earned tax dollars should be spent on Vista or buy the 'privilege' to be controlled. This goes for business too.