Very Computer

UK Government Chooses Linux
http://www.it-director.com/99-10-20-1.html

I think the news is old, but there's a nice embedded quote:

"Microsoft cannot realistically pursue the line that Linux is not
enterprise ready when it is the choice under test, by the official
government agency, for the largest user of computers in the UK - the
Government."

Bobby Bryant
Austin, Texas

wrote on Thu, 21 Oct 1999 00:04:40 -0500

Quote:>UK Government Chooses Linux
>http://www.it-director.com/99-10-20-1.html

>I think the news is old, but there's a nice embedded quote:

>"Microsoft cannot realistically pursue the line that Linux is not
>enterprise ready when it is the choice under test, by the official
>government agency, for the largest user of computers in the UK - the
>Government."

One does wonder if the US government has a similar usage of
Linux.  I suspect that at present it does not, and wonder
how Linux can in fact penetrate the GSA market.

(Or if anyone cares to do homework thereon -- I have a feeling
we are government by the lobbyists, of the lobbyists, and
for the lobbyists, and nobody bothers to check their claims.

I suspect one of the lobbyists is somebody from Redmond.
I hope another is from Santa Clara, originally from Finland. :-) )

Quote:>Bobby Bryant
>Austin, Texas

--

At one point I was advocating Linux in a Federal Agency.  Specifically,
I showed them how to save almost 20 million dollars by using Linux
instead of what they already had (before somebody attempts to argue
retraining, or other expenses, they were already using Unix).  The
response was your typical governmental reponse:  "Who cares about the
money?", followed shortly thereafter by: "We are going to spend millions
of dollars converting the whole agency to Windows NT", followed not to
long after that by: "Oops.  Looks like it will take longer than we
thought to convert, due to a lack of funds."

And of course, nobody squawked about the retraining costs, etc.

MicroSoft is a big, trustworthy organization, so giving them millions
and millions of dollars is a safe bet.  Linux has no company, has no
support, and cannot be sued.

Quote:> (Or if anyone cares to do homework thereon -- I have a feeling
> we are government by the lobbyists, of the lobbyists, and
> for the lobbyists, and nobody bothers to check their claims.

Governmental agencies, at least here in the US, do not care about
money.  In fact, they are actively encouraged to spend every penney
budgeted to them in a fiscal year, otherwise next year they may have
their funding cut.

The normal pressures of a free market do not apply to a governmental
agency.  After all, if you don't like their service, it isn't like you
are going to just bop down the street to their competitor, is it?!

============

If I spoke for HP --- there probably wouldn't BE an HP!

John Stevens