Australian NSW Government Making Way for Linux 92
seralick writes "Australian IT has reported that the Australian NSW government has established 'Australia's first whole-of-government panel to supply open source software and services to its departments and agencies.' Basically they have opened the way for the wide spread goverment usage of Linux software and services."
Wow! (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Wow! (Score:5, Insightful)
This reminds me of what's happening with the Computing Society at my university. The society is a strong supporter of Linux, so Microsoft has been offering us free software. They have yet to mention what the catch is, so we'll have to see how it all turns out.
Re:Wow! (Score:4, Funny)
They wan't you familiar with and happy to use windows products when you hit the job market.
Re:Wow! (Score:3, Insightful)
That is the catch
Re:Wow! (Score:3, Funny)
he uses a MS spelling checker, apparently.
Re:Wow! (Score:4, Interesting)
In many places the catch is convert all IT programs to MS only. It's the only thing you will ever need, so that's all that needs training.
Some places reject the offer as they train UNIX in one form or another and do not wish to be IIS only.
Re:Wow! (Score:4, Interesting)
My latest example is when I tried applying for a job as a professor at a university in England (the application is still under way, so I will not name the university). The site is set up to accept covering letters and CV's only in Microsoft Word format: there is a notice expressly forbidding anything else.
On a happier note, I contacted the university to complain about the stunning degree of narrow-mindedness shown by this -- do they really want to exclude anyone who doesn't use Microsoft Word from consideration??? -- and they replied saying that they were extremely sorry and they'd be happy for me to e-mail pdf files to them.
Not quite OpenDocument support, but it's a start. And all without jeopardising my application. Yay!
PDF is the next best thing (Score:1)
PDF actually works better for both you and for them. Since they are going to be printing your CV anyway, using PDF (as opposed to one of the many MS-Word formats) means that the fon
Re:Wow! (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Wow! (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Wow! (Score:1)
I think the usual bribe *ahem* I mean workshop is a full funded golf day where MS supply the carts, the booze and a nice lunch. After that I dunno what the next level of "gifts" are I'm not high enough up to know :(
On a side note our dept recently made the announcement they'd be going MS based. A few of us had already suggested alternatives like Linux or Apple. We weren't saying they should buy them on our sayso, but at least go as far as evaluating them as genuine alternatives.
When the MS announcement
Re:Wow! (Score:1)
Re:Wow! (Score:3, Interesting)
Although I don't think it's as formal the South African government has an open source program. No sooner was it annouched but they went out and spend millions on M$ software for schools. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me when more than half of our teachers want to resign due to lack of pay (do I smell a kickback?).
I would really like to see sucha program last.
Re:Wow! (Score:3, Insightful)
Allow me to be the first to call you on that... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Allow me to be the first to call you on that... (Score:2)
Oh no! (Score:1)
Re:Allow me to be the first to call you on that... (Score:2)
Re:Wow! (Score:5, Interesting)
Bill Gates and Telstra deserve each other, scum bags.
Re:Wow! (Score:1, Funny)
Telstra service tech on phone: Linux? I've heard that's pretty cool. Does it run on XP yet?
Me: Um, yeah, right.
Re:Wow! (Score:2)
Re:Wow! (Score:1)
He'll just send Steve instead.
Re:Wow! (Score:5, Insightful)
A very good point.
I want Governments to be driving Open Source adoption in their departments because they realise the benefits that it gives, not pretending to do so in the hope that they can get better discounts out of Microsoft.
It it is the latter, then we still have a very long way to go since the masses will equate Linux as being a barganing tool rather than a serious alternative.
Re:Wow! (Score:3, Insightful)
since the masses will equate Linux as being a barganing tool rather than a serious alternative.
Maybe so, but that would definitely be based on flawed logic. If Linux can be used as a bargaining tool, it is because it has the potential to be used as a replacement for Microsoft's products. If Linux was not a viable alternative, it wouldn't be a viable bargaining tool either. Microsoft would just say "Sure! Go ahead and use Linux, you'll be running back to us in a year when you realize that it doesn't wo
Re:Wow! (Score:1)
Well... (Score:2)
They'd be screwed without something like this (Score:4, Interesting)
Mmmm (Score:3, Insightful)
Isn't this just trading one monolith for another?
Yes, the source may be open now, but as the NSW government gets more reliant on the company, the more one can expect the code to become proprietry.
Not really. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Mmmm (Score:1)
Easy math (Score:3, Insightful)
IBM, Sun Microsystems, Red Hat, Dell and Novell: ehm, more than one, so how can you speak of a monolith?
And btw., one of the benefits of OSS is that you don't get locked in like you do with say an all out Windows shop. Sure, it might be inconvenient to switch to an other vendor, an other service provider, but at least it is possible without giving up your current solution.
Re:Mmmm (Score:3, Insightful)
This is the entire reason the GPL has become so popular in the first place. It ensures you always have [i]some[/i] escape from such a situation.
Re:Mmmm (Score:3, Insightful)
Isn't this just trading one monolith for another?
"Monolith" implies a single structure, if not company. There are 5 listed above, and several others.
Re:Mmmm (Score:2)
How is IBM, Sun Microsystems, Red Hat, Dell and Novell a monolith? These companies compete with each other, unlike MS who competes with MS until recently when Mozilla and Open Office invaded their turf.
Not just Linux (Score:4, Interesting)
And it's already translated into Australian (heck it's even translated into US for us 'mericans:-)!
Re:Crikey! (Score:3, Insightful)
Either that, or all the Australian news is aired during the night after all the important prime-time news is finished.
Australia is on the other side of the world. When it's evening in North America it's the following morning there.
Welcome to Planet Earth.
Kangaroos Embracing Penguins? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Kangaroos Embracing Penguins? (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Kangaroos Embracing Penguins? (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Kangaroos Embracing Penguins? (Score:2)
Re:Kangaroos Embracing Penguins? (Score:3, Interesting)
We have native penguins in Australia
The inspiration for Tux, no less: [Linus Torvalds] really was bitten by a Little Penguin on a visit to Canberra [wikipedia.org]. Of course, Kiwi penguins are much better than Oz penguins ;-)
/slinks off...
Re:Kangaroos Embracing Penguins? (Score:2, Interesting)
Linus went to Canberra zoo once, they have this sign at the Penguin exhibit [shakesbeare.com] regarding the story behind Tux.
Re:Kangaroos Embracing Penguins? (Score:2)
As a long-standing penguinista, I believe any postive government involvement with OSS has to be a useful learning experience, so those of you without experience in the difficulties of procurement should hop off and let us waddle our way into their furry hearts!
Misreporting and Slashdot Sensationalisation (Score:4, Informative)
This in NO WAY makes NSW open source friendly. If anything it makes it harder for anyone in the govt to use open source. What this does is it requires users to buy open source software from a group of designated companies, basically locking small players out of the parket.
This is bad news [pressesc.com] !!!
Once again we see how slashdot story leads add so much spin to a story as to distort it completely.
Re:Misreporting and Slashdot Sensationalisation (Score:5, Insightful)
Yes, perhaps this may lock out smaller companies or organizations, but it does promote open source usage by making it simpler to get.
The main goal, as I see it, is to break the Microsoft stranglehold. If it requires the use of larger companies at the expense of smaller ones, so be it. If Linux captures a large share of the market, through these designated companies, then smaller players can come in and compete directly based on technical merit.
If Ubuntu is better than SuSE is, let it compete against SuSE. But Ubuntu doesn't have much chance to compete against the might of Microsoft without the help of Novell, IBM and others.
Re:Ubuntu or Suse (Score:1)
If a distribution is able to give good support in terms of frequent bug fixes , software updation and technical support (need not be like redhat's 24x7 type but even mailing lists, news servers and email support will
Re:Misreporting and Slashdot Sensationalisation (Score:2)
Besides, how many small players would realistically cut it when the matter is supply of services to government?
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Warning (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Warning (Score:1)
We won't get this news on the telley yet (Score:5, Funny)
I better find a torrent for it!
Re:We won't get this news on the telley yet (Score:2)
Even better, you can wait until tomorrow and get a duplicate posting from slashdot.
And if you like your text news delivered as a weekend omnibus edition, CmdrTaco or Timothy will post yet another duplicate of this story over the weekend.
Of course, this story was about something that happened in NSW last october, so you may have recently seen it on ABC
the AC
Accountability and Tools (Score:4, Informative)
It is what traditional commercial vendors have provided for years. What's new is that it will be implemented on top of Linux instead of Multics or Windows or VM/CMS.
Looks promising.
Already some reactions (Score:4, Funny)
My company made it on the panel (Score:5, Interesting)
Nevertheless, this is a great thing for NSW. It means that all those government departments that previously had to submit a tender for linux services can now just call us up and we can help them.
There is a more detailed article here:
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/0,200006173
we are listed as Sol1 in that list.
Its going to a great chance for our little company.
dave
Re:My company made it on the panel (Score:1)
Re:My company made it on the panel (Score:1)
Re:My company made it on the panel (Score:1)
Is this the sign of a new phase of Linux adoption? (Score:4, Informative)
For some more context stuff, a contact of mine is an IT consultant hired by various large corporates primarily because he is tied into the nsw.gov.au old school tie network.
He mentioned during a linux conversation that practically everyone in the NSW state government is "desperate to get rid of that Microsoft crap". Almost every department has people that have been hurt many many times by Microsoft, and have simply had enough.
The key problem has been accountability. They are public servants, and so of course are never going to move until they are 100% sure they can do it and not suffer political/career repurcussions in the process.
The (previously mentioned here) NSW Roads and Traffic Authority linux conversion was seen as their white knight project. From what I understand, that has been a strong success. With that out of the way, and now suppliers they can use without fear of repurcussion, I would expect to be seeing not just the odd single linux projects, but a whole swath of projects through most of the entire NSW government over the coming year.
And you can bet once half of NSW is enjoying no failures from viruses and greatly reduced prices, the rest of
Hazzah!
Adam K
Re:My company made it on the panel (Score:2)
Sorry, maybe it's 'cos it's so late, but I can't
figure out how to contact you offline via slashdot. Very interested in what your company is doing, would you mind dropping me an email at from-slashdot-exekewtable@sonicbluebear.com please.
Thanks!
B747SP
Re:My company made it on the panel (Score:1)
Babel Com Australia (us): www.babel.com.au
Les Bell & Associates: www.lesbell.com.au
Si2: www.si2.com.au
Hardly surprising (Score:4, Informative)
Anyway, two years ago Della Bosca frankly admitted he did not know much of open source let alone linux, yet he was prepared to learn. To be honest he represents what we want. A politician who knows their limitations but is not afraid to ask. The result is a favourable movement towards open standards, which I believe is the way for governments to go.
Three cheers for della bosca, he may not understand it but he is working for a better open world.
Progressive Aussies (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm going to go out on a limb here (Score:2, Insightful)
I've read the articles left and right about hinderances to government implementing non-COTS environments but in the end it's just software!
I don't remember these kinds of panels and hububaloo about implementing Windows here and there. Was there an implementation panel to provide service and support for Windows when it was brought into the Australian government?
I'm all for open source as I like getting a
Re:I'm going to go out on a limb here (Score:1)
Re:I'm going to go out on a limb here (Score:1)
I think that you've missed an important point about free (as in speech) software, in that it is owned and developed by and for the community. The government is the body that should be organising the selection and development of NSW-specific open source software. It's like roads and sewage systems ... everyone benefits.
A whole of government approach i
The Australian NSW Government (Score:2)