It is a *fact* that Sirius' appointment has led to a noticeable uptake of Free Software in the Education sector.
It seems likely that the Becta procurement list appointment is some kind of 'trial run' by UK Gov, and we are likely to see Free Software vendors appearing on other lists.
It's high time the UK joined the rest of Europe in its rapid uptake of FOSS in across the Public Sector.
need to fill in to fully bring Open Source to the Enterprise.
I believe that the day is coming where the companies making money from F/L/OSS will fund the Open Source projects that they make their consultancy/deployment/support/training money from.
It makes sense - a proportion of their turnover could, and probably *should*, be fed back into the projects that enable them to exist. The proprietary vendors have their R&D budgets. Would not an analogous equivalent in our world be a 'no-strings-attached' funding of key F/L/OSS projects?
Becta will be publishing their report next Friday. Those of us who have seen it, will vouch for the fact that the TES article conveys the essential facts, but the full report will signal the start of some wholesale moves to F/L/OSS in the UK Educational sector.
ZDNet's article hints at the fact that BECTA will be working with 'Open Source' representatives in the UK to promote the uptake of F/L/OSS in the UK Education market. eGov Monitor get a little closer to the truth here (http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/818)
All will be revealed next week.
This is the next in a whole series of events that is bringing F/L/OSS to the UK Public Sector. More on the way...
Mark Taylor, Executive Director of the Open Source Consortium has branded the concept of European democracy a sham. This follows the adoption of the controversial proposals on software patents (the computer-implemented inventions directive) by the European Council.
He said,"..the fact that an unelected body can ride rough shod over the near unanimous wishes of an elected parliament demonstrates that any pretensions the EU has to being democratic are just that - pretensions. To many this smacks of institutionalised deference to vested interest and intrigue, some of which originate outside the EU.
"Without this law Europe has a chance to lead the World but now risks sinking into mediocrity behind areas of the world free of this kind of castration.
"This law, if it is passed, will crush the economic prospects of entrepreneurial software organization seeking to challenge multinational proprietary interests. As such the government of Europe has shown that it is incapable of standing up to global commercial interests and incapable of handling its own consultative process.
"I would call on all stakeholders in Open Source and other affected software industries to demand and require their MEPs to re-instate democracy."
It became entirely apparent to me just over a year ago that *real* F/L/OSS advocacy was needed in the Government arena - to help stop sh*t like this happening.
And if you think the proprietary vendors are going to stop Microsoft - you're living in a dream-world!
This is one of the reasons why we formed the Open Source Consortium in the UK, a coalition of almost 70 F/L/OSS pure-play companies to provide a vendor neutral voice representing the views of the community to government. The other main reson being to give them a deployment force which is not controlled by any of the proprietary vendors.
Of course, we were slated on slashdot just over a week ago. Interesting how you guys can whine about this kind of stuff happening, and then whine about your own kind coming together to try and stop it!
Anyway, if there are any of you out there interested in actually *doing* something about this, rather than inneffective whingeing on slashdot, you may like to consider joining us!
Oh, and you might like to consider funding FSF Europe as well - Georg and the guys are amongst the few front-line organisations we've got actually having an impact over here right now.
Or you can just get back to compaining how unfair it all is...
Open Source Consortium www.opensourceconsortium.org
I'm glad to see the majority of posters so far have chosen to miss the point of the article, and to miss the point of the Consortium.
8^)
For what it's worth, the Consortium consists of 'close to the community' F/L/OSS businesses in the UK who have got together to promote FLOSS to the UK government and Public Sector.
How do I know this?
Because I started the process.
We have been communicating with various parts of the UK Gov and Public Sector for months. The International Secretary of Socitm (http://www.socitm.gov.uk/), Bob Griffith, spoke at our Press Launch stating unequivocally that Socitm's members want an OSC in order for their members to go ahead with deploying Open Source software.
So go ahead and whine. You are confirming all of the UK Governments worst stereotypes. Meanwhile Microsoft are *all over* the Public Sector here in the UK.
As for all the ranting about standards, sheesh - have you *read* the article? It says "He stressed that it would not compete with some of the existing open source groups which are more concerned with standards"
Let me give you an example of some work the OSC has done in the standards arena. We are hosting John Terpstra's presence here in Europe to speak out against software patents as part of his work with the Open Standards Alliance (www.openstandardsalliance.org). So far we have helped the Alliance present to senior EU officials at the IST 2004 conference and the Flosspols conference. We have also hosted a presentation (in conjunction with the NCC) to UK Government officials here in the UK. The message we have been projecting in Europe is that to those who are seeking so-called 'Intellectual Property' protection, computing infrastructure = patents + copyright + bite your arse laws, and the dialogue these people use is litigation. John has been very vocal that the Open Source community vehemently objects to any notion of 'Intellectual Property' protection, and that infrastructure computing is the result of unfettered technology development, and that our dialogue brings about concensus. Still, if you're more comfortable thinking we're just a bunch of suits, or that we're *pro* patents (where the f*ck did you get *that* idea!), go right ahead! 8-P
Complaining is the easiest thing in the world - knock yourselve out!
We decided we'd try and achieve something a little bit more positive than that - promote the uptake of F/L/OSS in the UK Public Sector.
Or maybe we should just leave the UK to Microsoft and simply sit here whining on Slashdot...
You and I (and the rest of our kind) certainly noticed this, but as you say, the convincingness of the graph for casual readers is what MS are after in their PR campaign.
As a community, especially the business community around Open Source, we need to win this war on the same ground. We have the technological superiority, as esr points out (hacking the meme pool), we've had this for decades. What we need now is the marketing savvy to beat the proprietary vendors at their own game. If we can now supply that, Open Source will win. The fight will be hard however 8^)
I don't think they'd give a sh*t about the spray painted Tux (much as I think it would be an improvement on the current van graphics), but they would *love* the negative publicity they could get from that!
No, I'm talking about fighting fire with fire! Watch for some *interesting* public sector announcements around Open Source over the next few months. The UK will have its own Munich rsn...
I was at the Secure Britain Masterclass at Olympia a couple of months ago and Stuart Okin (MS UK security primo) admitted pretty much the same thing (about his wife's machine!). All part of their new 'accessible' and 'concerned' approach!
He went on with the 'industry problem' lie^Hne to reassure us we were all buddies together and all in the same boat, then asked for anyone who trusted their computer to put their hand up (expecting nobody after the 'friendly' subliminals he just slipped us). Both me (FreeBSD user) and my collegue (linux user and security researcher) put our hands up. Mr Okin, bless him, acknowledged our hands but neglected to ask which version of 'windows' we ran:)
In the glossy brochure they give out at the event they have a file of 'case studies'. Several are from organisations (such as Newham Borough Council) who were about to transition to Open Source but were then bought off^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H convinced that, in fact, sticking with Windows would cost them less(!).
The truth is they are terrified. They've got wind of what's on its way over here in the UK.
Relax, don't panic. Wait and see what us Brits have got coming for MS over the next few months:)
Been running 5 (then 5.1) here just fine on both a thinkpad R40 and A31. No problems (ACPI whines - that's about it...), including wireless on the A31.
As I'm at various client sites around the country pretty much full time, these are my main systems. FreeBSD 5 series does it for me!
If I had mod point right now they'd be coming your way.
Thank you for this insight. I agree wholeheartedly!
Unfortunately, this is not where the general level of conversation around benefits is right now. It would be good if it could be shifted in this direction though. It's can be frustrating sometimes that potential users get caught up in issues that are *actually* minor whilst missing the areas that are *killing them*. This is a classic example. Thanks.
There are more councils than you know that *already* have Linux SWARMING over their servers. That is where the battle is at the moment. The desktop will come later...
With one sentence you've written off 10% of all IT in the UK as 'not IT innovators'. We shall see.
These people are not a grey, homogenous mass of "nobody got sacked for buying Microsoft" drones - you'd be surprised at the innovative spririt that exists in the UK public centre.
The study will be neutered - many times!
CGEY are trying to stick their fingers in a cracked dam. They can stick as many in as they like, that dam's about to break.
Everyone knows Open Source is Microsoft's worst fear, they will also soon know that Microsoft are *running scared*
It doesn't matter how many consultants and skewed, whitewashed reports they buy, the truth will out...
Slashdot Mirror
It is a *fact* that Sirius' appointment has led to a noticeable uptake of Free Software in the Education sector.
It seems likely that the Becta procurement list appointment is some kind of 'trial run' by UK Gov, and we are likely to see Free Software vendors appearing on other lists.
It's high time the UK joined the rest of Europe in its rapid uptake of FOSS in across the Public Sector.
Europe...
weirdly, that is almost exactly identical to the first draft of the text of the patent application in question...
or something?
On the other hand maybe *I* can be the immature community member making the joke, and perhaps that way M$ will put out all their smileys under GPL...
That's quite funny, but even M$ would never... oh, wait!
I believe that the day is coming where the companies making money from F/L/OSS will fund the Open Source projects that they make their consultancy/deployment/support/training money from.
It makes sense - a proportion of their turnover could, and probably *should*, be fed back into the projects that enable them to exist.
The proprietary vendors have their R&D budgets. Would not an analogous equivalent in our world be a 'no-strings-attached' funding of key F/L/OSS projects?
This is merely the tip of the iceberg.
2 0390,39196487,00.htm)
Becta will be publishing their report next Friday.
Those of us who have seen it, will vouch for the fact that the TES article conveys the essential facts, but the full report will signal the start of some wholesale moves to F/L/OSS in the UK Educational sector.
The story was leaked in the first place, despite the purdah due to the UK General Election, by eGov Monitor (http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/695) and rapidly followed up by ZDNet (http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/linuxunix/0,390
ZDNet's article hints at the fact that BECTA will be working with 'Open Source' representatives in the UK to promote the uptake of F/L/OSS in the UK Education market. eGov Monitor get a little closer to the truth here (http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/818)
All will be revealed next week.
This is the next in a whole series of events that is bringing F/L/OSS to the UK Public Sector. More on the way...
EUROPEAN DEMOCRACY BRANDED A SHAM
Mark Taylor, Executive Director of the Open Source Consortium has branded the concept of European democracy a sham. This follows the adoption of the controversial proposals on software patents (the computer-implemented inventions directive) by the European Council.
He said,"..the fact that an unelected body can ride rough shod over the near unanimous wishes of an elected parliament demonstrates that any pretensions the EU has to being democratic are just that - pretensions. To many this smacks of institutionalised deference to vested interest and intrigue, some of which originate outside the EU.
"Without this law Europe has a chance to lead the World but now risks sinking into mediocrity behind areas of the world free of this kind of castration.
"This law, if it is passed, will crush the economic prospects of entrepreneurial software organization seeking to challenge multinational
proprietary interests. As such the government of Europe has shown that it is incapable of standing up to global commercial interests and incapable of handling its own consultative process.
"I would call on all stakeholders in Open Source and other affected software industries to demand and require their MEPs to re-instate democracy."
Ends
If anyone can be bothered to RTFA, you will find this is simply IBM playing with smoke and mirrors again...
;-)
Classic example from TFA:
"will add Linux-based elements to IBM's Workplace software."
It's just a big advert for yet another proprietary IBM product with some good old Linux magic pixie dust sprinkled over it.
Looks like they're already getting good value for their $100m worth of *advertising*... Gushing enthusiasm from the BBC is worth its weight in gold
Those of us *actually* promoting pure Open Source solutions would love some free publicity like this !
It became entirely apparent to me just over a year ago that *real* F/L/OSS advocacy was needed in the Government arena - to help stop sh*t like this happening.
And if you think the proprietary vendors are going to stop Microsoft - you're living in a dream-world!
This is one of the reasons why we formed the Open Source Consortium in the UK, a coalition of almost 70 F/L/OSS pure-play companies to provide a vendor neutral voice representing the views of the community to government. The other main reson being to give them a deployment force which is not controlled by any of the proprietary vendors.
Of course, we were slated on slashdot just over a week ago. Interesting how you guys can whine about this kind of stuff happening, and then whine about your own kind coming together to try and stop it!
Anyway, if there are any of you out there interested in actually *doing* something about this, rather than inneffective whingeing on slashdot, you may like to consider joining us!
Oh, and you might like to consider funding FSF Europe as well - Georg and the guys are amongst the few front-line organisations we've got actually having an impact over here right now.
Or you can just get back to compaining how unfair it all is...
Open Source Consortium
www.opensourceconsortium.org
to Microsoft?
I'm glad to see the majority of posters so far have chosen to miss the point of the article, and to miss the point of the Consortium.
8^)
For what it's worth, the Consortium consists of 'close to the community' F/L/OSS businesses in the UK who have got together to promote FLOSS to the UK government and Public Sector.
How do I know this?
Because I started the process.
We have been communicating with various parts of the UK Gov and Public Sector for months. The International Secretary of Socitm (http://www.socitm.gov.uk/), Bob Griffith, spoke at our Press Launch stating unequivocally that Socitm's members want an OSC in order for their members to go ahead with deploying Open Source software.
So go ahead and whine. You are confirming all of the UK Governments worst stereotypes. Meanwhile Microsoft are *all over* the Public Sector here in the UK.
As for all the ranting about standards, sheesh - have you *read* the article? It says "He stressed that it would not compete with some of the existing open source groups which are more concerned with standards"
Let me give you an example of some work the OSC has done in the standards arena. We are hosting John Terpstra's presence here in Europe to speak out against software patents as part of his work with the Open Standards Alliance (www.openstandardsalliance.org). So far we have helped the Alliance present to senior EU officials at the IST 2004 conference and the Flosspols conference. We have also hosted a presentation (in conjunction with the NCC) to UK Government officials here in the UK. The message we have been projecting in Europe is that to those who are seeking so-called 'Intellectual Property' protection, computing infrastructure = patents + copyright + bite your arse laws, and the dialogue these people use is litigation. John has been very vocal that the Open Source community vehemently objects to any notion of 'Intellectual Property' protection, and that infrastructure computing is the result of unfettered technology development, and that our dialogue brings about concensus.
Still, if you're more comfortable thinking we're just a bunch of suits, or that we're *pro* patents (where the f*ck did you get *that* idea!), go right ahead! 8-P
Complaining is the easiest thing in the world - knock yourselve out!
We decided we'd try and achieve something a little bit more positive than that - promote the uptake of F/L/OSS in the UK Public Sector.
Or maybe we should just leave the UK to Microsoft and simply sit here whining on Slashdot...
They've been very selective about *all* the information they're showing. The whole pack they gave out at the event was slanted this way.
;)
I know of a few projects to produce 'articulate
responses' to MS's claims, not for discussion on a public site yet though
Of course privately...
You and I (and the rest of our kind) certainly noticed this, but as you say, the convincingness of the graph for casual readers is what MS are after in their PR campaign.
As a community, especially the business community around Open Source, we need to win this war on the same ground. We have the technological superiority, as esr points out (hacking the meme pool), we've had this for decades. What we need now is the marketing savvy to beat the proprietary vendors at their own game. If we can now supply that, Open Source will win. The fight will be hard however 8^)
So what practically can we do with this?
Are you a lawyer, or is this informed comment?
Are you saying we could get them to stfu?
I don't think they'd give a sh*t about the spray painted Tux (much as I think it would be an improvement on the current van graphics), but they would *love* the negative publicity they could get from that!
No, I'm talking about fighting fire with fire! Watch for some *interesting* public sector announcements around Open Source over the next few months. The UK will have its own Munich rsn...
I was at the Secure Britain Masterclass at Olympia a couple of months ago and Stuart Okin (MS UK security primo) admitted pretty much the same thing (about his wife's machine!). All part of their new 'accessible' and 'concerned' approach!
:)
He went on with the 'industry problem' lie^Hne to reassure us we were all buddies together and all in the same boat, then asked for anyone who trusted their computer to put their hand up (expecting nobody after the 'friendly' subliminals he just slipped us). Both me (FreeBSD user) and my collegue (linux user and security researcher) put our hands up. Mr Okin, bless him, acknowledged our hands but neglected to ask which version of 'windows' we ran
In the glossy brochure they give out at the event they have a file of 'case studies'. Several are from organisations (such as Newham Borough Council) who were about to transition to Open Source but were then bought off^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H convinced that, in fact, sticking with Windows would cost them less(!).
:)
The truth is they are terrified. They've got wind of what's on its way over here in the UK.
Relax, don't panic. Wait and see what us Brits have got coming for MS over the next few months
Been running 5 (then 5.1) here just fine on both a thinkpad R40 and A31. No problems (ACPI whines - that's about it...), including wireless on the A31.
As I'm at various client sites around the country pretty much full time, these are my main systems. FreeBSD 5 series does it for me!
Hey, you weren't that hard to trace!!!
;)
Oh, I don't know, surely you know *someone* in the UK with some Free Software skills
=8)
Shiny new Free Software migrations hurt MS waaaay more than bombs.
p.s. send us a CV when you move on from University of London...
If I had mod point right now they'd be coming your way.
Thank you for this insight. I agree wholeheartedly!
Unfortunately, this is not where the general level of conversation around benefits is right now. It would be good if it could be shifted in this direction though. It's can be frustrating sometimes that potential users get caught up in issues that are *actually* minor whilst missing the areas that are *killing them*. This is a classic example. Thanks.
We don't do bombs 8^)
I disagree.
There are more councils than you know that *already* have Linux SWARMING over their servers. That is where the battle is at the moment. The desktop will come later...
With one sentence you've written off 10% of all IT in the UK as 'not IT innovators'. We shall see.
These people are not a grey, homogenous mass of "nobody got sacked for buying Microsoft" drones - you'd be surprised at the innovative spririt that exists in the UK public centre.
The study will be neutered - many times!
CGEY are trying to stick their fingers in a cracked dam. They can stick as many in as they like, that dam's about to break.
Everyone knows Open Source is Microsoft's worst fear, they will also soon know that Microsoft are *running scared*
It doesn't matter how many consultants and skewed, whitewashed reports they buy, the truth will out...
Eddie's not the only one doing a lot of damage to Microsoft in the UK.
I don't work for Netproject either 8^)
(and I don't post anonymously)
Peace