As we welcome the New Year, it’s also a time to reflect and look back on the news that resonated with our readers in 2007. The most-read stories run the gamut of topics, from free WiFi scams and hot public sector IT trends to the realities of Facebook for the government.
Here are the 10 stories that you enjoyed the most as compiled by InterGovWorld staff:
10)Mastering metrics: Ontario’s five-year strategy plan
A technology strategy has to steer through the murky waters of an unpredictable future. Ontario’s 1998 I&IT strategic plan laid the foundation to enable the provincial government to cope with technology wildcards. Ten years later, Ontario’s new I&IT strategic plan has to divine the shape of things to come, again.
9)Opinion: Top 10 dead computer skills
The harder you try to declare a technology dead, it seems, the more you turn up evidence of its continuing existence. Nevertheless, after speaking with several industry stalwarts, we’ve compiled a list of skills and technologies that, while not dead, can perhaps be said to be in the process of dying.
8)10 tips for vacationing public servants
InterGovWorld takes a closer look at the online aspect of applying for a passport, the new U.S. passport laws, and how you can save time and energy with a passport checklist before you venture off on winter vacation.
7)Free Wi-Fi scam hitting airports
The next time you’re at an airport looking for a wireless hot spot, and you see one called “Free Wi-Fi” or a similar name, beware — you may end up being victimized by the latest hot-spot scam hitting airports across the country. Here’s how to protect yourself.
6)PWGSC defends Secure Channel
Recently, Secure Channel experienced an overwhelming demand in usage due to the sudden surge of Canadians clamouring to apply for their passports online, to meet the new U.S. travel regulations. Passport Canada was quick to point out that it was Secure Channel which was experiencing technical difficulties due to this demand and the network should only be used at certain times to alleviate its constant crashing.
5)Government faces Facebook reality
The power of social networking struck the federal government with unmistakable force in December. Industry Minister Jim Prentice had intended to introduce new copyright legislation before Parliament’s holiday break. Professor Michael Geist of Ottawa University believed that Canadians did not know enough about the issue so he launched a Facebook group, Fair Copyright for Canada, on the first of December with, as he wrote, limited expectations.
4)The 50 greatest gadgets of the past 50 years
We’re living in the golden age of the gadget. Don’t believe it? Check your pockets. Odds are you’re carrying a portable music player, an electronic organizer, a keychain-size storage device, a digital camera or a cell phone that combines some or all of these functions. And you’d probably be hard-pressed to live without them.
3)The 25 worst tech products of all time
These products are so bad, they belong in the high-tech hall of shame. Still, even the worst products deserve recognition (or deprecation). So, as we put together our list of World Class winners for 2006, we decided also to spotlight the 25 worst tech products that have been released since PC World began publishing nearly a quarter-century ago.
2)High-tech birth certificates in B.C. fight ID theft
British Columbia is enhancing the security of its birth certificates with the announcement of a new high-tech format beginning January 2008. The province’s Health Minister George Abbott claimed the new birth certificates “will be one of the most hi-tech and durable documents in the world.”
1)10 hot public sector IT trends for 2007
Governments in Canada have identified at least 10 priorities for a 2007 information and technology to-do list that aims to push operational efficiency, consolidate infrastructure resources, and cut maintenance costs.
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