MESSAGE
| DATE | 2003-06-13 |
| FROM | Dave Williams
|
| SUBJECT | Re: [hangout] The false profet (editorial)
|
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
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> ____________________________
> 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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