[Linux-aus] ABC restricts open source option

[Con Zymaris]

On Wed, Apr 14, 2004 at 07:12:02AM +1000, Michael Still wrote:
> Jeff Waugh wrote:
> 
> >Don't like the sound of this, particularly in the content management 
> >market,
> >and knowing of various FOSS-friendly Australian researchers working in the
> >multimedia space.
> >
> >  http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,9231945%5E15316%5E%5Enbv%5E15306,00.html
> >
> >Which tentacle do we unleash to deal with this kind of behaviour (in govt 
> >or
> >business), and how?
> 
> Ring the Minister for Communications, and express concern that your tax 
> payer money is not being spent effectively if a government agency 
> refuses to consider all options.


tread cautiously here. Daryl Williams doesn't care enough (he's on the way
out)  and direct contact with the minister is more than likely to have
negative impact, not positive.

The best way forward is to approach the procurement people within the ABC 
to try and determine why they felt a need to (initially at least) adopt a 
policy which precludes FOSS solutions. There may be prosaic reasons why 
they have done so: they don't understand how to procure it, they're 
worried about indemnification, they don't have selection criteria and 
matrices to help them make a decision on products from within the the FOSS 
space etc.

Taking a 'how can our side of the industry help you?' attitude is perhaps 
more useful, long term, than a 'we'll tell on your superiors and have 
them beat you up' attitude.

-- 
_____________________________________________________________________________
Con Zymaris <conz at cyber.com.au> Level 4, 10 Queen St, Melbourne, Australia 
Cybersource: Australia's Leading Linux and Open Source Solutions Company 
Web: http://www.cyber.com.au/  Phone: 03 9621 2377   Fax: 03 9621 2477