BBV: Diebold Learns What Edison Knew: Voting Machine Sales Are Tough

[Bushfire]

Sept. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Diebold Inc. got off to a fast start in the voting machine industry. After almost 150 years of making safes, bank vaults, jailhouse doors and, more recently, automated teller machines, Diebold bought Global Election Systems Inc. and its AccuVote line of computerized voting terminals in 2002.

In a little more than three months, Diebold snared the biggest U.S. voting machine contract ever: a $54 million deal with the state of Georgia. ``It was successful beyond our wildest dreams, initially,'' says Diebold Chief Executive Officer Walden O'Dell, 59.

As the 2004 elections near, the euphoria has faded. Computer security experts at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and Rice University in Houston say Diebold's touch-screen voting machines are vulnerable to vote rigging; security concerns and operating flaws have led to a ban on their use in November in parts of California and Ohio.

Diebold's election system sales are headed for a second straight drop, to a company forecast of $75 million to $85 million, from $100 million in 2003 and $111 million in 2002.

much much more...

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aP3CJb9ADeXM&refer=us

[shraby]

1. If they would add a printed out ballot

to their machines, it might help their bottom lines. Not to mention the secret stuff they are doing with their code and testing.

[Cronus Protagonist]

2. Looks like the news is getting out

Pat on the back for all of us at DU.

Lick Laura's Bush - Drop Bush Not Bombs! - FUCK BUSH
http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[Bushfire]

3. I'm quite certain Howard Dean was being hounded on the campaign trail

regarding this issue, and the foresight to include it in his DFA group. Will Kerry listen now?

[Floogeldy]

4. Too bad

Too bad they can't learn everything Edison knew but then they would self terminate!