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Portugal's Vortalgate — No Microsoft, No Bidding

Posted by kdawson on from the bad-for-bidders-and-for-bidness dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Companies using software other than Microsoft's are unable to bid at many Portuguese public tenders. This is due to the use of Silverlight 2.0 technology by the company, Vortal, contracted to build the e-procurement portal. This situation has triggered a complaint to the European Commission by the Portuguese Open Source Business Association; the case is unofficially known in Portugal as 'Vortalgate.'"

9 of 312 comments (clear)

  1. Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Good for Portugal. It is about time some country stood up for quality closed-source software in the face of all you open-source zealots who won't take total cost of ownership into account.

  2. Re:Kdawson by Yetihehe · · Score: 4, Funny

    So Silverlight is here to stay. Take your medicine and don't be bitter.

    --
    It's time to realise that Abble's products are the biggest abomination these days. Just say NO to the dumb iAbble way!

    Yeah, because no one here is biased...

    --
    Extreme Programming - Redundant Array of Inexpensive Developers
  3. Re:Kdawson by syrinx · · Score: 5, Funny

    I agree Silverlight is probably better than Flash, but that's setting a rather low bar.

    --
    Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
  4. Re:I, for one, by PCM2 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sadly, we have yet to understand the full repercussions of Suffixgate, but I suspect they will be with us for a long, long time.

    --
    Breakfast served all day!
  5. Re:I am shocked, shocked I tell you by whopub · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm more shocked to learn that the -gate postfix is used outside of the US! Or, indeed, even English-speaking countries!

    Oh, but it is.

    We even use colgate around here.

    :))

  6. Re:Kdawson by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    And even better, if you don't work for Novell, and use it via Mono, you might even get sued! Yay for patent-encumbered software that relies on the goodwill of a multiple-conviction monopolist.

    Bu... But Microsoft products are an IT industry standard.

  7. As a representative of Vortal.pt ... by shrubya · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... I must object to these allegations in the strongest terms. Our QA department went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure compatibility, by testing our software not only on HP and Dell computers, but also Lenovo, Sony, and Acer. Whatever objections these critics have are clearly spurious.

  8. Vortal Inputs? by baKanale · · Score: 2, Funny

    It is rude of them to commune by flux shifting in front of those whose Vortal inputs are impaired. They should vocalize in our auditory language as a matter of courtesy. Unless they wish to say unflattering things about us. Just so.

  9. Re:Kdawson by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sometime later this year according to the GP.