Brazil Mandates Shift to Free Software

truthsearch writes "LinuxToday is reporting news and a response about Brazil making Open Source mandatory for 80% of all computers in state institutions and businesses, setting up a 'Chamber for the Implementation of Software Libre.'" This is a big win for Linux, but is making it mandatory going too far? It would seem wiser to support a solution that favors the best tool for the job, which may not always be an open source product.

Comments

Portuguese, please

[Indio_do_Xingu]

'Chamber for the Implementation of Software Libre.'" Libre = Spanish Livre = Portuguese Portuguese, not spanish, is the spoken language in Brazil...

Re:Mr. Gates?

[inerte]

He already met (twice) with Brazil's president (one time before the election, one after, during Davos), and it didn't change our president's mind.

During the campaign some IT newspaper asked the candidates what they would do for the software industry. It went something like this:

José Serra's answer:

"We must support the software industry, make it stronger so it can generate jobs for our citizens, and increases export (export? Sell something to other country)."

Pretty standard, IMHO. This anwer works not only for the software industry, but for any other else.

Lula's answer:

"We should support free software, not only because it's cheaper, but because our country needs a larger tech base, more computer and people that knows how to use it".

And Lula won the dispute. Especifically, when asked about the software industry, he cited free solutions.

So it's not a matter of what Bill Gates think, it's already happening. Cool, isn't? :)

Ps: I know you made a joke I am just trying to make the topic broader and explain some of the things that are happening.