[ubuntu-uk] hard disk problem ?

[alan c]

On 08/07/11 10:56, Yorvyk wrote:

>> 'The adoption of compulsory open standards will help government to
>> avoid lengthy vendor lock-in'
>> 
> What does this mean?  Are the government's open standards the same as we would understand them?  Is open source and open standards the same thing?

Open source is part of a development model, it does not even have to
be a free software friendly licence. MS have plenty of Open Source
activities. It is also something which can easily blur with a
technical decision, and given that open source software can have  a
licence which is very proprietary friendly anyway, it is not something
which by itself can save the Governemt (me and you) money.

Standards, on the other hand are the realm of Government, legislation,
they are political decisions. For example,  wear seat belts, heights
of safety hand rails etc, building regulations.

afaik this is what they are running with:
(Action Note 3/11 31 January 2011)
=================================================
6. Government defines “open standards” as standards which:
• result from and are maintained through an open, independent process;
• are approved by a recognised specification or standardisation
organisation, for
   example W3C or ISO or equivalent. (N.B. The
specification/standardisation
  must be compliant with Regulation 9 of the Public Contracts
Regulations 2006.
 This regulation makes it clear that technical
specifications/standards cannot
simply be national standards but must also include/recognise European
standards);
• are thoroughly documented and publicly available at zero or low cost;
• have intellectual property made irrevocably available on a royalty
free basis;
   and
• as a whole can be implemented and shared under different development
approaches and on a number of platforms.
=================================================

link
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/PPN%203_11%20Open%20Standards.pdf
shortened
http://bit.ly/ethlf5

-- 
alan cocks
Ubuntu user