Re: [Fsuk-manchester] [Sheflug] Open Source, Open St andards and Re–Use: Government Action Plan

[Lucy]

2009/5/19 Simon Ward <address@hidden>:
> On Mon, May 18, 2009 at 11:48:22PM +0000, Tim Dobson wrote:
>> Thoughts?
>>
>> Pity they don't mention the word freedom anywhere... :-/
>
> The word “freedom” isn’t the definition.  They don’t need to mention it
> if they have the ideals right.  Unfortunately, I don’t think they do.

I agree and the quote below from an email recently forwarded onto the
ManLUG mailing list kind of proves the point, sadly.

Oh, and if people can come to the talk tonight then they might see
some more positive ways of bringing together government, openness and
free software...

>From ManLUG:

------------------------------------------------------------------
I have worked in central government my entire career (some 35+ years).
I even once worked for the organisation quoted below. I confess
to being completely baffled how a new agreement with Microsoft meets
the Government's committment to Open Source.

See

http://online.ogcbuyingsolutions.gov.uk/aboutus/pressreleases/Microsoftnew
PublicSectorAgreement

In particular the quote attributed to Angela Eagle:

"It [the new agreement] also reinforces the Government's commitment to
its Open Source Action Plan by setting up a facility to reuse and share
licences across the public sector."

Mick

---------------------------------------------------------------------