However, I mean system administration as a field, not as individuals. You have networks out there DESIGNED to be run by less talented people. Any UNIX admin with a years experience from, say, 10 years ago would look at one of today's better NT administrators and laugh at how little they know their own machines. Take that 20 or 50 years into the future (I forget how "futuristic" Ender's Game is supposed to be), especially with today's advancing pace of technology (the rapidly approaching limitation ceiling not-withstanding). Not that I think CARD thought of this, but it occurred to me.

Besides, Peter thought he could handle Achilles as well. While VERY brilliant, Peter DOES make mistakes. AND we're talking about a beauracracy here. Peter can't handle EVERY aspect. His security man could have been picked by his current IT head who owed a favor to the VP of Internation Affairs, whose cousin was a decent hand with Network Security. *shrugs* Who knows?