Aloha,
although i couldn't make it for a meeting this weekend, below is a copy of my written testimony. Feel free to use it as a template. btw, I used this url as a guide --> http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/info/guide/process04.asp?press1=info&press2=guide PS - you can email your testimony to [EMAIL PROTECTED] a hui hou, Ho'ala --- To: Senator David Y. Ige, Chair Senator Melodie Williams Aduja, Vice Chair From: Hoala Greevy, Manager, hoalagreevy, LLC Date: Tuesday, 1 April 2003 Subject: Support of SCR 109, Open Source Software Based in Honolulu, hoalagreevy, LLC is an IT consulting firm specializing in open source systems integration and software development. Since 1996, our experiences with networking and software development have consistently shown time and time again that open source software provides an excellent alternative to proprietary, closed-source software. We strongly support SCR 109, relating to open source software, as its adoption would give the State greater control over its systems and provide an excellent return on investment. Open source software is attractive for professional use in business environments for several key reasons: Cost, freedom, support, and performance. Open source software costs a fraction of closed source, proprietary software. For example, the popular OpenOffice suite of desktop applications, which is comparable to Microsofts Office XP suite, costs $0 to use. Microsoft Office XP on the other hand, costs as much as $579 per computer. Also, since its software code is publicly available, open source software affords greater control over software. Modifications and enhancements are much easier to make, which ultimately provides greater freedom to organizations and their end users. Support for open source software is abundant. Here in Hawaii alone, a mailing list called LUAU exists that, with over 250 subscribers, provides rapid support to a variety of open source applications. In addition, there are a growing number of local companies who specialize in open source systems integration and software development. Open source software is also renown for its stability and performance. In fact, a vast majority of the Internet is powered by open source software. It can be argued that if it werent for open source software, the Internet would not have been able to grow as rapidly as it did over the past 10 years. In closing, we support open source software because it costs less, runs better, and does more than a majority of closed-source software on the market. We urge you to pass SCR 109. Mahalo nui loa for this opportunity to testify.---
