Don't hold your breath.

Story: UK Gov. considering migration to open source?Total Replies: 2
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salparadise

Jul 16, 2010
2:28 AM EDT
This is an idea submitted by a member of the public. Along with some 60,000 other ideas (some of them quite mad). Traditionally in the UK the Government views the public with contempt.

The Tories are extremely unlikely to switch to Open Source - they like money and rich people and will be very impressed by Microsoft and are even more likely to sign contracts than the previous Government (who broke their own laws by signing UK schools to a 9 year MS contract without putting the contract out to tender). There is next to no understanding of IT in Government circles - the debacle over the Houses of Parliament IT system, where it transpired that the policy on USB drives was that anyone could insert one (MP's, staff and visitors) and Autorun was enabled by default, says all you need to know.
henke54

Jul 16, 2010
8:23 AM EDT
Yeah, ...it seems that the UK Gov. 'isn't ready' yet for open source ... pitty ... : http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f...
hkwint

Jul 19, 2010
2:22 PM EDT
sal:

I read about the 'cuts' Mr. Cameron & co have to make. I don't know the numbers any more, but it was pretty dramatic.

Maybe it would be better not to talk about open source, and just point them to this: http://www.osor.eu/news/fr-gendarmerie-saves-millions-with-o...

which says, 70% reduction of IT-budget possible, and best of all, no educational costs of the personnel. In my humble opinion, we should forget entirely (as much as possible) about LiMux in München and instead advocate open source using this example from now on. However, what they did with the templates in Munich is pretty impressive, but it might be considered to much work..

OK, it's a French example showing how they brought a German company on its knees - I'm not sure how the Tories feel about taking France as an example. But if you forget these details, they might find it interesting.

It's in the marketing, I suggest. You shouldn't ask the UK government to consider magrating to open source. You should ask them if they want to save 70% on their IT budget within 5 years.

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