Comments on: UK Government to level the playing field? http://osswatch.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2009/02/25/uk-governement-to-level-the-playing-field/ open source software innovation support centre Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:30:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: New #ukgovOSS Action Plan | Software Cooperative News http://osswatch.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2009/02/25/uk-governement-to-level-the-playing-field/comment-page-1/#comment-205 New #ukgovOSS Action Plan | Software Cooperative News Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:15:05 +0000 http://osswatch.jiscinvolve.org/2009/02/25/uk-governement-to-level-the-playing-field/#comment-205 [...] on a comment I made at the OSS Watch team blog and discussions with a few user groups.) function fbs_click() [...] [...] on a comment I made at the OSS Watch team blog and discussions with a few user groups.) function fbs_click() [...]

]]> By: Irwin http://osswatch.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2009/02/25/uk-governement-to-level-the-playing-field/comment-page-1/#comment-204 Irwin Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:28:40 +0000 http://osswatch.jiscinvolve.org/2009/02/25/uk-governement-to-level-the-playing-field/#comment-204 So, how the world turns, MSFT announces its own open source initiatives: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10172150-16.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5 So, how the world turns, MSFT announces its own open source initiatives:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10172150-16.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5

]]> By: UK Government to promote Open Source | Rene's Assessment http://osswatch.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2009/02/25/uk-governement-to-level-the-playing-field/comment-page-1/#comment-203 UK Government to promote Open Source | Rene's Assessment Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:15:18 +0000 http://osswatch.jiscinvolve.org/2009/02/25/uk-governement-to-level-the-playing-field/#comment-203 [...] I’m extremely pleased with the news that the UK government has decided to get serious about backing open source software. While some of this may be inspired by a perceived cost saving, it is also clearly inspired by the increasing understanding of the value of openness and open standards. A very important part of this new policy is that it seems to finally recognise and address the need to look at procedures for tendering and procurement that do not disadvantage open source software unfairly. A more detailed discussion about this, if you are interested, can be found on the OSSWatch blog. [...] [...] I’m extremely pleased with the news that the UK government has decided to get serious about backing open source software. While some of this may be inspired by a perceived cost saving, it is also clearly inspired by the increasing understanding of the value of openness and open standards. A very important part of this new policy is that it seems to finally recognise and address the need to look at procedures for tendering and procurement that do not disadvantage open source software unfairly. A more detailed discussion about this, if you are interested, can be found on the OSSWatch blog. [...]

]]> By: MJ Ray http://osswatch.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2009/02/25/uk-governement-to-level-the-playing-field/comment-page-1/#comment-202 MJ Ray Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:16:54 +0000 http://osswatch.jiscinvolve.org/2009/02/25/uk-governement-to-level-the-playing-field/#comment-202 (It's usually spelt Government with one less e, by the way [Editor: ooops, now fixed - thanks MJ]) Anyone know why the Cabinet Office didn't select FOSS to run their special public FOSS Aggregation page? Or why their page requires users to accept cookies until they expire, yet <a href="http://www.netvibes.com/static.php?show=privacy" rel="nofollow">its privacy policy</a> explicitly says "You may suppress cookies after your visit or configure your Internet browser to prevent them"? Yes, I can prevent them, but then it does nothing useful! I think you're bang-on that the procurement process needs to change. I'll love it if I'm wrong, but this looks like the "lip service as usual" which I've seen in the last 10 years working on FOSS in the UK. When government actually starts buying FOSS from typical FOSS service providers and not just the IBMs of this world, then I'll be happy! (It’s usually spelt Government with one less e, by the way [Editor: ooops, now fixed - thanks MJ])

Anyone know why the Cabinet Office didn’t select FOSS to run their special public FOSS Aggregation page?

Or why their page requires users to accept cookies until they expire, yet its privacy policy explicitly says “You may suppress cookies after your visit or configure your Internet browser to prevent them”? Yes, I can prevent them, but then it does nothing useful!

I think you’re bang-on that the procurement process needs to change. I’ll love it if I’m wrong, but this looks like the “lip service as usual” which I’ve seen in the last 10 years working on FOSS in the UK. When government actually starts buying FOSS from typical FOSS service providers and not just the IBMs of this world, then I’ll be happy!

]]> By: 451 CAOS Theory » UK government takes positive steps to encourage open source adoption http://osswatch.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2009/02/25/uk-governement-to-level-the-playing-field/comment-page-1/#comment-201 451 CAOS Theory » UK government takes positive steps to encourage open source adoption Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:57:46 +0000 http://osswatch.jiscinvolve.org/2009/02/25/uk-governement-to-level-the-playing-field/#comment-201 [...] Charles Arthur, The Guardian Simon Phipps, Sun Microsystems Alan Lord, The Open Learning Centre Glyn Moody OSS Watch [...] [...] Charles Arthur, The Guardian Simon Phipps, Sun Microsystems Alan Lord, The Open Learning Centre Glyn Moody OSS Watch [...]

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