Government Mandates Use OpenSource
Governments Change Laws Concerning Software
OpenSource has hit the pocket book of many countries abroad. Countries like Asia, Brazil, Europe, and Latin America have been converting over from their expensive proprietary software to free software.
Why convert to OpenSource?
The conversion process is seen as a cost-cutting measure to expensive upgrades and license renewals. Once the software has been installed and the users are trained, that's it. Unlike other computer software companies in the United States, who release a completely new version every few years, OpenSource releases upgrades when someone writes the update and the coding has been agreed upon by the different committees.
Governments with smaller budgets have less purchasing power for technology. The use of this software fills the need and the dollar savings can be spent for other programs.
The continual cost of upgrading can be very expensive
- The upgrade must be purchased.
- The computer technician must learn how to install the software and what files may be affected. Also, possible installation problems and incompatibilities problems with other software they are currently using.
- Find time to install the upgrade on each individual's computer, then the individual must find something else to do while their computer is being upgraded.
- The individual must then learn what the upgrades are and how to use them.
- Another issue is the possible incompatibility of networking type software that these governments may use, that will not connect with the United States and other countries.
- If the upgrade significantly changes how the users perform their jobs, the user will be very unhappy. People have left jobs because of computer software they did not want to use, thus costing money to replace the worker.
New laws reflect new perspectives
Governments are concerned about the few larger software corporations having too much control of the software operations. They believe:
- no software provider should have that much control over the any software.
- source code should be available to anyone who wants the code. This will prevent some of the bugs in the system. At the same time, people who create viruses will have a more difficult time writing them, because the code will be open and easy to debug.
Currently, only a few of the government proposed laws for OpenSource and free software have been passed. Today, Microsoft Corporation does not have anything to worry about because most people are not acquainted with OpenSource software. The main argument against OpenSource and free software is the fact that no one person is in control of its development.
Sometime in the near future, OpenSource computer software will be the way. The United States government and the governments of many other countries will share the OpenSource codes and the human race will advance at a staggering pace!
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