The governor recently announced plans to create a new charter agency, Consolidated Technology Services (CTS), which would handle the procurement of state technology services from outside entities. Currently, the state uses the Department of Information Services (DIS) to provide information technology (IT) services to state agencies. This plan is expected to save the state $32 million over four years out of a total spending of close to one billion for IT infrastructure. read more »

West Sound Technology Association (WSTA) is celebrating its tenth year. There are a lot of things to be happy about — great members, hardworking leaders, support from the community, outstanding educational programs, and fun networking events. Initially formed to help local technology professionals provide awareness of local resources and networking opportunities, our mission expanded quickly because of the vital role technology plays in supporting our economy. Technology provides high-wage; environmentally friendly jobs and by promoting efficiency helps all sectors of the economy. read more »

The economy is down, with many businesses struggling to survive. For public agencies and non-profits, shrinking tax revenues and increased competition for grants is equally intense. A new $7 billion round of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funds targets increased access to low-cost broadband, recognizing the positive and synergistic impact this can create on education, the environment, and small business — the latter which has long been the backbone of the American economy. read more »

Virtualization and its cousin, cloud computing, are important trends in the computer world today. While these catchwords are bantered about, the implications or how they are set to transform our lives is not well understood. This is true in part because virtualization takes many forms, and cloud computing seems almost ethereal. Regardless, you are already benefiting from them. When using web mail, searching the Internet, or visiting most any website, these technologies make it happen. read more »

Singapore is a first world nation, an island of prosperity in a sea surrounded by larger emerging nations. A visitor from the Puget Sound region would recognize many sights, from the diversity of people, frequent seasonal rains, even the numerous Starbucks. English is the language of business and spoken everywhere. read more »

Vista, Microsoft’s newest family of desktop Operating System, is now shipping to corporate customers. As it goes into full retail release Jan 30, Vista will share the market with Macs, Linux and its biggest competitor, XP itself.

Goodbye XP? Not for a long time. With an estimated install base of 400 Million systems, XP will linger. Since Vista places higher demands on hardware, most existing systems will continue using XP. However, those new dual core systems loaded with RAM now shipping are ripe for Vista. read more »

As West Sound Technology Professionals Association charts a course into its fifth year, building towards its third annual summit later this month and seeking board candidates for the next two years, the relevant question we ask ourselves is: Why do we support this association and what purpose does it serve?

In taking a step back to look at the question, it’s apparent that technology is already becoming ubiquitous, from desktop computers to cell phones to navigation systems in cars. With so much technology already here, what role does a technology association or cluster play? read more »