On Sat, 9 Dec 2006, Dean Michael Berris wrote:
For one, existing non-FOSS solutions will not need to be modified for
the purpose that it was built to serve. The cost of changing the above
snippet into a web based accounting system over SSL will (I imagine)
would be far more than say procuring QuickBooks or Peach Tree software
solutions. And because any competent lawyer can cite the FOSS Law,
QuickBooks and the like won't even be considered because suddenly all
"Hello, World!" programs in the GPL can be turned into whatever the
government wants -- and all these would have a distinct advantage
because they all will be more eligible than non-FOSS solutions that
already solve the problem.
Now that is pure FUD.
1. Many FOSS solutions DON'T have to be changed either. They work just
as well as proprietary solutions for many government needs just as
they are without modification.
2. No "Hello World" program will ever be trhe NGAS or next GIS for the
government and you know it. And no one will try to do it either.
Please spare us ther melodrama.
3. FOSS often is far better than proprietary solutions. Take Apache,
for one. For firewalls you have the free verison of Smoothwall or
even a simple CentOS/Netfilter setup or M0n0wall (*BSD). Even
OpenOffice is far superior than MS Office for most uses.
I might be going around in circles but I cannot stress the big bad
loophole that the mandatory provision is introducing.
That loophole only exists if you believe in FUD.
> NO. What's fair is not favoring ANY type of software, and deciding on
> a case to case basis.
The FOSS bill isn't really about favoring software (although the language
may lead one to believe that). It's about favoring a licensing scheme
that promotes freedom and transparency. It is technology-neutral.
God bless!
--[Manny [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Member: Philippine League for Democratic Telecommunications
Alternative Information and Opinion at http://www.phnix.net
Pro-Life Philippines website -- http://www.prolife.org.ph
--[Open Minds Philippines]--------------------[openminds.linux.org.ph]--
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