All of Vietnam's Government Computers To Use Linux, By Fiat

Posted by timothy on Wednesday January 7, 2009 @07:52AM from the power-to-the-people dept.

christian.einfeldt writes "The Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications has issued an administrative ruling increasing the use of Free Open Source Software products at state agencies, increasing the software's use both in the back office and on the desktop. According to the new rule, 100% of government servers must run Linux by June 30, 2009, and 70% of agencies must use OpenOffice.org, Mozilla Firefox, and Mozilla Thunderbird by the end of 2009. The regulation also sets benchmarks for training and proficiency in the software. Vietnam has a population of 86 million, 4 million larger than that of Germany, and is one of the world's fastest-growing economies."

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Re:Fiat? by acurtiss · 2009-01-07 09:04 · Score: 0, Flamebait

Fix It Again, Torvald
The best part of it is easily overseen. by Erikderzweite · 2009-01-07 09:23 · Score: 0, Flamebait

From TFA:
The instruction also requests that computer traders not sell PCs installed with cracked software, but open source ones.
Nice! For too long MS has been using pirated software as a dumping tool to capture and hold developing markets. Now at least some vietnamese will know about the alternative (alternative you need to know to work for the government).