Web Headlines

Headlines from around the Web for Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008
Compiled by Melanie Bender

GSA to Grade Agencies on 508 Compliance

Federal Computer Week

The General Services Administration, borrowing a play from the Office of Management and Budget, will begin assigning red or green scores to agency contracting officers and 508 coordinators depending on whether they are ignoring or complying with the law.

IT Salary Increases Modest; Gender Gap Widens

NetworkWorld

Salaries for IT pros only edged up in 2007 from 2006, and the gender gap widened to the point where women in IT are now making 12 percet less on average than male counterparts, according to the Dice.com annual technology salary report released Tuesday.

CIA Goes Green, From Roof to the Drain

ComputerWorld

The Central Intelligence Agency is adopting green building designs and technology in its new campus facilities in northern Virginia, saying it is making its new campus buildings energy-efficient and pleasant places to work, with offices that have outdoor views, lots of fresh air and preferred parking for carpoolers.

Federal Desktop Security Mandate Kicks In

NetworkWorld

On Wednesday the federal government's desktop security mandate kicked in, requiring government agencies to support standard secure configurations for Windows XP and Vista operating systems. Known as the Federal Desktop Core Configuration standard, the FDCC will require agencies to apply and maintain standard security settings on all desktops and laptops.

U.S. Tops New Tech Usage Ranking

Reuters

The United States, Sweden and Japan topped a new ranking called Connectivity Scorecard that measures how well countries use telecommunications technologies -- networks, cell phones and computers -- to boost their social and economic prosperity. Created by a London Business School professor, Connectivity Scorecardmeasured countries on around 30 indicators including usage of communications technology.

TWIC Card Needs Double Since Initial Estimates

Federal Computer Week

The U.S. Coast Guard now says that up to 1.5 million workers could need Transportation Worker Identification Credential cards. But before the workers who will likely need the smart cards can begin to fully use their credentials, the Homeland Security Department still faces several challenges, including unanswered policy questions about the requirements for individual ports and card reader specifications.

Over 95 Percent of E-mail is Spam

Government Technology

Ipswitch on Monday announced the result of its ninth Spamometer survey, revealing that 96.4 percent of all e-mail received is spam, the highest rate since recording began. This compares with 95 percent the previous quarter and only 84 percent over the same period last year. The biggest category of spam -- finance -- accounts for 41 percent of all messages received in an e-mail inbox.

IPv6 Profile Takes the Long View

Government Computer News

The National Institute of Standards and Technology wants to make it clear that neither agencies nor the information technology industry are expected to be using its proposed standards for IPv6 networking and security products when IPv6 is enabled on government backbones this year.

NJ Free Tech Web Site in Danger of Closing

The Star-Ledger

A free, state-funded Web site popular with fledgling biotechno logy companies, small business entrepreneurs, scholars, students and medical professionals will go off- line Feb. 29 unless the Legislature and Gov. Jon Corzine come up with $1 million to keep it going.