Government Technology - December 2008 - (Page DC4)

Introduction Group Publisher: Digital Communities Program Dir.: Executive Editor: EDITORIAL Editor: Assoc. Editors: Chief Copy Editor: Managing Editor: Justice & Public Safety Editor: Features Editor: Assistant Editor: Staff Writer: Copy Editor: Editorial Assistant: Contributing Editor: Contributing Writers: DESIGN Creative Dir.: Senior Designer: Graphic Designers: Illustrator: Production Dir.: Production Mgr.: PUBLISHING VP Sales: VP Strategic Accounts: VP Bus. Development: Regional Sales Dirs.: DON PEARSON dpearson@govtech.com TODD SANDER tsander@centerdigitalgov.com STEVE TOWNS stowns@govtech.com BLAKE HARRIS bharris@govtech.com EMILY MONTANDON emontandon@govtech.com CHAD VANDER VEEN cvanderveen@govtech.com MIRIAM JONES mjones@govtech.com KAREN STEWARTSON kstewartson@govtech.com JIM McKAY jmckay@govtech.com ANDY OPSAHL aopsahl@govtech.com MATT WILLIAMS mwilliams@govtech.com HILTON COLLINS hcollins@govtech.com ELAINE RUNDLE erundle@govtech.com CORTNEY TOWNS ctowns@govtech.com TOD NEWCOMBE tnewcombe@govtech.com CHANDLER HARRIS, SASCHA D. MEINRATH, LEONARD SCOTT, ULF WOLF KELLY MARTINELLI kmartinelli@govtech.com CRYSTAL HOPSON chopson@govtech.com MICHELLE HAMM mhamm@govtech.com JOE COLOMBO jcolombo@govtech.com TOM McKEITH tmckeith@govtech.com STEPHAN WIDMAIER swidm@govtech.com JOEI HEART jheart@govtech.com Becoming a Digital Community overnment Technology’s Digital new levels of collaborative action and Communities initiative is becoming innovation. So the idea that vendors and cusa real digital community — which it should be. But the implications for us — a tomers are joining to push for more media company whose roots go back to the workable solutions for nationwide public safety interoperability ﬁts right into heyday of paper — are new and exciting. Through the Digital Communities the new paradigm of collaboration — a program, our role is positively changing. paradigm that cuts across traditional Although I wouldn’t call it an entirely government silos, as well as public and new direction, the program offers private organizations. But who should be imagining and expanded opportunities to engage in innovative ways with different sectors developing the applications that are used in the government space? Software involved with local government. Through the Digital Communities vendors? Tech-savvy users? Governprogram, collaboration between our ments themselves? In the collaborative envivarious publics is reaching ronment of this Internet a new plateau. One example By Blake Harris age, I think the answer is is the expanding activities of our Digital Communities Task Forces. In this issue, we cover an ongoing effort to change how the D block of the 700 MHz spectrum is organized for public safety interoperability. This is a national initiative involving members of the Digital Communities CIO Task Force who collaborated to organize and ultimately push for a new approach from the federal government. Concerned vendors also took part in some of these task force discussions. I say this because it aligns with the vision and purpose behind Digital Communities: to create a unique space where partnerships can lead to better solutions. As the editor most involved in the program, it’s exciting to watch. I believe such collaboration is needed, for it’s my ﬁrm conviction that local governments face unprecedented challenges. Globalization, limited resources, climate change, aging infrastructure and many social and economic issues will require EDITOR G DON PEARSON dpearson@govtech.com JON FYFFE jfyffe@govtech.com West, Central TIM KARNEY tkarney@govtech.com East LESLIE HUNTER lhunter@govtech.com East SHELLEY BALLARD sballard@govtech.com West, Central Account Managers: MELISSA CANO mcano@govtech.com East ERIN HUX ehux@govtech.com West, Central all three. Just look at the sophistication of many open source applications like the free content management system and blog software that now drives many Web sites. Many of the bigger open source applications have spawned vibrant communities of participants involved in development and support — communities that involve software vendors, users, volunteer programmers and designers. The continuing evolution of Digital Communities is exciting for this fundamental reason: It’s becoming a platform for engagement and collaboration where real innovation and problem-solving can occur. Of course, within the Digital Communities initiative, we still continue to publish timely, helpful and insightful editorial content, in print and online. But the Digital Communities initiative is now more than that, which we think is good news for the future. GLENN SWENSON gswenson@govtech.com KRISTA O’SULLIVAN kosullivan@govtech.com LISA DOUGHTY ldoughty@govtech.com KEVIN MAY kmay@govtech.com Exec. Coordinator to Pub.: JULIE MURPHY jmurphy@govtech.com Regional Sales Admins.: SABRINA SHEWMAKE sshewmake@govtech.com CHRISTINE CHILDS cchilds@govtech.com National Sales Admin: JENNIFER VALDEZ jvaldez@govtech.com Dir. of Marketing: ANDREA KLEINBARDT akleinbardt@govtech.com Dir. of Custom Events: WHITNEY SWEET wsweet@govtech.com Associate Dir. of Custom Events: LANA HERRERA lherrera@govtech.com Custom Events Coordinator: KARIN MORGAN kmorgan@govtech.com Dir. of Custom Publications: STACEY TOLES stoles@govtech.com Custom Publications Writer: JIM MEYERS jmeyers@govtech.com Dir. of Web Products & Svcs: VIKKI PALAZZARI vpalazzari@govtech.com Web Services Mgr.: PETER SIMEK psimek@govtech.com Proj. Mgr., Web Products & Services: MICHELLE MROTEK mmrotek@govtech.com Web Advertising Mgr.: JULIE DEDEAUX jdedeaux@govtech.com Web Svcs./Project Coord.: ADAM FOWLER afowler@govtech.com Subscription Coordinator: GOSIA USTASZEWSKA subscriptions@govtech.com CORPORATE CEO: Executive VP: Executive VP: CAO: CFO: VP of Events: Marketing Director: Bus. Dev. Dir.: Bus. Dev. Managers: DENNIS McKENNA dmckenna@govtech.com DON PEARSON dpearson@govtech.com CATHILEA ROBINETT crobinet@centerdigitalgov.com LISA BERNARD lbernard@govtech.com PAUL HARNEY pharney@govtech.com ALAN COX acox@govtech.com DREW NOEL dnoel@govtech Government Technology’s Digital Communities is published by e.Republic Inc. Copyright 2008 by e.Republic Inc. All rights reserved. Government Technology is a registered trademark of e.Republic Inc. Opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily those of the publisher or editors. Article submissions should be sent to the attention of the Managing Editor. Reprints of all articles in this issue and past issues are available (500 minimum). Please direct inquiries to the YGS Group: Attn. Erik Eberz at (800) 290-5460 ext.150 or governmenttechnology@theygsgroup.com. Subscription Information: Requests for subscriptions may be directed to Circulation Director by phone or fax to the numbers below. You can also subscribe online at www.govtech.com. 100 Blue Ravine Rd. Folsom, CA 95630 Phone: (916) 932-1300 Fax: (916) 932-1470 www.govtech.com 4 DIGITAL COMMUNITIES DECEMBER 08 Printed in the USA http://www.govtech.com http://www.govtech.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Government Technology - December 2008

Government Technology - December 2008 Contents Point of View Four Questions for... On the Scene Big Picture Year in Review Who Controls Your Network? Paper Makes a Comeback Halting Meth Abuse Spectrum Up Close signal:noise Digital Communities Contents Becoming a Digital Community Rethinking 700 MHz Smart Grids: Powering the Future Gearing Up for Crime 2.0 Software Predicts Crime Local Portals on the Red Carpet More Than Just a Pretty Face

Government Technology - December 2008

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