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EU Publishes Open Source Migration Guidelines

Posted by michael on from the order-a-copy-for-the-boss dept.

Skunil writes "The IDA Open Source Migration Guidelines provide practical and detailed recommendations on how to migrate to Open Source Software (OSS)-based office applications, calendaring, e-mail and other standard applications. These guidelines have been designed to help public administrators decide whether a migration to OSS should be undertaken and describe, in broad technical terms, how such a migration could be carried out. They are based on practical experience of a limited number of publicly available case studies, and cover a wide range of management and technical concerns."

5 of 164 comments (clear)

  1. Finally a step in the right direction by Pan+T.+Hose · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Now if only they were talking in the terms of Free Software instead of merely Open Source I would be sure that they are indeed motivated by our freedom and not only technical superiority of GNU. But I am sure that it is only a matter of time until the Freedom ideals are widely recognised in EU parlament. This is a step in the right direction. There are other steps which must follow.

    --
    Sincerely,
    Pan Tarhei Hosé, PhD.
    "Homo sum et cogito ergo odi profanum vulgus et libido."
  2. Not just for migration... by line.at.infinity · · Score: 4, Insightful

    OSS advocates should also advocate to businesses that are just starting up and households that are just purchasing their first PC.

    It would make more sense to start fresh with free software rather than to switch after paying for proprietary software.

  3. Short form by ENOENT · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Here is the short form for deciding whether migration to OSS is appropriate:

    1. Are you OK with a foreign company having complete control of your data?

    Answers:
    Yes -- Continue using MS products.
    No -- Switch.

    --
    That's "Mr. Soulless Automaton" to you, Bub.
  4. Re:Step one... by Trinition · · Score: 4, Insightful

    On the contrary:

    Step 1. Give me open source alternatives I can wean myself into one at a time on my current platform (Windows XP).

    Step 2. Now that all of my apps are open source, give me an open source operating system alternative where I can run them all.

    For example, I'm now running OpenOffice.org instead of Microsoft Office. Well, almost. I still use Microsoft Outlook because I can't find a competitive PIM client (not e-mail client) for Windows. I had hopes for Evolution, but last I checked, it's *nix only.

    If you really want to know how to get people to switch to open source, stop thinking people want to uproot their whole history and experience in one fell swoop. Its very disruptive and uncomfortable.

    If you rip that "probe" out too quickly, it will hurt!

  5. Funny, but I disagree. by ingenuus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    In fact, I would expect it to be in an MS format since the document (I assume) is about _how_ to migrate from MS to Open Source. Putting it in some Open Source format would be ironic, because, then how could those using MS possibly read it and thereby learn how to migrate?

    Irony occurs when the conveyed meaning is contrary to expectation or the literal meaning.