Obama Tech Policy Plans Eyed By Computer Industry

President-elect Barack Obama is poised to serve the technology industry and to use technology to solve a wide array of problems, according to technology leaders interviewed Wednesday. Tech leaders celebrated Obama's victory and expressed hope for the future of their industry during the next administration. Most pointed to Obama's extensive use of technology for campaigning and the fact that he was the first presidential candidate to unveil a wide-reaching and in-depth technology agenda. Obama's 43-page blueprint includes support for the principle of network neutrality, bringing true broadband to every community in America, ensuring U.S. goods and services are treated fairly in foreign markets, investing in the sciences, and providing new research grants to the most outstanding early-career researchers in the country. Andrew Rasiej, founder and publisher of the Personal Democracy Forum and Tech President, said the Obama victory represents "a massive shift" and called Obama's technology policy "robust." "The only thing I think that can rival it is what the declaration of the world being round meant to the shipping industry," he said. The big question is whether the next administration's creation of a chief technology officer's position will be a Cabinet-level appointment, a special assistant reporting directly to the president, or whether it will fall under the chief of staff or deputy chief of staff, Rasiej said. "That decision may be critical to the tech industry," he said, adding that it's critical that the person have a broad perspective and direct access to the president. "So technology will no longer be viewed as a slice of the pie but will actually be recognized as the pan," he said. "If someone of the caliber of [Google CEO] Eric Schmidt were to be asked to serve this country in the White House, I think you would see a far quicker adoption of policies that not only help the tech industry but help the tech industry help the country and the world." Rasiej, who spent election night blogging live for Tech President and running Twitter's Vote Report from Manhattan, said the person in that position can go beyond promoting "selfishness" of the technology industry from a business perspective to reviving the economy, fighting global warming, and using the Internet for dialogue to avert war and conflict. Roger Cochetti, group director for U.S. public policy at the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), said it was nearly impossible to follow the campaign and not be "struck by the fact that this president-elect has an enormous interest and involvement in the tech sector. "Simply by looking at how he managed the campaign, we get a glimpse of the depth of his own personal understanding of IT and other technologies," Cochetti said during an interview Wednesday. Cochetti also praised the Obama campaign for releasing a series of IT-oriented policies that "almost everyone in the industry applauds." Specifically, Cochetti mentioned Obama's emphasis on broadband, research, and science and math education. Ben Scott, policy director for Free Press, called Obama's victory a "huge, positive development" and an "extraordinary moment." He said Obama's technology platform is "among the most detailed and thoughtful of any presidential campaign ever." Scott also called Obama a "master" of using the Internet and said his level of engagement with technology and technology issues is uncharacteristic of politicians, adding that those factors translate into a sophisticated policy agenda. During an interview Wednesday, Scott said Obama has many supporters in Silicon Valley and is likely to appoint someone "very knowledgeable" to become his technology adviser. N.R. Narayana Murthy, nonexecutive chairman and co-founder of Infosys, which provides business consulting, outsourcing services, and technology, said that the election showed that "meritocracy matters most." "The U.S. has voted for compassionate capitalism over laissez-faire capitalism," he said. Copyright Alliance executive director Patrick Ross agreed with technology leaders and joined them in praising Obama's knowledge of technology. He said that the next U.S. president has demonstrated a "clear understanding of the critical role copyright industries play in creating jobs and stimulating the economy." "Given the fact that he has placed improving our troubled economy as Job One for his administration, we in the Copyright Alliance are confident that his efforts will include strong copyright protection," Ross said Wednesday. "Copyright has always been a bipartisan issue, supported broadly by Democrats and Republicans alike, as the votes approving the recent PRO-IP Act showed. The president-elect has made it clear he will be looking for opportunities to reach across party lines and build consensus, and copyright provides him an excellent opportunity to do so." Jonathan Schwartz, president and CEO of Sun Microsystems, also blogged about the election. "On behalf of Sun Microsystems, I would like to offer my sincerest congratulations to President-elect Barack Obama," he wrote. "What an extraordinary accomplishment. I would also like to extend my congratulations to his Web team for having chosen MySQL as the platform behind their election Web site, BarackObama.com. Lest many of you get your hopes up, we cannot guarantee the White House to all MySQL users." Phil Bond, president and CEO of Information Technology Association of America, sent a letter of congratulations to the president-elect. "You are correct that this is an important moment during which our nation faces daunting challenges -- our prosperity and security are plainly at stake," he said in the letter. "You have demonstrated a clear appreciation for American innovation as a powerful force for addressing those challenges. You understand that new ideas and new technologies can reinvigorate all sectors of the U.S. economy and generate new jobs for the American people." Bond also praised Obama's leadership in education and workforce and technology's "critical role in national security." He said the technology industry is ready to work with the new administration. "America's technology industry stands ready to work with you and to support you in the difficult work ahead," he said. "Like you, we understand that this is the 21st century, and that if we are to move forward as a nation, today must be the beginning of a new innovation age for America."