[plug] Closure of Open Source WA

[Arie Hol]

Greetings to Alan Carpenter

Hello Alan,

I have just received an email from a mailing list, to which I subscribe.

This email tells me that the Open Source Software Centre at The Bentley 
Technology Park, will/may be closed down in the near future.

If this is true I would like to register my protest at the prospect of 
this closure.

This centre can serve a vital purpose to inform people and demonstrate by 
means of a public venue - the value and availability of open software - 
as well as provide consultation as to the  potential that open software 
will have for their business/organisation, now and in the future. 

Without it - where would/could people and organisations go to find out 
that there are alternative software solutions to meet their computing 
requirements - now and in the future ?

Without the knowledge and access to the resources available at the Open 
Source software centre in Bentley - many people and business 
organisations will continue with the misguided thinking that the only 
software solutions available are those from large commercial 
organisations such as Microsoft.

Microsoft in particular is trying desperately to dominate and maintain a 
strangle hold on the world of desktop computing from large business 
enterprises down to private individuals in their homes.

The Microsoft products are over priced for what they have to offer, and 
not every person can afford the ridiculous costs involved with purchase 
of the software and hardware required just to use Microsoft products, and 
with the impending release of yet another round of NEW versions from 
Microsoft - this problem will be exacerbated even more.

I believe that the government has an obligation to inform the people of 
this state that there are alternatives to ridiculously expensive 
software. 

If fact I believe that the government should not only keep the Open 
Source WA centre open - but it should effectively be putting a great deal 
more effort into promoting it to the public and the business sector.

I have been a regular user of Open Source software for several years and 
in the future I will become even more reliant on Open Source software.

I also imagine that there will be many people and organisations in this 
great state who will benefit from the implementation and use of Open 
Source software, but they need to know about it in the first place. They 
need somewhere to go for advice and consultation - this I believe is the 
service that the Open Source WA facility provides, and your government is 
about to scuttle this vital service.

We live in a time when Information Technology is leading the world with 
innovation and ingenuity, Open Source software is also at the forefront  
with innovation and ingenuity, and is not motivated by profit margins.

Open Source software is supported by a dynamic, highly motivated and 
dedicated global community of developers and users, many of these people 
live here in W.A.

Your government should be embracing this factor and yet you are 
abandoning a vital resource to the people of this state.

Regards Arie Hol (BSc., Dip.IT, LR, LS)
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