14 DAY TRIAL // In case nobody noticed, governments worldwide are slowly switching to open source software solutions. Helping the trend, this week Novell became the latest Linux supplier to gain approval to sell its products and services to the New South Wales government under the Open Source Enterprise Software and Services agreement 2316.
"The NSW government has an open standards and interoperability initiative, which is complemented by the use of Linux. It is pleasing to see that government departments will be offered greater choice and that the open source will be on a level playing field with alternative solutions," said Rhonda O'Donnell, president of Novell Asia-Pacific.
While there was interest in the use of Linux and open source, Novell says it was difficult for departments to procure from a particular vendor in the absence of a contract such as the one signed between Novell and the NSW Department of Commerce. "We have been working actively with a number of departments on Linux desktop and server applications but what is holding them back is a way for them to actually purchase those services," said Paul Kangro, applied technology strategist for Novell.
Although this is an important step forward for the Open Source movement, proprietary software will still be very much around. "Agencies are free to assess their particular needs and choose the option that gives them the best outcome for their circumstances," was said in a declaration from the Department of Commerce.