Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Open Source Cities Followup — Munich Yea, Vienna Nay

Posted by kdawson on from the positively-dickensian dept.

We're catching up on two stories of municipal engagement with open source software: Munich (which decided to go OS in 2003) and Vienna (2005). E5Rebel brings us news that Munich has stayed the course. But bkingaut informs that Vienna has decided to migrate back to Windows (Google translation) — to Vista no less. The migration of 720 computers used in kindergartens will cost the city about €8M. The given reason for all this is a language test application for the kids that only works with MS IE and won't be made compatible (by the producer) with Firefox until 2009.

13 of 162 comments (clear)

  1. Stupid developers by Swizec · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Who in their right mind makes something work on a browser that doesn't work well, but neglects to do it for a browser that is easier to develop for?

    1. Re:Stupid developers by mrbluze · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Who in their right mind makes something work on a browser that doesn't work well, but neglects to do it for a browser that is easier to develop for? Obviously someone who is friends with the people who give out contracts for kindergartens in Vienna.
      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    2. Re:Stupid developers by Arthur+B. · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Someone who relies on a windows plugin probably. I bet the web site is really an ActiveX application.

      --
      \u262D = \u5350
    3. Re:Stupid developers by mhall119 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Or pay some other developers to make an open-source version of the software.

      --
      http://www.mhall119.com
    4. Re:Stupid developers by LWATCDR · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Simple answer.
      IE has a market share of over 50%.
      If you develop for the web you MUST develop for IE. It doesn't matter that Firefox is easier to develop for because it is still extra work.
      If you are going sell anything that works on a web browser IE support is mandatory.
      I along with a lot of other people feel that Firefox is also mandatory for anything you put on the Internet. If you are building a site you don't want lock out big percentage of potental users. I do tend to write for Firefox and then port to IE but IE support is without a doubt mandatory.

      Microsoft has it right. Developers, Developers, Developers! People don't use an OS they use applications. I love Linux but I have to keep a Windows for work and for FSX.

      If the programs you use don't run on an OS that OS is useless to you.

      --
      See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
    5. Re:Stupid developers by mweather · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "IE has a market share of over 50%." I can write a web app that works on Firefox 1, 2 and 3 with the same exact code. Can you do that with IE 5,6 and 7? No. So stop pretending that IE in all it's incarnations is the same browser. No single version of IE has more than 30% market share, which makes it about equal with Firefox.

    6. Re:Stupid developers by LWATCDR · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You don't get it.
      You are correct that IE 5,6, and 7 are different but that doesn't matter.
      If it works in IE 5 it will probably work in IE 6. IE 7 was a little harder to deal with which is why a lot of companies held off on IE 7. But NONE of that matters. You must support the terrible mess that is IE. There really isn't a choice for most web developers. Heck I wish that we could all just stick with W3C code but that isn't an option in this world.
      Firefox's market share is around 30% in Europe. But here is the key question. What market share does windows have? How many Firefox users also have IE so they can use it when they have no other choice?
      I love Firefox. It is a better browser than IE. It is easier to code for than IE.
      BUT the sad truth is that just doesn't matter.

      --
      See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
  2. Why not switch test software? by FictionPimp · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Seems to me it would be easier and cheaper to find test software that did not require IE.

    OR even better, they could write some and help other schools going open source.

    1. Re:Why not switch test software? by mrbluze · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If the way things work in Croatia is any clue, money has Changed Hands in order for things to resolve this way. Corruption is common, but IMHO incompetence is far more prevalent.
      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    2. Re:Why not switch test software? by arivanov · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Really?

      The questions are usually copyrighted so you need someone to write a new set of questions, get them certified by the education department, get the app written, the app certified by the education department and so on. All this is subject to junkets, sometimes money changing hands, lobbying and so on.

      Educational and testing software is an area which is nearly impossible for a newcomer to break in. Competition is virtually inexistent, quality is crap and there is bugger all that can be done about it.

      --
      Baker's Law: Misery no longer loves company. Nowadays it insists on it
      http://www.sigsegv.cx/
  3. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  4. Abso-fricken-lutely by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I am dumbfounded that they are spending 8M Euro to make a switch primarily for ONE application. If you have that money to spend, tell the bloody web app vendor to fix their broken app or you will move to a competitor. Heck, I bet for substantially less than 8M you could sponsor an open-source project to CREATE A NEW APP FROM SCRATCH.

  5. Re:Compatability? by Brian+Gordon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How exactly does it cost more than ten thousand dollars per computer to switch back to Windows?