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UK Government Reports Linux is 'Viable'
CProgrammer98 writes "The Beeb is reporting that The UK Office of Government Commerce has published their final results following trials on the use of OSS and especially Linux and they conclude that Linux is a viable option for government use. From their summary: 'The report shows that Open Source software is rapidly maturing, offers significant potential benefits to government and should be actively considered alongside proprietary alternatives. It concludes that decisions should be based on a holistic assessment of future needs, taking into account total cost of ownership, with proper consideration of both proprietary and open source solutions.'"
It's not like the British Government listens to anybody anyway (Well except for Dubayew), so why will they listen to this.
I am personally sick of windows worms and viri. Even will a fully updates system with the latest AV definitions you still have the hastle of sorting it out when the AV finds one that it has pulled down.
My Point - Love to see it happen, but not holding my breath
I never realised linux had reached a level of maturity that would mean that it is inefficient enough for the gov to even consider using it.
The OS may be free but complete solutions aren't.
Organizations (govt. or private) invite bids for Solutions, not operating systems. An OS is only a small part of the solution.
The current UK govt. has a terrible track record on It projects. The go back time and time again to the same suppliers that failed them and overran their budget to alarming proportions (notable names here include: EDS, C(r)AP Gemini, Arthur Anderson - the usual suspects...).
The cost of a desktop/small-server OS is almost incidental to the cost of a major IT project.
The US Government has stated that Linux is a viable and valuable resource, and although it must be secure (duh), it is encouraged that more OS's besides Microsoft's should be used. Diversity is important. Linux is authorized for use throughout the government, and actually is used alot more than you would think.
Three years ago (2001), while I was working in London at a Medical Software Development firm, I recomend that the company move from ColdFusion to J2EE for scaleability and I wanted to work with Java. But the company, on Micro$ofts urging, went to .NET. Then a year later(2002) after attending LinuxExpo in London, I presented to the IT Director a plan to build a desktop OS for the National Health Services using Linux. But the Brits do not like chage and they really do not like Americans recomending change. Also around that time Sun approchad the same Director and showed him their first run at linux the SunLinuxOS. But the business reality was "We are an Microsoft shop and we cannot afford to change direction." Which was fair enough.
Now just a few weeks ago there was a story about how Sun scored a deal with the NHS for $9 Billion dollars or 5 Billion (GBP).
Respond if you want but I am jsut trying to vaildate my self worth now that I am back in the
US and unemployed.
I like-a do-the cha-cha.