Got a text formatting/database question - the political backstory

[der.hans]

Am 15. Apr, 2009 schwätzte Bishmer Sekaran so:

moin moin Bishmer,

> Jim March wrote:
>> MS-Access is banned from voting
>> systems (ain't approved)
> This is a very refreshing change from the status quo! Out of curiousity,
> what are the approved DBs for voting systems?

Based on what Jim posted before, Diebold is actually using m$ access, but
with a limited functionality front-end.

###
* On election night, observers spotted an MS-Access manual being 
referred to by the lead operator.  MS-Access is banned from voting 
systems (ain't approved) and the Diebold central tabulator database is 
in MS-Access format.  If you get to it with Diebold's front-end, it 
looks secure enough.  Get to it in Access and all security falls apart 
completely...you can do anydamnthing you want.
###

I think that means you're not allowed to install an actual instance of m$
access on computers being used for tabulation because it could be used to
manipulate the data.

The only obvious reason for needing to refer to an Access manual would
be to be poking at the data in a way that is inappropriate. Even if
the Diebold system was so broken as to need assistance it would be
inappropriate to be lending that assistance. I'm not implying in any way
that the Diebold system isn't broken :).

I agree with you that they should be using a better database :).

Will you be at Stammtische again on Tuesday?

ciao,

der.hans
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