It is a cloud foundry / BOSH based platform around since 2015 (iirc)

Most of it is open source on github https://github.com/cloud-gov

this is probably to make 18f self-funding rather than paying the actual infra provider a big premium

Recharging to a private company from a central gov entity is not new, and usually solves a non-technical problem.

In this case (and the same in Australia, UK, Canada) it will be cost of procurement. Ie individual departments have to negotiate (and maintain) a contract. Providing a generic platform (Cloud Foundry, k8s, whatever) on top means that small products from individual entities can get built/deployed without each project having to do a tender to negotiate Heroku or similar.

Likewise, getting a .gov (or .gov.uk or .gov.au, etc) is a big hassle, and with a PaaS you can make the experience a lot better (not in use any more but you can see what it looked like: https://github.com/cloud-gov/cf-domain-broker)

Ie the goal is to reduce the time/steps/approvals required to get a gov website up and running, and cloud.gov in this current incarnation was started under the Obama admin.

Always puts me in the mood to read the imitable "Excuse me sir, would you like to buy a kilo of isopropyl bromide"

Thanks, I needed to read Gegel again! http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/gergel_isopr...

"spyware"?

Wikipedia:

> Spyware is software that aids in gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge and that may send such information to another entity without the consumer's consent, or that asserts control over a computer without the consumer's knowledge.

Save me the boring arguments about how regular people who can barely work a toaster can still somehow magically elect to avoid Analytics using browser plugins and editing their hosts file