Slashdot Mirror
EU Studies Linux Migration
LeftOfCentre writes "The Register reports that the European Commision, the executive arm of the 380 million population European Union, has decided to spend 250,000 Euros on studying how government computers in EU states could be migrated to Linux and open source."
Take that.
``Is a migration to Linux going to mean lower cost of government operation and lower taxes?''
Hehe. I don't think switching to open source solutions will have that great an impact on government expenses. Software costs will drop, but the hardware costs will remain, as will the costs for maintenance. And with all the subsidies and financial aid still in place...
Besides, AFAIK, the expenses of the European governements aren't paid for by the citizens, but rather by the state governments. The decision to alter taxes would, then depend on those, and I don't think they will be inclined to lower taxes. They can better use the money by stimulating the not-so-shiny economy...or save up for the upcoming expansion of the EU with several poorer countries.
---
The first duty of a revolutionary is to get away with it.
-- Abbie Hoffman
Please correct me if I got my facts wrong.
I know most European nations are generally socialist at their core and tax their citizens quite heavily.
I pay about the same amount of tax here as I did when I lived in the US. The difference is that in the EU, the money goes to social policies; while in the US it goes on the military.
--> "Last time I checked, even German economical growth is grinding to halt and unemployment rates are on the rise. No small part of this can be attributed to the huge tax load on inviduals and companies as a deterrent to enterpreneurial spirit"
...
Actually mostly to do with a) absorbing East Germany and the raw costs associated with that and b) struggling to meet the monetarist demands of the ECB and its rather deflationary "stability pact".
One will even out over time and the other is likely to be junked within the next year or so
And in what way does the UK not have a welfare state? It has a huge one (ooer).
Police in the UK are also piloting a Linux desktop system. Reported here.
Considering the fact that about 30% of US population does not pay any taxes at all and 90% of all taxes is paid by 10% of the population , it is hard to claim that this system penalizes "the average person"
Of course, perhaps as compared to Europe where being rich is practically crime and carries a social stigma, it might seem that way.
0.2% is about as much influence as she had in parliament - it was good as a publicity stunt but not much else.
Mielipiteet omiani - Opinions personal, facts suspect.