For those who still can’t get over the fact that open-source systems and software are unstable and unsecure might start thinking otherwise as even the White House is now using one great example of an open-source content management system – Drupal.
The move from the old proprietary CMS which has been used by WhiteHouse.gov since the Bush Administration was a result of several months of planning as instructed by none other than Pres. Obama himself. It was a much needed switch as the Obama administration gears up for a more socially relevant and interactive government through the use of online social media tools.
General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), the government contractor who built and executed the old White House CMS was tasked to find a more flexible alternative to the old system – a new platform that would easily facilitate the creation of Q&A forums, live video streaming, and collaborative tools. And GDIT found the solution in Drupal’s dynamic CMS.
The move to Drupal, which is a product of an open collaborative environment underlies the Obama administration’s stand on engaging people into a more collaborative politics.
The current WhiteHouse.gov site is now running Drupal in the background. It may not be different from the previous site in terms of look and interface but in time watch it grow into a more interactive and collaborative government site as it adopts new plugins and tools that will be developed through Drupal. If you’re a Drupal developer, you might want to start creating a useful and innovative tool now. Who knows the White House might actually implement it.
