* Tech industry watchers look to President Barack Obama
Everyone in the tech industry wants to tell Barack Obama – er, President Obama (I can say that today) what to do…and who to bail out. Even Network World bloggers are doing it. And that’s not a big surprise, as Obama appears to be one of the most tech-aware presidents we’ve ever had.
The cacophony of people giving Obama advice is rather amazing. It’s one part caused by the ability to express oneself online, which is always increasing and therefore is now greater than ever, and another part caused by the mandate for “change” – that is, people want to try to ensure that the change is, well, something they can believe in.
Of course, the very idea that Obama or someone who counsels him would actually read your blog post, take it to heart and act on it, is a bit wacky. On the other hand, communication these days is about waves of information and opinion washing over everyone online, and perhaps each individual blog post is part of that wave, and a single blog post directs the wave in a slightly different direction, so that in a small way it does in fact help drive public policy, in the end.
Perhaps the blog post is just a stake in the ground that the blogger uses so that if things don’t go right over the next four years, he or she can point to the post as an “I told you so.” Or maybe I’m too cynical. Either way, I digress.
Any way you slice it, President Obama will have some kind of impact on technology and communications, and indeed on the network infrastructure in this country. Earlier this month he detailed a plan for an economic stimulus package, with provisions for broadband rollout, an Internet-based smart energy grid and computers for schools.
He has said he will appoint a national CTO to make sure that government agencies are keeping up with the times. There has been much speculation about who that will be (and who it should be).
How much impact will President Obama have on the nation’s network infrastructure, and will it be a good or bad impact? What do you think he should do? Join the cacophony and speak out in the comments.
