On Dec 9, 2006, at 3:26 AM, Dean Michael Berris wrote:
On 12/9/06, manny <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On Thu, 7 Dec 2006, Dean Michael Berris wrote:
> Actually, you just gave me an idea... I'll write on my blog to say
> "Kill The FOSS Bill NOW".
The greedy bastards in M$ and other companies have beat you to it,
Dean.
You can join them, though. We won't stop you. Or miss you.
What gives you the idea that I'm against FOSS?
I'm against the darned FOSS bill. But I continue to write FOSS, use
FOSS, and advocate FOSS. I just don't want FOSS to cheat its way into
government via this FOSS bill.
I take offense in the implication that "I've been bought" by Microsoft
and other companies. I certainly don't appreciate your singling me out
Manny.
See, I don't call the OpenMinds heads names or imply that people in
the OpenMinds organization are FOSS Zealots. I'd expect the same
courtesy as a Board Member of the Philippine Linux Users Group.
Guys - let's agree to disagree. Whilst I do agree that pushing FOSS
down the throat of government via law is the ONLY way to go, I do not
agree with the bill in its entirety.
My reason:
1. FOSS does not have the luxury of numbers - both in the install-
base as well as in funding. Compare this against proprietary and
pirated software. Unfortunately, only thru law can we ensure that
government will be forced to study FOSS solutions AND then determine
what is best for their requirements. As it is, government defaults to
proprietary solutions because there is NO NEED for them to learn
alternative solutions making them go with what they know.
Yes, this is not the fault of the government alone but the fault of
us advocating FOSS as well. Let's face it, we do not have the
marketing budget of the likes of Microsoft so we cannot release FOSS-
related adverts every single day in most of the major national
dailies! FOSS is at a disadvantage as it is and doing nothing about
it will keep it as such.
I agree with Dean that IDEALLY FOSS should compete based on merit
rather than based on law but unfortunately, that will NEVER happen as
long as [1] FOSS marketing is close to nil and [2] government CIO
have no clue as to what FOSS is.
Case in point - DSWD. Before UP and DOST came into the picture, they
were considering using proprietary solutions. Today, they are
considering FOSS. Had it not for the pro-FOSS stance of UP and DOST-
ASTI, DSWD will not even consider FOSS as an alternative.
Unfortunately, FOSS-aware government IT personnel are very few.
2. The bill is not perfect and needs refinement but it has not been
passed yet. I am still hopeful that modifications will be introduced
before it is approved and signed into law.
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