Those are the traits we associate with IT, especially in these days of Internet time. Yet, for quite a few of you, resisting the hottest new thing from Silicon Valley is part of the job. Designing and building systems that will last for a very long time is your bottom line. I was reminded of this last week when I visited Lloyd Thorpe, regional manager of the Information Systems and Services Division at the Oregon Department of Corrections, and his technical support analyst, John Taylor. But it's not just taxpayers who demand that IT think long term.
Customers do, too.
Christopher Kent, the company's vice president of computing and network operations, points to the 747 as an example. Design of the airliner began in 1960, production will continue until around 2020, with the last planes built seeing use for another 30 years - at least. That means Kent is responsible today to assure that all 747 data will be available to the planes' owners 50 years hence. Folks like Kent, Taylor and Thorpe are always looking deep into the future. They look at not only what works now, but what will likely work in the face of human error, natural disaster, technological change and time itself.