Open Source in public services and schools

[Donovan Hoggan]

I hate to be the Devil's advocate, but Linux isn't free.  I've moved a
couple of non-profits over to FOSS and  there have been SUBSTANTIAL
investments required, primarily in time and training.  Getting people who
aren't comfortable with technology to switch from something they're familiar
with to something they're not familiar with takes some serious investments
of time and effort, all of which costs productivity, which costs money.  You
also have to add whatever consultant time is required to do the training.

There's also the issue of frustration.  I tried moving one organization to
Linux gradually.  I switched them to Firefox, then Open Office, then
Thunderbird, etc. until all of the applications they were using were Open
Source.  Then, when I set up new computers for them, they had Simply Mepis
running on them.  They had a few issues, which I addressed one by one.

I realized I was fighting a losing battle when the Executive Director wanted
me to switch them back to Windows because one of the Board members couldn't
read the meeting minutes any more.  "The rtf files from Linux Open Office
won't open on her computer, whereas the rtf files from Windows Open Office
will."  No matter how much I tried, I couldn't convince her that the issue
was the technologically-challenged Board member and not the difference
between "Linux OOo" and "Windows OOo".

I'm a big fan of FOSS and I completely agree with you, but when we're
advocating for it, I think it's important not to overstate what we can do
for people.

My two cents on a Friday morning!

Donovan


On Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 8:45 AM, Ralph Janke <txwikinger at ubuntu.com> wrote:

> Not only is a lot of money spent that leave the country,
> but also, city councils, school boards, local politicians
> should be made aware how much this money would
> improve the local economy by using local people
> helping to maintain and further develop the open
> source solutions for the purposes used.
>
> This creates a trickle down effect to all kinds of
> local businesses. This is the point the politicians
> need to start to understand.
>
> On 06/25/2010 10:22 AM, Brent wrote:
> >
> > A conservative and not scientific estimate, from me, shows that about
> > 100 million could be saved, each and every year, but instead all I get
> > to read about is the provincial deficit standing at a billion dollars
> > for last year and a projected deficit of four and ahalf billion for this
> > fiscal year.
> >
> > You'd think with this kind of money at stake there would me a mass
> > migration to FOSS buy most publ;ic bodies.
> >
> > Brent
> >
> >
>
>
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>
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