[sneak]

There is a pretty strong argument that there are a set of companies that the USG considers "too big/important to fail" given the roles they have played in defense and associated industries. Boeing and Lockheed certainly, Microsoft and Intel and Dell most probably.

Without Intel, the CIA and NSA can't do CIA and NSA stuff. I think they're safe.

I can't see them changing their domain controllers and sharepoint out for macs and mediawiki any time soon, any more than I can see them flying A330s.

[HFguy]

Dell???

Agree on Intel, MS, Boeing. And there are others.

But how is Dell strategic?

[FirmwareBurner]

Want your government to buy Lenovo instead of Dell?

[nebula8804]

Don't they mostly buy HP? For example, I remember see HP trash sitting on the desk in that famous Bin Laden raid photo.

[FirmwareBurner]

Snowden was working under contract at Dell for the alphabet boys. Dell is not just a HW manufacturer but also a service provider, like IBM.