Re: [Fsfe-uk] Free software and the NHS

[graham]

MJ Ray wrote:
> Does anyone know/have a good summary of the status of free software
> in the NHS, the health IT networks and purchasing systems?
>
> Also, anyone know where open.egov.org.uk went?  "It works!" indeed.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help,

I closed it a week ago when I realised that it was full of viagra spam, 
(on the discussion pages rather than the content pages). As no-one had 
written anything to it for a year or so but most of the content was 
clearly outdated I wasn't in a rush to put it back up. However as it 
clearly had some use or you wouldn't be complaining, I'll move it back 
up my priority list of things to do. Don't expect to find up-to-date 
info on the NHS though, unless someone volunteers to put it there!

Generally I got so dispirited by the Blair policies towards free 
software in public services (regardless of the hypocritical lip-service 
to the use of 'open source' which I didn't want to report as 'good 
news') in the last few years I lost a lot of enthusiasm for pushing the 
site. Added to which I was working in a NDPB where the MS lock-in was 
slowly being bolted down tight, and I assumed it was entirely typical...

Does anyone have a more optimistic point of view on the public services 
to kick-start me into revamping open.egov?

Thanks
Graham