CIO has existed for more than a decade, beating the drum aboutthe benefits of IT. In my optimism (a.k.a., naivet) about theultimate wisdom of humanity, I find it astonishing that in thisday and age certain pockets of our society remain stubbornlyimpervious to that message. I recently experienced two glaringexamples of IT retrogrades when I moved into a brand-new house.As an equal-opportunity complainer, I’m happy to report that theoffenders represented both the public and private sector.

Before the phony brick stamping was dry on my new front walk, Ireceived a visit from a harried employee of the U.S. CensusDepartment. Apparently flummoxed by the prospect of using astreet map, the census taker breathlessly informed me howdifficult it was to find my address. She then produced afrightening, multipage form reminiscent of a novella. It wasalso reminiscent of the form I had completed and returnedseveral months ago while living at my previous address. Before Icould say, "I gave at the office," she asked me if I had beenliving at the house prior to April 1. Since I had moved in onlya few days before, I was relieved to find out that all I had todo was sign the form in a few places attesting to that fact. Igave her directions to her next destination, and thankfully I’venot heard from the Census Department since.

I say thankfully because earlier this year I was drowning inCensus Department notices. If I wasn’t getting daily flyers onmy car proffering temporary employment, I was receiving dailypostcards ominously warning me to fill out and promptly returnthe census form that was mailed to me three times. Being thelaw-abiding citizen that I am, I completed and returned the formrequesting all manner of demographic and personal informationsuch as work history, family situation, ethnic background,household size and the like. Nevertheless, the vaguelythreatening postcards continued.

The U.S. Postal Service knew where and when I was moving. Howdifficult would it have been to pass that information along toanother branch of the government? Funny, but the IRS never has aproblem getting most of us to submit accurate information aboutourselves in a timely manner. Why can’t the Census Departmentget its hands on some of the information that the IRS collectsabout us annually? The IRS already knows my Social Securitynumber, where I live, where I work, how much money I make, howmany dependents I have, how old I am, and whether I’m married,single, blind or some combination. Surely passing along thisdata to Census isn’t that complicated. Heck, it can be done viae-mail.