-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Crispin Cowan wrote: | | Open source! I'm serious :) | | A large part of how this problem comes about is the procurement process, | which ultimately results in a large, proprietary, unmaintainable system. | The State then hobbles along with it until it collapses of its own | weight, and then the State procures a newer system, with the same problems. | | If the State made it a procurement *requirement* that all such systems | being paid for by the State be delivered with an open source license | (OSD compliant http://www.opensource.org/docs/definition_plain.php ) | then the State has a great deal more flexibility in maintaining the | system in the future. In particular, it frees the State to: | | * hire additional developers to work on the project outside the | primary contractor | * hire maintenance staff from any source | * fire the primary contractor and replace the development staff | without having to flush 100% of the software developed so far | * engage in open source security and quality reviews of the software | without having to apply NDAs to the reviewers | | This is not my idea; it is being widely discussed. It has been proposed | for the state of California, the Federal government of Peru, and | actually implemented for the federal government of Venezuala. | | Crispin | Also once you start using Open Source Software OSS the starting point of MOST projects have already been started. This gives a cost reduction of basic development. Also the theory of public commons, supports the concept of the state improving the common good of all people by adding to the public commons. Because software placed in the public commons never diminishes the common good but always adds to it. OSS is a renewable resource for all the public to benefit from. Shaun Savage -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.0.7 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQE9d2UWn6I06Opz+XURAtGyAKCocANsqugyZ4CKutKOQso/2A/0TACgwIhd MLgKyBMZ5vOq+0wH63BA+4U= =IEgs -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
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