Cabinet goes for open source software

If implimented correctly, this can be a perfect budget saver in some departments.
 
This could be very intersting

AT the very least, it will make MS come in with some very good offers to the Government
 
hrm so they can cut costs like this, but not telecoms?
 
antowan said:
If implimented correctly, this can be a perfect budget saver in some departments.
Click to expand...

For me this is the big 'if'. If implemented badly, although the software was free, increased support and maintenance can cost more than the saving. And there's so much more choice, more frequent update cycles, such a opportunity for endless workshops, meetings, strategy sessions, decision making forums...

OTOH a lot of open source software, which I think is fabulous; tools which really do what I need, not what the marketing departments of large corporations think business executives want to hear...

Oh, always two sides to any story....:)
 
Lack of skills + Lack of competence --> Installing "cost saving" or "cheap" software = disaster waiting to happen.

It's like switching a govt. dept from Windows to Linux ....who's gonna support them? They hardly have MS competence , where will the "open source" support/training come from? BEE outsourcing initiative?

I'm not against it, but i've experienced this sort of stuff first hand where a company thinks they are gonna throw a "world standard" app out in favor of a cheap "almost free" alternative. A year later it's all in tatters, they can't get consultants/support and no one officially trained to a) provide training and b) ensure the software are used correctly. If a company is loaded with tech-savvy [read: SKILLED] employees this isn't as much of a problem , but when it's really the typical end-user who needs protection from themselves 99% of the time then you get some scary mistakes.

So it can be good, but can be very bad too. In Europe/USA it's all workable, i have my doubts in Africa with all these anti-skills policies in the places where you need it BEFORE you can pull stunts like these...
 
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Would think this is following the lead of countries like Brazil (much of S America,) and Cuba. All (both?) have extensive open source movements (in government.)

South America warms to Open Source

(haven't read the article: example)
 
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