Just thinking about this - if it is an intranet where the intranet provider i.e. the fire service also provides the hardware then they can dictate the OS. However in this case they are saying to all volunteers you can use the intranet at home. So unless they provide me with hardware (not very likely) they should comply with the standard?
On Fri, 2008-02-22 at 23:24 +1300, Graeme Kiyoto-Ward wrote: > If it was their website, they'd not be complying with e-Government web > usability guidelines: > > http://www.e.govt.nz/standards/web-guidelines/web-standards-v1.0/agency-web-recommendations/quality-assurance.html#Recommendation18.1.1 > > Doesn't apply to their internal systems - which this probably counts as > seeing as you need to log in. > > Regards > > Graeme Kiyoto-Ward > > Geoff and Jude Marks wrote: > > Dear Prime Minister > > > > > > Subject: Open Source Computer Operating Systems v. The Fire Service and > > St John > > > > > > My wife and I are members of the Little River Volunteer Fire Brigade and > > my wife is a volunteer with St John Ambulance. > > > > > > The Fire Service and St John both offer the ability to log into their > > intranets from home which is very useful. In most cases and for someone > > in my case who is the secretary for the Brigade, should allow them to do > > some form of filing at home, or in St John's case they are moving > > towards on-line training from home. > > > > > > This is very good, except (there had to be an except) when the secretary > > or the trainee uses an open source operating system (Ubuntu) on their > > home computer. > > > > > > Then you find out that in their wisdom both the Fire Service and St John > > have been exclusive and have designed their system so that only > > Microsoft Internet Explorer users are privileged with full access to all > > the features. > > > > > > I think it beggars belief that two government funded institutions do not > > consider the needs of all their volunteers by excluding those that chose > > to use open source operation systems. It shows a narrow minded approach > > that I feel is inappropriate. > > > > > > As government funded agencies they should be required to ensure that > > access to their systems is as inclusive as possible. > > > > > > I also strongly believe that as a country it is shortsighted to ignore > > the influence open source software will have in the future. Even Bill > > Gates is promising (don't hold your breath) to open up some of his > > source code. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7257411.stm) > > > > > > Thank you for your attention and I look forward to your Governments > > response. > > > > > > Geoff Marks > > > > > >
