Why Are Federal Web Sites So Bad?

Megan Mcardle, a blogger for <em>The Atlantic</em> (which is owned by Atlantic Media, the same company that owns Nextgov), <a href="http://meganmcardle.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/whitehousegov_gets_a_makeover.php">wonders why</a> the federal government is so bad at information technology -- and by IT, she means building useful Web sites. She says Obama's new whitehouse.gov site is "smart looking," but "unfortunately, that sleekness has been achieved by tucking even more of that unsightly information out of the way, where it won't mar the vista."

Megan Mcardle, a blogger for The Atlantic (which is owned by Atlantic Media, the same company that owns Nextgov), wonders why the federal government is so bad at information technology -- and by IT, she means building Web sites that are easy to navigate and make it easy to find information. She says Obama's new whitehouse.gov site is "smart looking," but "unfortunately, that sleekness has been achieved by tucking even more of that unsightly information out of the way, where it won't mar the vista."

Alyssa Rosenberg, who blogs for Government Executive in FedBlog, followed up defending the federal government's IT efforts:

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