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Novell Signs Linux Deal with Australian Government

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the foot-in-the-door dept.

truthsearch writes to tell us ITWire is reporting that Novell has just signed a deal with the Australian government to become an approved supplier of Open Source software and solutions. This deal, believed to be the first of it's kind, "places Novell on the NSW government panel of preferred open source suppliers. This is the first panel contract of its kind by an Australian jurisdiction that contains provisions specific to open source software, giving government agencies and departments formal access to Linux solutions."

4 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Why don't all governments... by jimmyhat3939 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Personally I think the biggest problem is users being so used to the Windows/Office environment. I know some companies such as Linspire have tried to make Linux/OOo an easier transition. I don't think they've really succeeded to the point where a company/government can make a seamless transition. At the same time, most developers (myself included) would rather not spend hours converting Linux/OOo to look just like XP or Vista. So, the current state of affairs is unlikely to change much in the near future. I do believe that if some enterprising group/company decided to make Linux/OOo look and feel 95%+ like Windows, getting organizations to switch would be a no-brainer.

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  2. This could be bad for Linux by jimmyhat3939 · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I've only used Novell setups a bit, but in my experience, they don't have nearly the functionality or sophistication of some of the other Linux configurations out there.

    Also, a little known fact is that NSW used NetWare up until 1999 I believe. That could have had something to do with their decision to allow switching.

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  3. Re:Novell stitches up Linux deal with Aus Governme by ignavus · · Score: 5, Interesting

    NSW has about 35% of the Australian population. It isn't just 1 of 8 state and territory governments, it is the *biggest* state government.

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  4. Re:Someone to blame by killjoe · · Score: 4, Interesting

    1) When was the last time MS took the blame when their software went wrong.
    2) Please name the CIO who thinks their company can sue MS so I can publicly humiliate him for his stupidity.

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