Technology has undoubtedly improved on this previous communicational obstacle, allowing citizens to access information about many provincial and federal issues.

The Norwegian government recently analyzed several solutions that would be able to provide the country's citizens with Web-based access and support for all government services until eventually deciding on Sun Microsystems (sun.com).

"This is a great win for Sun because it emphasis all of what Sun can bring in terms of solutions," says Don Bowen, director of identity integration for Sun Microsystems. "We talk about the four S's -- system, storage, software and services -- we're using most if not at all of those in the solution for the government of Norway."

Sun used a combination of Solaris 10 OS-powered Sun hardware and software technologies in its national rollout of the eNorway 2009 initiative. The eNorway 2009 solution is designed to provide the country's citizens with Web-based access and support for all government services.

The robust operating platform is comprised of the Sun Java Enterprise System, Sun identity management solutions, x64 and UltraSPARC T1 processor-based Sun Fire servers running the Solaris 10 OS. Using these technologies, Norway can now provide citizens with a secure, browser-based public access to government services via a secure and personalized portal interface.

The complete Sun solution enables the Norwegian government to encourage innovation and provide an online platform for citizens to vote, pay taxes, obtain social security benefits, register and manage automobiles, communicate with public officials and perform other civic initiatives and services.

So far, Bowen says the Norwegian government has expressed their satisfaction with the solution, and particularly Sun's Java enterprise system.

"They have been very happy running the Java enterprise system because it gives them a single vendor," says Bowen. "They like the integration [it has] with all the products, and it enables them to roll out functions and features easier."

Working with Norwegian systems integrator Software Innovation ASA (software-innovation.com), the MiniSide portal will roll-out six initiatives that will provide Norwegian citizens with secure, browser-based access to healthcare, tax, motor vehicle registration, social security, student loans and other government services.

As part of the MiniSide portal, the MiniPage Web site is based on the Sun Java system portal server that allows citizens to access services electronically using a personal, customizable portal interface with a secure log-on. Citizens can access a Web site that provides user-defined services with relevant information for each individual citizen available in one place.

Additionally, the Java system calendar server provides calendar capabilities that will help remind citizens of scheduled transactions, such as annual registration or payments, and the Sun Java system messaging server quick start service provides an email system that enables service providers to communicate with citizens.

With all these capabilities in-hand, Bowen says that Sun Microsystems prides itself on what it refers to as a "low barrier to exit", which gives current and future customers a significant reason to continue using its products and services.

"We support the standards and the open source that allows customers to pick our software," says Bowen. "But if customers decide that there's a better solution for moving off, that's good for the customer because they have freedom of choice and that's got to give them some level of confidence that Suns going to be working really extra hard to deliver the best service possible because that barrier is low."