[plug] Another Government goes Open Source

[Shayne O'Neill]

This is pretty majikal stuff.
But ultimately the best way to get linux/bsd into the govt is ppl in the
service.
HOWEVER, I spent a few years working in IT for the ministry of justice , and
there was a huge resistance to using linux (Although I managed to turn em on
to MySQL
and apache, so half way there).
Basically the problem is;- S - O - fking - E.
Standard Operating Environments , in my opinion, are thoroughly
anti-competitive little
bastards of policy that mean "our MSCE reckons that only microsoft stuff
should be used,
and linux aint microsoft. Tuff".
But I've been stewing on an idea here. Can we get the ACCC to investigate
SOE's and bench
contracts , particularly if they are excluding aust suppliers like WA linux
services etc....
Allan fel's seems to me the sort of bloke that'd take that one on,
particularly if it can be put
that these policies artificially decrease competition in the software
marketplace.

It's an idea.

Shayne.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Colin Muller" <colin at twobluedots.com.au>
To: <plug at plug.linux.org.au>
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2002 8:39 AM
Subject: [plug] Another Government goes Open Source


> Pertinent in some ways to Michael's topic tonight, the South African
> government has released a policy framework document which 'recommends
> that government "explicitly" support the adoption of open source
> software as part of its e-government strategy':
>
> http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/computing/2002/0209091122.asp?A=LIN&O=F
>
> And they've set up an official (but still very sparse) OSS site:
> http://www.oss.gov.za/
>
> This follows a discussion paper published in January by a government
> think-tank, which recommended this OSS direction:
> http://www.naci.org.za/docs/opensource.html
>
> The January paper was followed within weeks by an offer direct from
> Bill Gates to the president of S. Africa to provide MS software for
> free to schools and at huge discount to universities. I was among, I
> am sure, many who pointed out to the government the negative results
> of accepting such an offer, and it seems that at least some people in
> government were listening.
>
> Now, how do we achieve the same in WA?
>
> Colin
>
>