18 October Computers in Government

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First Use of Computers in Government 1890 Census 1880 census took 7 years Predicted 10 years for 1890 Use of punched cards already existed Jacquard loom for controlling weaving patterns (Joseph-Marie Jacquard, 1820) Used for storing instructions (Charles Babbage) Used for storing data (Herman Hollerith, 1889) Single hole for numbers Multiple holes for letters

Jacquard Loom The Loom The Cards How It Worked

Hollerith’s Tabulating Machine Each hole electrically connected to a counter If hole exists, pin pressed through the hole and made electrical contact with a metal plate (completed circuit) and advanced counter

Results 1890 Census completed in 6 weeks Punched cards were the primary input device to computers for 80 years Hollerith went on to found Tabulating Machine Company (1896), which became IBM in 1924

Punch Card Machine Punch cards stacked here Punched here

How do We Interact with Government? Same as everything else In person Phone Mail Web

What is e-government? Online access to government services Information Transactions Opportunity to increase citizen participation How government works Question: Does e-government disenfranchise people?

Is there a digital divide? Facts: Nearly 70% of Americans have access to the Internet 70% of those people access it daily Less than 10% access is less than once a week Question: Is this good news or bad?

Demographic Differences 87% College degree vs. 48% high school degree 86% professionals vs. 58% blue collar 78% 18 – 34 years old vs. 43% over 65 70% Caucasian vs. 59% black No gender difference

Information sought What would you like? What people get Recreation (50%) Road closings (25%) Health information (25%) Voting records (25%) Self reported Believable? Could we do better? Why should we care?

Information vs. Transactions Requirements differences Information needs to be correct Processing, not just displaying Transactions Need to complete processing properly Exactly once processing Require checking correctness of information entered Require security Require that user provide information In between: availability of forms

Transactions Wanted Address Change ONCE Respond to jury summons Renew driver’s license Copies of life event certificates (birth, death, marriage, divorce) Confirm program eligibility and apply Student financial aid, unemployment, Medicare, Medicaid, … Passport or visa; marriage license Employment opportunities and application File taxes What’s not on this list? VOTING!

How To Execute a Transaction Save the state so you can return to it Update each part conditionally E.g., debit and credit If all parts succeed, commit Otherwise roll back

ATM Example 1. Verify your account 2. Subtract amount from your account 3. Give you cash 4. Give you receipt What happens when machine stops and possibly restarts? Analyze each possible case

Transaction vs. Printing Forms Fundamental principle: A system is only as good as its weakest link Printing forms Posting form Printing form Filling in form Delivering form Entering information Processing information What is the weakest link? Examples: electronic transfers

Taxes Which is better for the government: electronic or paper filing? Why? Which is better for citizens? Why? Are they doing what it takes to encourage people? Why or why not?

Next: Elections and Voting Assignments Read posted article Find a story about a voting problem in 2004 or 2005 and write a precis What was the problem? How many votes and/or races did it affect? Was it an electronic problem or not? Was it recoverable?