[Fsfe-uk] govt standards development contracted out

[Graham Seaman]

http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2626

Is it just me, or is this the most bizarre thing - if the government 
contracts out the development of standards to someone like EDS then 
surely they can define them in such a way as to rule out whoever they 
chose (in particular, anything but proprietary solutions (eg. 'to comply 
with the standard software must interact with exchange')). According to 
the story the ODPM is actually offering the explicit carrot that 'The 
successful provider would have the opportunity to develop a membership 
base across local authorities, their partners and suppliers',  ie. that 
this is a license for them to create a closed source of work for them 
and their chums forever more.

I can't believe my interpretation can be right; is it, and if so how on 
earth can they justify it?


Graham