Re: [Fsfe-uk] BECTA discriminate against FLOSS?

[ian]

On Sat, 2004-01-03 at 11:55, Kevin Donnelly wrote:
> Hi Ian
> 
> On Saturday 03 January 2004 11:11 am, ian wrote:
> I very much enjoy reading your posts, since they are based on your experience 
> of actually running a business on free software, and interfacing with 
> realworld users.

Thanks :-)

> 
> > The best way to do this would be for someone to capture the imagination
> > of say half a dozen Chief Education Officers and get the ball rolling.
> 
> I think the big problem with all "official" bodies is that they are very 
> risk-averse (for good reasons - nobody wants to get a drilling in front of 
> the PAC or equivalent for "wasting taxpayers' money").  So they will tend to 
> go for something that "everybody else is using". 

True, however they still have a fair track record of wasting taxpayers
money ;-) They are quite able to do that with whatever systems they use.

>  Unfortunately, they may not 
> believe that free software is here to stay, and that it really does offer all 
> the benefits it promises.  

Tide seems to be turning even if slowly so we just have to keep plugging
away. Once they do believe FLOSS is here to stay - and the whole of
China going over to it is reasonably persuasive - things could change
very rapidly. Its why I spend so much time developing this side of our
business - risky to an extent but the potential rewards being in at the
beginning are much greater than working for MS.

> I had a fairly senior individual say to me that he 
> was suspicious of committing to OpenOffice.org - wasn't it just a ploy by Sun 
> to gain marketshare, and wouldn't they make it proprietary again once they'd 
> reached their target (whatever that was) for marketshare?  My reply about the 
> licence being irretrievable didn't really convince him.

I have come across this too. Its really ignorance and wishful thinking.
Most people are personally averse to change - its hassle so justifying a
reason not to change is natural. If such individuals seriously liked the
idea of change to OO.o and the corresponding savings they'd do the
necessary research to find out the truth about things like this. They
are followers, not leaders. But that is a source of competitive
advantage. If things do start to tip, those who have buried their heads
in the sand stand to lose out big time to those that have taken the
trouble to learn the reality. Knowledge is power.

> >From his point of view, having experienced the IT industry's way of doing 
> things up until now, this is in fact a valid concern, even if misplaced.  I 
> wonder whether some sort of file of case-studies could be built up, perhaps 
> under the AFFS' auspices, to try and persuade decision-makers like him that 
> even though evrybody may not be using free software (yet), at least a few are 
> using it effectively?

There is plenty of this type of evidence about. It doesn't take much to
find it. Just type Open Source Software and Industry into Google.
Question is Do they want to find it?

>   This might also help to get your ball rolling on 
> getting people to take the plunge with a SIMS system.

I just need someone with the time and contacts to go for it. I have the
contacts but not the time ;-). Maybe the Shuttleworth foundation will do
it? 

-- 
ian <address@hidden>