On 7/11/06, Dean Michael Berris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On 7/9/06, Johann Chua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> On Sun, 2006-07-09 at 10:01 +0800, GOvvin wrote:
> > Re pushing for "plain linux and not a specific distro". That isn't
> > also possible. Discrimination against proprietary sofwtare pa din yun
>
> Given that Windows has like 90% of the desktop OS market, a little
> "discrimination" won't hurt much. If Microsoft wants to be competitive
> in third-world countries, they should re-evaluate their pricing and
> anti-piracy measures.
>
Actually, discrimination _will_ hurt much because if someone sets a
precendent, then everyone will follow suit. Think of it this way: if
the government mandates that all computers in the government agencies
should run only open source software, what's stopping the government
from mandating that only BMW's will be bought for all congressmen?
This is not about Microsoft -- it's about preferring open source
solutions over more costly and proverbial "black box" solutions where
the institutions are at the mercy of a single vendor. This is larger
than just Linux vs Microsoft Windows -- this is Open Source Software
versus Closed Source Software.
If the bill gets careless and prefers only open source or open systems
should be used in all government computers, then you can pretty much
say goodbye to the military equipment that _do not_ run open source
software -- and the stuff that Phivolcs and PagAsa would use will have
to be replaced by open source software.
This will be the unintended side effect, so the bill will have to be
very very consistent and very very specific and careful with the terms
that it will use to put accross the original intent.
It will be great to see government favor open standards and open
source systems, but discriminating for it is not the wisest course of
action IMO.
$0.02 more from me.
--
Dean Michael C. Berris
C/C++ Software Architect
Orange and Bronze Software Labs
http://3w-agility.blogspot.com/
http://cplusplus-soup.blogspot.com/
Mobile: +639287291459
Email: dean [at] orangeandbronze [dot] com
_________________________________________________
Philippine Linux Users' Group (PLUG) Mailing List
[email protected] (#PLUG @ irc.free.net.ph)
Read the Guidelines: http://linux.org.ph/lists
Searchable Archives: http://archives.free.net.ph
Yup, just require that government will not be locked to a single system vendor.
But i dont believe for a moment that government will do the right thing.
--
things i hate about my linux pc:
1. it takes more than a second to boot up
2. keeps asking about filenames and directories
3. does not remember what i was working on yesterday
4. does not remember all the changes i have ever made
5.cannot figure out necessary settings by itself
_________________________________________________
Philippine Linux Users' Group (PLUG) Mailing List
[email protected] (#PLUG @ irc.free.net.ph)
Read the Guidelines: http://linux.org.ph/lists
Searchable Archives: http://archives.free.net.ph
