n 16 May 2017 at 15:44, akhiezer <[email protected]> wrote: > > From: Richard Melville <[email protected]> > > Date: Tue, 16 May 2017 13:19:19 +0100 > > > > > > On 16 May 2017 at 11:57, Simon Geard <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > On Tue, 2017-05-16 at 11:03 +0100, Richard Melville wrote: > [...] > > Maybe so, but the problem still returns to the use of proprietary > software > > in the first place. > > > [...] > > It certainly is a problem that has built up over many years, and, in the > > short term, there appears to be no easy answer. However, it cannot be > > denied that the use of proprietary software is the major issue. A > > colleague told me recently that his University had bought a proprietary > > database which, on installation, didn't function as expected. When the > > University pointed this out to the software company it was told that no > > other customer had that issue, and if changes were made it would cost a > > great deal more money. Again, vendor lock-in at work. Apparently, the > > University is no longer in the market for proprietary software. > > > s/University/'University'/g >
Why? I could understand if you were being critical of the capital "U". > > > > > > Only free and open source software can provide value. Having attended > the > > Cabinet Office on a number of occasions I can say that even our > Government > > is finally coming round to that realisation. Microsoft Office is now > being > > systematically replaced with LibreOffice within Government. > > > (I recall the rather pleasant surprise on seeing, then learning more > details about, PC World using openoffice (istr not staroffice) way back > in the early 2000's, on their staff PCs (back office & front-of-house).) > Excellent. > > > > > > [...] if the source code is open at > > least there's a chance that patches can be created to bring it up to > date, > > or even a new program written. The market (and software) needs to be > open, > > not closed off in a proprietary manner, [...] > > > > - open hardware too, o/c (risc-v &c). (& readily-attainable, & for >> > short-term). > > (There's a project here to build clfs-embedded on risc-v hardware; & > incorp into book release if pssbl.) > If I've time I'll check it out. Richard
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