MESSAGE
| DATE | 2003-06-13 |
| FROM | David Sugar
|
| SUBJECT | Re: [hangout] The false profet (editorial)
|
You need to go to linuxtoday. See
http://linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2003061300926OSLLPB and read: "Stanco:
Opinion on Brazil Making Open Source Mandatory in Governmen".
And you may get a good idea of why what he said made me so angry. For extra
credit, compare his comments to those expressed by Microsoft's peruvian
manager in opposing 1609 :).
On Friday 13 June 2003 03:19 pm, you wrote:
> Hi David -
>
> This is a great essay, but I'm not sure what it is responding to.
>
> Did Tony Stanco express some opposition to Brasil's adoption of Free
> Software? I searched through Linux Journal but I couldn't find
> anything.
>
> - Dave
>
> On Fri, 2003-06-13 at 13:56, David Sugar wrote:
> > It was just yesterday when I first read of Brasil's decision to migrate
> > a significant portion of their public sector infrastructure from the
> > proprietary Microsoft Windows environment to free (and open source)
> > solutions, such as GNU/Linux. I recall in the past when other nations
> > had attempted this, at least one American company would choose to both
> > publically and privately undermine these efforts. Sometimes, as in the
> > case of Peru special law 1609, the Ambassador of my own nation would
> > choose to disregard his objective role of serving the common American
> > public interest, and instead promote the exclusive interests of a select
> > predatory proprietary software vendor, at the expense of valid American
> > commercial business interests, such as existing American Free and Open
> > Source software vendors.
> >
> > Similarly, I expected to hear various statements from those that appose
> > free and open source solutions in response to Brasil's actions.
> > However, I did not expect these same false arguments to be made by one
> > who claims to represent our community. Perhaps Mr. Stanco should read
> > the very excellent letter from Senior Villanueva Nunez
> > (http://proposicion.org.ar/doc/gob/VillanuevaNunez-080402.html), who
> > explains well why it is both appropriate and necessary to use government
> > procurement policy in this manner. Clearly there are people who do
> > understand free software in relation to government policy; it is a shame
> > the founder of the "The Center of Open Source & Government" appears not
> > to.
> >
> > Mr. Villanueva, among many others, explains why selecting free and open
> > source solutions is non discriminatory, since any vendor is free to
> > offer such solutions. Certainly, sovereign governments have the right
> > to choose conditions of sale for products they procure. Governments in
> > many ways may already choose to influence social policy and to encourage
> > or discourage specific behavior through both direct and indirect
> > financial means. Governments, as public institutions, do not spend
> > money on their sole behalf, but on behalf of the people they represent,
> > and as such have a direct responsibility to achieve the maximum value for
> > the people's money that they spend. Not all value is solely by price or
> > cost. Certainly, I believe no government or society should be forced to
> > accept or tolerate what it feels are immoral or unethical business terms
> > or practices. As such, I think Brasil's choice of procurement law is
> > both a proper and just means for Brasil's government to socially and
> > responsibly spend it's people's money.
> >
> > David Sugar
> > GNU Bayonne Maintainer
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ____________________________
> > NYLXS: New Yorker Free Software Users Scene
> > Fair Use -
> > because it's either fair use or useless....
> > NYLXS is a trademark of NYLXS, Inc
____________________________
NYLXS: New Yorker Free Software Users Scene
Fair Use -
because it's either fair use or useless....
NYLXS is a trademark of NYLXS, Inc
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