4 ms·
A text-based interface is easiest for reporters to use, so while texting is slow, it’s superior to a web service in the low-bandwidth environment of the Capitol
by laser 8y ago
A text-based interface is easiest for reporters to use, so while texting is slow, it’s superior to a web service in the low-bandwidth environment of the Capitol.
This is disturbing to hear. How can our congress make the best decisions possible if it can't access and communicate relevant information quickly? The ROI to the United States of simply having a high-bandwidth network at this global powerspot is so obvious that I had just assumed it was the case—so to hear that reporters can't even use a web interface to quickly send images is frightening if true, and perhaps even indicative of a broader issue of our government's inability to effectively execute, partially rooted in its inability to empower itself with the tools necessary to effectively execute.
* Edited at burkaman's prompt to be less sensationalist
- tomatotomato37 8y agoIt's the 3G connection used by the public in one of the basement floors of the capital building that has low bandwidth. The capital has its own internal network for congressmen and their staffers, they just don't let random reporters connect to it
- jeremyjbowers 8y agoEven worse (weirder), the Senate bans electronic devices on the floor. If a Senator wants info, they have to sprint out one of the doors to the lobby where they have an aide waiting with an iPad (usually).
- jeremyjbowers 8y agoThe House allows iPads on the floor, and reporters are allowed to bring laptops into the gallery. It's how we get our live votes transcribed! https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/08/insider/how-we-beat-the-house-in-tallying-the-health-care-vote.html https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/08/insider/how-we-beat-the-h...
- walshemj 8y agoInteresting quite different to the HOC where the result of a division (vote) is read out quite soon after. I have worked at large 500+ delegate conferences using parliamentary procedures and now they often use electronic systems for both teller and card votes which is much faster
- walshemj 8y agoDo you mean the paper work concerned with the days business or being able to look up information quickly before they speak in a debate?
- burkaman 8y agoExtremely disturbing, deeply terrifying? Please try to reserve phrases like this for the many actually terrifying situations in the world, not minor inconveniences. You absolutely do not want members of Congress using an open network at a "global powerspot". Hopefully they use a highly secured network that is not open to anyone who can get press credentials. Seeing an open unsecured network at the Capitol might actually be deeply terrifying.