On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 10:30:28 +0800 (SGT), Kelsey Hartigan Go <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I have one lament -- why can't a single government agency > come up with the financial applications (AP/GL/AR/Payroll etc...) > for all the government offices? Since the government > has a different (weird) accounting and auditing rules, > by coming up with a uniform system for all to use, rather than > each agency coming up with their own, this would save a lot of > tax payers money... >
Actually, there is one. It's a project spearheaded by developers in the Commission on Audit[1]: they're developing applications in accounting, payroll, inventory, etc. Only thing is: they're doing it in VB using Microsoft SQL Server backend. I think they have plans to migrate the backend to open source (MySQL maybe), but last time I talked with one of them, that's still far off. Their reason: it's easier to implement in MS SQL, with stored procedures and everything. I work with government, so, yeah, I know how hard it is for open source to "break through" the MS barrier. There is the bundling of newly procured machines with MS products, plus, of course -- let's admit it, government is one of the bigger culprits -- pirated MS software. In the desktop front, it is specially hard for users to switch to open source when they are already having a hard time grappling with "user-friendly" MS. (Believe me, I have had users who used to wait till after office hours to secretly call me and ask for their PCs to be turned off because they don't know how to.) But the backend is another thing altogether: we do use Linux and open source tools, and we love it. =) Thing is, for open source to break the MS chain, we might as well take advantage of its nature, that is, to let open source "creep" into the environment as the need arises. MS-based servers let you do stuff the same way OS does, and easier; but as your requirements become more complex, the more you'll get frustrated with the user-friendliness (I call it "dumbed down") of MS, and eventually you'll have to switch to an OS solution in a do-it-yourself manner as opposed to getting MS tech support (which will cost more pain than it's worth -- ever tried requesting for funds for technical support? not easily done, I tell you.) So: to "fight" MS, let's do it from the trenches. We're already doing it here (as well as in other government agencies). The DepEd deal is a breakthrough, actually. Let's turn this one around: okay, so MS will be in every home on every PC -- at least in teachers' PCs -- well, teachers have kids, who will tinker with their PCs; who knows, they might even have Internet access, and we know how pervasive the Internet is. Eventually, they'll learn about open source, maybe even install a few, say, Firefox. And, ooohhh, Linux, nice toy, let's install this. Ooopss, I broke it. No worries, there are mailing lists and troves of FAQs and HOWTOs. One thing leads to another, and voila! the People's PC: no Windows, no gates, we're open. =D Wishful thinking? Nah, I have infinite belief and trust in the Filipino's ingenuity. Never fret, never fear, the path from MS to OS is clear. There's no other way. =) -- Ian Dexter R. Marquez http://iandexter.co.nr [1] http://www.e-ngas.com/ -- Philippine Linux Users' Group (PLUG) Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED] (#PLUG @ irc.free.net.ph) Official Website: http://plug.linux.org.ph Searchable Archives: http://marc.free.net.ph . To leave, go to http://lists.q-linux.com/mailman/listinfo/plug . Are you a Linux newbie? To join the newbie list, go to http://lists.q-linux.com/mailman/listinfo/ph-linux-newbie
