Dear All,
I am new to the mailing list, I have cut out contact details but it involves
libraries in the UK.
Let me know if not appropiate.
**********
Dear Andrés
Thanks for this. Basic set up in our libraries is as follows - both staff and
public networks are supported by SERCO. They provide:
· hardware and network support
· infrastructure support for e-mail (Exchange/Outlook)
· maintenance for the PCs - fix or replace malfunctioning devices.
· support for the VOIP phone network used by Libraries
· some support for printers on the public and staff networks
The fundamental software setup is based on the same architecture as the council
as a whole - PCs currently run Windows XP and Office 2003. The Library
management system is provided by Civica. Beyond the basic Microsoft setup we
use software from a variety of sources, and have looked at a whole range of
software from the proprietary (e.g. Photoshop Elements) to open source (e.g.
The Gimp).
The reality is that the ICT resources in libraries and in the Council generally
are at full stretch delivering a significant amount of change. Regrettably
therefore I don’t think there is any appetite or capacity to engage at this
time in any further consideration of open source software.
Thanks for your interest on this though – I hope you enjoyed the opening event
as much as I did and that you and others in the community enjoy the fantastic
new facilities now that they are properly open.
Regards,
<snip>
From: Andrés Muñiz Piniella
Dear *****,It was nice meeting you at the ***** event.Could you find out what
the name of the company that will service the user side of the IT of
*******((Public Libraries?From my conversation with Peter Bazalgette there is
an 'Envisioning…' report that says open source in council libraries is the way
to go but that it was up to Coucils. There is a general goverment push towards
this as well, as you commented when we met.I then spoke to some of the techies
in IT support for public service and they say they would love to support free
(as in freedom not free beer) software on the public facing side, since
background servers are already using free-libre open source software (FLOSS)
tools. But they are stuck in the status quo. A particular techie said that
talking to council to change was a waste of time, that I should talk directly
to the support company. I do not think this is true, since the council is the
client and the client is always right (if given a choice).Of course,
general public is not going to request a shift from a particular american
closed source company to one of the british FLOSS companies because they do not
know there are options, consecuences of being in a sponsored monopoly for so
long! That is why I hold workshops where I help neighbours using only FLOSS
tech.Let me know if I am taking the wrong approach. And if you can help me
contact your support companies.Regards,Andrés
<snip>
--
Enviado desde mi teléfono con K-9 Mail.
_______________________________________________
Discussion mailing list
[email protected]
https://mail.fsfeurope.org/mailman/listinfo/discussion
