Socrata Powers–and Benefits From–Open Data Movement in Government

Originally posted by Benjamin Romano on Xconomy

Drawing on an unprecedented amount of government data that is easier to access than ever before, more than 11,000 software developers, entrepreneurs, students, and others across the country devoted part of last weekend to building technologies designed to help local, state, and federal governments solve problems and improve their communities.

The first National Day of Civic Hacking encompassed events in 83 cities including Detroit, where an understaffed city department sought help answering its phones; Denver, where the winning team built an app that helps visitors find legal marijuana dispensaries; and Seattle, where teams developed tools to connect people with events in their neighborhoods.

Continue reading

29 Jan CTOvision Podcast

Originally posted by Ryan Kamauff on CTOvision

Play CTOvision Podcast featuring Daniel Mintz. Daniel Mintz is the Principal and Founder of ESEM Consulting and former CIO of the Department of Transportation. He is a lifelong technologist and avid Washington Capitals fan.

We discussed the following stories:
DOD, VA improve eBenefits portal
Government Appetite Growing for Twitter User Data
86,800 network printers open to the whole internet
Odierno: budget is greatest threat to national security
Google Announces Pwnium 3, Ups Ante and Offers $3M+ in Rewards
New bug makes moot Java's latest anti-exploit defenses, claims researcher
Pentagon to boost cybersecurity force
Data.gov gets agile with new alpha site
Government IT's Move to Cloud Slowed by Security Concerns, Misconceptions