Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by KineticLensman 837 days ago
I think it's part of a general trend where UK govt institutions have notoriously poor IT, usually consisting of semi-obsolete infrastructure, multiple legacy systems, sticking-plaster upgrades, one or two new state-of-the-art bits where budget is available, etc. Consider the NHS, the MOD, DVLA, etc.
1 comments
domh 837 days ago
I would be fully supportive of the GDS (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-digit...) taking on additional responsibilities and providing support and assistance to other government agencies. gov.uk is almost universally praised by the general public and tech people.
link
KineticLensman 837 days ago
Agree, but they can't really do very much about the massive number of legacy systems in departments that can't or won't spend money to modernise. My favourite example to hate is the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency which tracks different things in multiple systems, and still requires snail mail interactions (!!!) for some services, such as reclaiming a license after a medical suspension (personal experience). To DVLA, people like me are a pure cost, as are the systems that record my data.
link
kimixa 837 days ago
Having experienced both the DVLA and (California) DMV, the DVLA feels miles ahead, like it's living in the future.

Things like finding out the status of a renewal involved finding a fax machine, everything but the most trivial renewal (say, renewing if you're on a work visa) seems to be done in person with handwritten paperwork, and the amount of busywork that seems to be done by hand by the DMV agent is quite easy to blame for the impressive wait times, multiple hours even if you have an appointment.

My DVLA renewal was trivial comparatively, they could even use my passport for an updated ID photo. But maybe if you're not a UK citizen they also make you jump through weird hoops?

I'm not saying that the DVLA is good, just that it could be even worse.

link
KineticLensman 837 days ago
> I'm not saying that the DVLA is good, just that it could be even worse

Some things they do reasonably well, yes. But edge cases like mine are the pits. To get a licence back after a medical suspension involves DVLA and the NHS posting physical letters to each other! It took 5 months for this purely admin process to complete, after I was medically fit. Grrrr. That is a long time to be denied the right to drive.

link