[plug] Another Government goes Open Source

[Jon L. Miller]

Interesting, I had a discussion with a MSCE and I know what you mean. 
They think the world revolve around them and they do not hear a word you
day when discussing products let alone when you talk $$$ - $0.  They
just talk over you.
I just laugh and keep on stepping....

On Tue, 2002-09-10 at 14:26, Shayne O'Neill wrote:
> 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
> >
> >
> 
> 
-- 
Jon L. Miller
MMT Networks Pty Ltd
Perth, Western Australia

`When you say "I wrote a program that crashed Windows", people just
stare at you blankly and say "Hey, I got those with the system, *for
free*".'
                - Linus Torvalds