Andalucia Adopts Free Software

InodoroPereyra writes "Browsing Linux Today I found a link to an HispaLiNUX article stating that Andalucia goes OpenSource. More specifically, "All public educational centre necessities are intended to be fulfilled, first of all, with Free Software [...] It is compulsory to all hardware acquired by official educational centres to be fully compatible with Free Software operating systems. Furthermore, it must be preinstalled in all new bought computers". Andalucia is a region located to the South of Spain, with about 7.5 million inhabitants. This is an important follow-up to the many stories on Linux in Extremadura."

Comments

Small nations

[G3ckoG33k]

Small nations/language groups may indeed follow suit. I remember when Microsoft refused to make an Icelandic version of Windows some years ago. Reason? Too few users... Well, there are actually 250,000 icelanders, like a larger city block. Which makes me think of my 25 minute old Mandrake 9.1 installation. It boasts support for 60 languages, including Icelandic.

Economic Development

[luzrek]

Sounds like they want to encourage Open Source software to encourage the local economy. Makes sense, they won't have to send X-dollars per computer to MS or IBM or SUN or Apple and that money can stay in the local economy. Before someone says, "but what about the cost of training?" The money spent on the computer training for people to use OSS will also stay in the local economy and is actually a direct expendature on educating the local work force.

Re:Close minded

[10Ghz]

Are they limiting themselves just as they would be if they declared "all systems must have Microsoft software".

This isn't same kind of limitation (assuming that being free is a requirement). If they required that all systems must have MS-software, they would lock out competing companies. If they require that the software must be free, no company gets excluded. There's nothing stopping MS from offering software that fits their requirements. If MS chooses not to do so, it's MS's problem.

It would be same if I wanted to buy a station-wagon. Would I be excluding car-manufacturers that don't make station-wagons? Nope. If they don't have products that I'm interested in, it's really not my problem, it's their problem.