Re: [Fsfe-uk] free software and local authorities

[Andres Baravalle]

P.L.Hayes wrote:
> On Tuesday 11 May 2004 16:22, Andres Baravalle wrote:
>
> > Any suggestions or comments
>
>
> Have you considered targeting particular services within local authorities 
> e.g. public libraries? 

At the present time we targeted city councils, that we thought were 
easier. But it looks like we were wrong.

> It turns my stomach every time I go into the local 
> library and see all the money they're wasting on proprietary software just to 
> enable web browsing and word processing. 

In our (very few) meetings we used the libraries as example of units 
that could more easily switch to open source.

They agreed that they are quite autonomous units that could switch more 
easily to open source. But as budget was not a problem they were not 
interested in transitions.

> I read this: 
> http://www.newsforge.com/os/04/05/03/1520209.shtml recently so it can't be 
> all that difficult to migrate and librarians are more likely to be open to 
> discussing the possibilities, opportunities and issues than Councillor X, I 
> would think.
>
> I recently corresponded with the charity www.computer-aid.org and they are 
> already migrating to FLOSS (internally as well as on the PCs they ship to 
> developing countries). 

That is very interesting. Would it be possible for you point us to the 
right person to contact to have informations on their efforts?

Thank you very much,
        Andres

____________

Dr. Andres Baravalle, Research Associate
University of Sheffield - Department of Computer Science

tel:  +44 (0)114 22 21911
fax:  +44 (0)114 22 21810