[Linux-aus] [Fwd: Re: [xxxxxxx] FW: Re: S.A. Parliament - Ubuntu Matter of Interest]

Sun Dec 3 09:13:02 UTC 2006

SA parliamentarian Dennis Hood (family first) intends to make a speech 
about Open Source, I dont know whether he actually made it, but he 
sought input from the FOSS/linux community. [....the Family First Party 
will me making this speech next Wednesday 6/12 just after about 2:30 or 
2:45? from linuxsa list  - I am told]

The item made its way to the ACS Branch executive for information which 
elicited the exchange below (and its top posted of course - sigh).

Would anyone on these lists care to argue the case in the interest of 
educating professional ICT practitioners who are not across the issue?

cheers
brenda
ps janet you'd recognise the start of this since you sent the orginal 
request for comment (below) from Dennis Hood to the linuxsa list - just 
shows it gets around doesnt it :)

++++++++++++++++

"My one cent worth on open source software......

Open source software is not really free as Matt said. The cost of free 
open source software is migration, maintenance and reliability issues. 
That is why it is currently used mostly for running non-critical or 
highly expensive infrastructure (which require less reliability). So it 
remains largely with enthusiasts and much of the commercial use is found 
  to be delivering non critical web content, internet services and other 
non critical internet-related services. These are only the areas where 
level of reliability of free open source software is good enough to be 
used. Where more reliable services are required, it is more of Unix 
flavours which are more often used than Linux. There are plenty of GUI's 
which work well with Unix or any Linux versions used at the backend. So 
the most used server have  Unix/Linux flavours and destop level 
softwares are either Novell or Microsoft or even legacy DOS used in some 
countries. To replace an operating system there are some main areas 
whihc need first attention when migrating to open source software. Costs 
include change of hardware, retraining staff, additional expert 
maintenance staff, buying online support 24/7, design and
implementation of addtional redundancy to have 100% backup in case of
breakdown. This is why the Sun software (I am taking this only as a
successful business model example) with its well designed GUI has been 
made free and they are selling training and support for princely sums. 
Everybody has a right to make money.... Don't They? How much is the 
question. The proponent of open source software does make a business 
case before switching to open source and also have to keep in mind the 
longevity of such change.
Availability of expertise and also cost effectively will be a major 
factor in such decisions. So if anyone is a policy maker who reads this 
email should do more research into such decisions regarding open software.

Also.... each flavour of Unix/Linux is different and some are more 
reliable in some areas than others. This demands careful planning when 
switching and planning its long time support. Each business/organisation 
has different operational procedures and may need different scale of 
reliability and operational flexibility in the operation of its computer 
systems, which will also affect the choice of software used.
Unfortunately Microsoft has set the path for unreliable and inefficient
software writing...... Well, we shall feel this for a long time to come,
even in open source software development.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

----- Original Message -----
From: xxxxx
To:
Sent: Friday, December 01, 2006 1:42 PM
Subject: Re: [xxxxxx] FW: Re: S.A. Parliament - Ubuntu Matter of Interest

> This draft seems incorrect to me."The most popular at the current time
> is called 'Ubuntu Linux'" in particular and that's no suprise seeing
> the names on the forwarded emails (marketting != popularity).
>
> I'd like to think that if adoption of a non-MS was to go forward,
> they'd chose a distro better suited than Ubuntu which itself is
> pitched as a 'dummies guide'  to linux.
>
> This ideological one-sided speech pitched to those who don't
> necessarily know better shouldn't be supported, especially when it
> doesn't provide any justification to it's points. What happens when
> someone sneezes and the system locks up, or new development is
> required to address a bug or new feature? The FOSS zealots don't
> mention the hidden cost of open source adoption.
>
> </rant>
>
+++++++++++++++++++++++=

>> > ----- Forwarded message from Janet Hawtin <lucychili at gmail.com> -----
>> >
>> > > Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2006 12:44:04 +1030
>> > > From: "Janet Hawtin" <lucychili at gmail.com>
>> > > To: 
>> > > Cc:
>> > > Subject: Re: S.A. Parliament - Ubuntu Matter of Interest
>> > >
>> > > Hello folks
>> > > Ive been asked to forward this draft speech to the list for comment.
>> > > Janet
>> > >
>> > > Matter of Interest
>> > > Hon Dennis Hood MLC
>> > > Draft ? 30 Nov 2006
>> > >
>> > > I would like to speak today about Free and Open Source Software ?
>> > > something once dear to the heart of the Hon Ian Gilfillan.
>> > >
>> > > Last week, it was reported that the French parliament was dumping
>> > > Microsoft products in place of Open Source software. The move came
>> > > after successful transitions by their Ministry of Agriculture and
>> > > Police.
>> > >
>> > > Starting in June of next year, French deputies will use desktops and
>> > > servers running Linux instead of Microsoft Windows;
>> > Mozilla's Firefox
>> > > Web browser in place of Internet Explorer; and OpenOffice - a free
>> > > open source alternative to Microsoft's Office software.
>> > Documents will
>> > > be saved in a non-proprietary Open Document format, which
>> > can be read
>> > > easily by any word processor.
>> > >
>> > > As an aside, I note that on March 31, 2006 the National Archives of
>> > > Australia also settled on the Open Document format to
>> > ensure long-term
>> > > access to data without legal or technical barriers.
>> > >
>> > > A detailed study concluded that the move will result in "substantial
>> > > savings despite the associated migration and training costs".
>> > >
>> > > Free and Open Source software is being produced, as I speak, by
>> > > developers all over the world ? many of them in South Australia. The
>> > > majority of these developers are volunteers, donating their time and
>> > > energy to improve and give away free software. And it is
>> > free in every
>> > > sense of the word ? free from any cost, but also free in the sense
>> > > that it can be used, copied, studied, modified, improved and
>> > > redistributed with little or no restriction.
>> > >
>> > > With developers all over the world freely and constantly
>> > improving the
>> > > software, it is little wonder that many Open Source
>> > solutions are now
>> > > outpacing Microsoft solutions.
>> > >
>> > > I want to focus primarily on the Linux Open Source
>> > Operating System ?
>> > > a  free competitor to Microsoft Windows. There are various
>> > 'flavours'
>> > > of Linux, including Red Hat, Novell Suse, Mandriva ? amongst others.
>> > > The most popular at the current time is called 'Ubuntu Linux'.
>> > >
>> > > 'Ubuntu', in the African Zulu and Xhosa languages loosely means
>> > > 'humanity towards others'.
>> > >
>> > > First released in 2004, this software collection is backed by
>> > > Canonical, a  company founded by Mark Shuttleworth.
>> > >
>> > > Mark Shuttleworth made his fortune as a software developer
>> > in the  dot
>> > > com era, with a company which was built on Free and Open Source
>> > > Software, supplying digital encryption services internationally to
>> > > banks.
>> > >
>> > > Mr. Shuttleworth, who is also the second space tourist, decided to
>> > > contribute back to the Free and Open Source software community, and
>> > > Ubuntu was born. Reading from the back of the CD's that I recently
>> > > distributed to all Members, "Ubuntu is an operating system
>> > consisting
>> > > of free and open source software". "Ubuntu is 'really free'
>> > software.
>> > > You are encouraged and legally entitle to copy, reinstall,
>> > modify, and
>> > > redistribute the CD for yourself and anyone else who may need it."
>> > >
>> > > The Ubuntu distribution has topped the ranks of Linux Distributions
>> > > downloaded from the Internet since it's release and is
>> > developed by a
>> > > world wide community, specifically with the ordinary
>> > computer user in
>> > > mind.
>> > >
>> > > Recently, South Australians have been expressing concern about the
>> > > ability to access information and technology safely and the
>> > continuing
>> > > expense of proprietary software licenses in our schools and
>> > > educational institutions.
>> > >
>> > > On behalf of the South Australian Ubuntu Users Group, I promote two
>> > > concepts to promote Free and Open Source Software as a 'way
>> > forward':
>> > >
>> > > First, that we should open the IT funding criteria. Funding
>> > for IT in
>> > > schools is often focused on acquiring and maintaining Software
>> > > Licenses. The use of free Open Source software allows the
>> > spending to
>> > > be refocused in education and training.
>> > >
>> > > Second, South Australian schools and libraries need somewhere to try
>> > > out Open Source software. A publicly accessible facility is required
>> > > where businesses and community groups can test these technologies to
>> > > learn about whether they are suitable for their purposes. Western
>> > > Australia, with the OpenSource WA Demonstration Centre, and Victoria
>> > > have both undertaken projects to boot strap their free software
>> > > sector. It would be great to see something like this in South
>> > > Australia.
>> > >
>> > > --

-- 
Brenda Aynsley, FACS
Director Oz Business Partners http://www.ozbusinesspartners.com/

Mobile:+61(0) 412 662 988 || Skype: callto://baynsley
Phone:08 8357 8844  Fax:08 8272 7486 Nodephone:08 7127 0107

Chairman ACS SA http://www.acs.org.au/
The ACS Computer Professional Educational Program impacts
on the Practising Computer Professional scheme. To see how visit
http://www.acs.org.au/cpprogram/cpp.htm

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