White House Opens Code Up to Critique

Austin MacKenzie

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Jan 26, 2010
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White House Opens Code Up to Critique



Soon programmers and webmasters will be able to get their hands on the same programs the Obama Administration uses to construct and maintain its website.

A number of custom Drupal mods specifically designed for the creation and maintenance of the whitehouse.gov website have been released as open source software on <a href=http://www.whitehouse.gov/tech>The White House Blog. Drupal is an open source program that allows users to manage and construct website content, as well as attach their own modifications for specific effects.

"By releasing some of our code, we get the benefit of more people reviewing and improving it," Senior Advisor to the CIO David Cole said. "This code is available for anyone to review, use, or modify. We're excited to see how developers across the world put our work to good use in their own applications."

It's interesting to see how receptive the White House is to users modifying their original content and how enthusiastic they are to see their programs used by the general public. The modules, now publicly available, include a cache program that allows precise control over content, an HD network interface, a program that allows users to access and sign-up for a number of different mailing lists and services, and a program that makes image data more accessible to screen-reading technology used by the visually impaired, all programs the Administration feels users can benefit from. We can expect it'll be closely monitoring the way people use and improve their programs, using this data to further improve its own operations.

Source: Digital Trends


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SomeBoredGuy

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Nov 18, 2009
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I can't wait to see all the people sending in messages telling them that they can improve the software and create a better website by deleting System32.
 

randommaster

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Sep 10, 2008
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This is a pretty small thing, but it gives me hope to see that people working in the government can actually get suggestions for how to change something.
 

Alone Disciple

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Jun 10, 2008
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Er...perhaps I am missing something, but are people actually clamoring and salivating over code for '.gov' sites? Perhaps there's a hidden VAT code buried deep within that promises the world, but delivers nothing.
 

AngryMongoose

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Jan 18, 2010
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someboredguy said:
I can't wait to see all the people sending in messages telling them that they can improve the software and create a better website by deleting System32.
sudo rm -rf/

Edit: THREAD KILLER!
 

samsonguy920

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Mar 24, 2009
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Usually when Washington does something like this, it means they already have the next big thing in operation. So the geek public is only getting a hand-me-down. The fun of being little brother.
 

Danpascooch

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Apr 16, 2009
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I am going to assume the people in Washington have made sure this doesn't open up any security risks
 

Danpascooch

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Apr 16, 2009
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Le Tueur said:
someboredguy said:
I can't wait to see all the people sending in messages telling them that they can improve the software and create a better website by deleting System32.
I hear if you rub a large magnet on your hard drive for a few minutes it makes it go ten times faster!
I heard 100 times!
 

Jared

The British Paladin
Jul 14, 2009
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Well, at least they are been open on what they use, and, from what it looks like some intresting tools
 

Burst6

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Le Tueur said:
someboredguy said:
I can't wait to see all the people sending in messages telling them that they can improve the software and create a better website by deleting System32.
I hear if you rub a large magnet on your hard drive for a few minutes it makes it go ten times faster!
I heard that there's this huge green board in your computer. The manufacturers made it so they could limit your computer and make you buy another. If you cut it into pieces your computer will go so fast, you can play 100 crysis games at the same time.
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
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Can they add in a new color palette? OH...its the website...not the actual White House.
 

Danpascooch

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Apr 16, 2009
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Burst6 said:
Le Tueur said:
someboredguy said:
I can't wait to see all the people sending in messages telling them that they can improve the software and create a better website by deleting System32.
I hear if you rub a large magnet on your hard drive for a few minutes it makes it go ten times faster!
I heard that there's this huge green board in your computer. The manufacturers made it so they could limit your computer and make you buy another. If you cut it into pieces your computer will go so fast, you can play 100 crysis games at the same time.
NO WAY! I'm gonna do that!
 

Icecoldcynic

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someboredguy said:
I can't wait to see all the people sending in messages telling them that they can improve the software and create a better website by deleting System32.
Don't be silly. I'm pretty sure the professionals who work there would know they should do that. I deleted system 32 AGES ago, and can't believe the technique isn't more well known.
 

llafnwod

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someboredguy said:
I can't wait to see all the people sending in messages telling them that they can improve the software and create a better website by deleting System32.
If the White House is actually using Windows on their servers I'd say they're already in pretty bad shape.
 
Apr 28, 2008
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Icecoldcynic said:
someboredguy said:
I can't wait to see all the people sending in messages telling them that they can improve the software and create a better website by deleting System32.
Don't be silly. I'm pretty sure the professionals who work there would know they should do that. I deleted system 32 AGES ago, and can't believe the technique isn't more well known.
Indeed. It actually made Vista stable.

Which is one hell of a herculean task.
 

fanklok

Legendary Table User
Jul 17, 2009
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Le Tueur said:
someboredguy said:
I can't wait to see all the people sending in messages telling them that they can improve the software and create a better website by deleting System32.
I hear if you rub a large magnet on your hard drive for a few minutes it makes it go ten times faster!
But only if you do it in one direction >>> not > (hehe I made a fishy)

Seems like pure sillyness and I bet it will have plenty of "Wait, what the fuck, you can do that?" moments.
 

DigitalSushi

a gallardo? fine, I'll take it.
Dec 24, 2008
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Irridium said:
Icecoldcynic said:
someboredguy said:
I can't wait to see all the people sending in messages telling them that they can improve the software and create a better website by deleting System32.
Don't be silly. I'm pretty sure the professionals who work there would know they should do that. I deleted system 32 AGES ago, and can't believe the technique isn't more well known.
Indeed. It actually made Vista stable.

Which is one hell of a herculean task.
Yeah but what about Windows ME?