Slashdot Mirror
World Govs Choose Linux For Security & More
pjones writes "Government Technology reports that "For reasons of national security and national pride, government officials in countries like China, France and Germany are increasingly adopting the free, open-source computer operating system known as Linux." Noted in the article are China's Red Flag, NSA's Security-Enhanced Linux and much more."
Other possibilities:
- Russia: Red Square (or Fur Hat)
- France: Red Beret
- Afghanistan: Red Turban
OK, that's enough cheap humor based on national stereotypes for today.And the reason why they don't is beyond me. Truthfully, if the reason is to support "our" software industry, its just pathetic. They even charged MS with being a monopoly.
The real problem is that no one in the government knows any better. Why the hell do you think we get all these crap laws like DMCA in the first place? Its cause the very loud kaa-ching sound of coins in big business's pocket drown out the yells of the under-funded consumer group lobiests. And the fact that there is only maybe 10 people in congress who had a person computer before the age of 20.
I mean, I'm glad to see the rest of the world smartening up and kicking the MS habit, but unless the U.S. gives up it's vision of a global industry dominated by "their" companies (heh), I don't think they will push alternatives very hard.
Also, how deep are the ties between MS and the present Administration? That will make a big difference in how the Gov't treats MS.
I've got a bad attitude and karma to burn. Go ahead. Mod me down.
You can get ahold of Red Flag Linux, no problemo. You should be able to read chinese, however.
http://www.redflag-linux.com/
A nation hell bent on suppressing free speech (China) embracing an operating system thats underlying belief structure is pure free speech. What next? Microsoft using the BSD TCP/IP stack? Oh... wait... ;-)
It's good to see people are finally realising that in using Microsoft products they are losing comptetive advatage. They're exposing themselves to the mediocrity of MS and all the dangers it entails. Improved security in Linux is just one example. As the net and IT infrastructure becomes increasingly improtant into the future, companies will realise the folly of blindly following Microsofts lead.
Reliable, Great Value Hosting: $7.95/mo 2.4G/120G
This guy knew enough to say that he hadn't the expertise, but he would like to accept their offer and bring some experts from the from the Bundesamt fuer Sicherheit in Informationstechnik and, of course, the Chaos Computer Club. Microsoft Germany did not respond after that.
To be honest, it could have been a good advertisement for MS if these guys had passed Win2K, but oh well, obviously they had their doubts.
See my journal, I write things there
Well,
In Finland the goverment and some of the biggest cities like Turku are currently spending quite serious money to find out if Linux / Open Office would offer a more sensible option than the MS-products. The reason -money. The new MS-lisence scheme has really irritated the local decicion makers. It's not easy to find 30-50% more money for software licenses at the same time as unempleyment rates have started to raise again...
The added security of OSS-products is of course nice benefit, but it's not the main factor.
v.
Also, slowly, people realise that when you have source, you are not dependent upon that corporation , wherever they are.
Many people are amused by the Finnish link but it doesn't necessarily sell the product as 'european'.
See my journal, I write things there
"Microsoft Web server software powers about 30 percent of the world's Web sites -- and 62 percent of the sites that have been hacked, according to data collected by two Internet sites, Netcraft's Web Server Survey and the Alldas Defacement Archive."
It's not just the Government, schools are switching as well!
We just finished switching servers to (SuSE 7.3) linux (vs Novell) for Wentzville, Missouri school district. (wentzville.k12.mo.us) The workstation machines might be next!
Not because anyone hates Microsoft or Novell, just because it was going to cost them a minimum of $13,000 a year for Novell licenses and who knows how much for Microsoft licenses.
They simply can't afford it and don't want to resort to piracy as so many other schools and companies have.
On top of that their getting a lot of added functionality they didn't have previously such as in house email, dns and web hosting.
We also got them setup with NAT, DHCP, and a firewall. None of which they had previously!
They are very excited to see it up and running so quickly. We're going to train them with what they need to know and they've got other training in their future budget plan.
The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either. - Benjamin Franklin
as a non-finnish German I have to deny it and I guess most Finnish Linux contributors also would. As much as I love the Finnish people for their extraordinarily black humour (finnish movies rule!) and their kindness, I think this argument only reflects the view of a non-European. "National pride" and the Open Source spirit don't fit together. Linux is a truly international endavour and I love this fact. If Linux were a reason for "national pride", it would lose most of it's attractivity for me.
european govs _talk_ about using linux - but they talk for a couple of years now.
;-)
The german "bundestag" diskusses about switching from NT to linux - but the same time windows-based e-gov solutions are presented.
( Windows 2000 for virtual city-halls (e))
Meanwhile MS announces to show theire sources to european govs (XP-source for gov of austria (e))....
i hope, linux will make it into our govs - but i do not really believe into it.
re china: they are not realy "anti-MS" anymore - their mayor ISPs switched to MS - most of them predicted to sitch to linux half a year ago ( breakthroug for MS in china (e))
sorry for all the links to german heise news - i read things like this on other (austrian/german) news-services, but heise has the better search-engine
Oh
... that explains it - i've spilled cofee on my shirt
I took the bait!
.jpgs.
1) Drop the CD in and type 'setup' and Windows installs itself, whereas you need a manual to tell you what should be installed for Linux.
So I've got this PC sitting here with no operating system or I just installed a new hard drive and I just drop in a cd and hit install? Like windows' comes on a CD that is bootable? Oh they finally got around to that with XP and 2000... gotcha
2) Hmm, all the best games and software are written for Windows, whereas Linux scrapes all of the leftovers and second class software from the people who don't get paid very well for their work.
*All* the best games are written for Windows? You are right. Linux doesn't have many big selling games available for it like Quake [I, II or III] The Sims, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Unreal Tournament, or anything else. Maybe this isn't anyone's fault except the game writers?
3) If you have a problem with your computer, you can always call the company who put it together for you, whereas with Linux you have to work your problem around the schedule of some pasty unshaven lout who is wired to explode after drinking one too many Red Bull energy drinks.
Always? After a year and a day most will tell you to go fuck yourself. You can't call M$ - most of the time they say call your builder. Have you ever dealt with anyone's tech support? Most companies either replace the part[s] or nothing. No one holds your hand - they sell you a book, yes there is books for Windoze. OH! If your hardware isn't supported yet it maybe supported one day under linux. Under windows, it either is or isn't. People at M$ don't just sit around writing drivers for fun, but the linux community does.
4) So what if Linux is cheaper? You get what you pay for, people. Why buy a used car and worry about getting the thing running (a problem with Linux) when you can buy a new car and not have to worry?
Unfortunatly you don't get anything with your cash when you buy windoze. Solitare, and other apps that you need to rush back to the store to upgrade... worth 99 bucks? And if your shit ain't supported in winbloze M$ will tell you to suck it and call the maker - which will tell you to suck it because they don't support windows X9000 or whatever.
Oh yeah, how many thousand of apps come with windows? How many CDs in the box? By far more software *comes* with Linux. I've always wondered... how much does the Norton [Symantec] stock price jump when a new version of windows is announced.
5) Does your computer crash when you install Windows on it? Maybe that's because you built the thing from the guts of obsolete machines. Also, if you want to buy your parts off of pricewatch.com, expect to get parts that don't work properly. Does this mean that Linux is better because it has a higher compatibility with different components? NO. It means that Windows has higher standards.
Windows is SUPPOSED to be the umbrella that all computer parts, and standards sit under! Higher standards - like memory leaks, daily 'defrags', no security, control over hardware makers? I once tried to install 98 on a machine of a friend that had recently lost all of his data because of 'registry' errors and the like. Pre-built system 2 months over warrantee. No recovery CD was supplied from the PC maker and his machine sat for months because 98 would not finish the installation. Now he bought XP, can't wait for that! PS: Pricewatch doesn't sell a fucking thing.
6) Windows users, on average, copulate far more than Linux users. Windows users also don't smell like cheddar cheese.
Bill Gates is laid daily by women of all races from around the globe! You could be as well if you bought Windows XP Professional and not Home Edition! Gimme' a break.
7) My mother knows how to use Windows. Does your mother know how to use Linux?
Leave my mother out of this! Actually she is a dual booter! RedHat on one drive [doesn't use] and Mandrake on the other. She got rid of Windows when she bought ME and it froze every hour or so. She would wake up... go to the PC and see that nice pretty blue-screen saver.
8) Nobody has -EVER- been able to hack my machine or install any virus simply because I turn off Active Scripting. You take scripting away, and suddenly my Windows machine is more secure than your bodged up Linux b0xen.
Mind sharing your IP address with us? How much did you get raped for your Anti-Virus software?
9) Programs written for Windows work in Windows, whereas you have to know the program inside and out to get the thing to compile in *nix.
Compile? That's so 20th century. Desktop users these days are apt-getting and rpm'n this and that.
10) Don't like the way something is running in Windows? Change it with the click of a button. Don't like the way something is running in Linux? Recompile the god damned kernel and pray the thing doesn't hex dump over your Sarah Michelle Gellar
I don't like how things stop running in windows frankly. How do I change that? You seem to be someone that when shown a DOS prompt you say WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?
Sound about right to you? Well, I thought so.
By the way, 'No Money' sounds more appropriate than 'National Pride' as a reason for using Linux.
When you pay for basic software on thousands, maybe millions of PC's then you tend to be lighter in the wallet.
Sincerely,
Linuxisforlosers
Drugs are for losers! Remember that and stay off the crack.
Otherwise, thank you for the amusing post even if you are a fanboy.
I'm not a fanboy - your argument is just silly.
Get your Unix fortune now!
Lots of US government agencies use Linux for various purposed. NASA uses it. NSA is developing their own hardened distrobution. Etc.
What's important is that we continue to provide them with a good Linux experience. Treat US government employees like royalty in newsgroups etc(when they ask about linux), and we just might increase our brainshare and marketshare.
Stop the brainwash
I think that you're overstating things a bit. For example, one of America's most important contributions to world heritage is the "value meal". However, we only really added packaging and marketing to this phenomenon. At its core, it still is comprised of two European concepts: the French fry and the Hamburger.