Community Feedback 64

Don't Forget Government
Such lists are always interesting and useful (InformationWeek 500, Sept. 11, 2006 ). As a government executive, I would be interested in seeing what you think are the top government IT innovations that are out there.

Hyong Yi
Management and Budget Director
Mecklenburg County Government
Charlotte, N.C.

No One Is Safe
David writes, "Just one more reason big government is a bad idea and why keeping our personal data out of its hands is the only way to protect consumers" (From Our Blog, Sept. 4, 2006).

Really? Has he ever heard of the banks, Wall Street firms, credit card companies, and data collection agencies that have exposed personal information to hackers? Our data isn't safe, period. It doesn't matter if it's the government, private industry, or nonprofit organizations; if your information is on a computer (and it is), there's a very real probability that it will be compromised.

Which leads to my second gripe. Web apps are the next "big thing," or so we're told ("Web Apps Come Under Attack In Perverse Coming Of Age," Sept. 4, 2006). Do we really want to store our documents, spreadsheets, and other data with Microsoft or Google? No company has anything like a lock on security, so now we're supposed to trust them with company data or personal information? Thanks but no thanks.

Larry Woldt
Consultant, The Network Group
Windsor, Colo.

A Real Page-Turner
There are any number of regular features in InformationWeek that I enjoy and even find exciting. I can't recall, though, the last time an article in any business or technology magazine made me feel truly moved ("The Greatest Software Ever Written," Aug. 14, 2006). By the time I read the last few sentences, the hair on my arms and the back of my neck was standing on end.

There will be those who quibble with your list per se, but no one can quibble with what you made of it. Thank you for a truly inspired piece of writing!

Marcia Mulloy
Owner, Peace Imagines River
Juneau, Alaska