[Fsfe-uk] Private Eye article on Linux in local government

[Paul Mobbs]

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Hi all,

Some good news from this week's Private Eye (no.1082, 13th-26th June 2003,
page 11):


"Educashun News"

Microsoft's annual renewable licenses continue to drain cash from the UK's
education system, where the company enjoys a virtual monopoly (eye 1062).

In Germany, however, the Munich city authorities offer an interesting example.
By this time next year there won't be a sniff of Microsoft on any of the
14,000 computers used in the city administration, which is to be switched to
open source Linux system with no annual fees to pay.

The very idea put Microsoft in such a flap that CEO Steve Ballmer paid a
personal visit to Munich's mayor Christian Ude in March. But the city stood
form. A number of other German cities and public agencies are believed to be
watching Munich carefully and considering a switch themselves.

Meanwhile in Birmingham the education authority has cautiously put a toe in
the water of open source software, using Star Office on the computers in it
new Laptops for Teachers scheme. Star Office, a word processor spreadsheet
and presentations package, is not strictly 100 percent "open source" (the
definition is complex but ensures that the source code for any open source
software can be redistributed with no fees payable, and can be incorporated
into other software and must be easily available - usually by downloading
from the Internet).

It is given to all educational establishments for free by Sun Microsystems and
has no annual licensing fee. The cash saved already - and the scheme only
just started - had paid for more than 100 extra laptops on the scheme.


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"We are not for names, nor men, nor titles of Government, nor are we for
this party nor against the other but we are for justice and mercy and
truth and peace and true freedom, that these may be exalted in our nation,
and that goodness, righteousness, meekness, temperance, peace and unity
with God, and with one another, that these things may abound."
(Edward Burroughs, 1659 - from 'Quaker Faith and Practice')


Paul Mobbs, Mobbs' Environmental Investigations,
3 Grosvenor Road, Banbury OX16 5HN, England
tel./fax (+44/0)1295 261864

email - address@hidden
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