Does a brake shop say that you don't need new brakes? Architectural device from vendors turns out to be risky business, as David Linthicum points out in his latest blog on Vendor Designed Architecture. Just the phrase makes me shudder. It's comfy, David points out, to pass the buck to vendors who are only too happy to solve your problems for you. It's also expensive, and big surprise, vendors don't always have Does a brake shop say that you don’t need new brakes? Architectural device from vendors turns out to be risky business, as David Linthicum points out in his latest blog on Vendor Designed Architecture. Just the phrase makes me shudder. It’s comfy, David points out, to pass the buck to vendors who are only too happy to solve your problems for you. It’s also expensive, and big surprise, vendors don’t always have your business interests in mind when they lend a hand. I say, this is what happens when you hire inexperienced IT staff or “streamline” technical management. Lousy decisions based on vendor guidance end up costing more than the salary for an employee paid to make good decisions. Uncle Sam is enforcing carbon limits. Uncle Sam Walton, that is. Sustainable IT blogger Ted Samson describes a Wal-Mart initiative to push environmental responsibility down to its suppliers. Wal-Mart, the 800-pound gorilla of retailing with a lackluster pedigree of leadership in matters related to the public good, put key suppliers on notice that it’s tallying and disclosing their environmental impact. When America’s go-to outlet for $6 DVDs and Dustbusters steps up to do what the politically hamstrung EPA won’t do, it sets an example for all corporations: What evil your suppliers and subcontractors do is your responsibility. You just can’t refuse those automatic Windows updates. Literally. Automatic software updates are grand, but vendors are getting sloppy about disclosing what’s in them. Apple is burying fresh firmware for iPhone inside iTunes updates, but Microsoft does Apple one better with its program to ship “silent updates” for Windows to users who have turned automatic updates off. In a story from sister publication Computerworld, we learn that these secret updates block efforts to recover Windows XP client systems using Microsoft’s own mechanism of non-destructive reinstallation. Thanks, guys. Perhaps IT needs to consult with pirates about tattletale firewalls that thwart systems’ efforts to phone home without permission. Short of this, don’t let updates come to you. Go get them, and find out what’s in them. Technology Industry