Ubuntu and Linux noted by UK MP

[SJC61]

Hi.

I just found this article

http://www.stevebaker.info/2011/01/the-apple-app-store-and-other-innovations/

Steve Baker is the Member of Parliament for Wycombe in England. I guess he's more of a Mac user but it's good to see an awareness of Linux from some form of officialdom.

Anyone know of anymore examples?

Steve

[Johnsie]

Last time I saw my MP she was going into a fancy restaraunt. I think she cares more about food than computers. You buy her a nice posh lunch and she'll be all for this Linux thingy.

[daverich]

Last time I saw my MP she was going into a fancy restaraunt. I think she cares more about food than computers. You buy her a nice posh lunch and she'll be all for this Linux thingy.

wow, that's pretty cheap ;)

Kind regards

Dave Rich

[perspectoff]

wow, that's pretty cheap ;)

Kind regards

Dave Rich

I've heard of government officials (Delaware, I think) that will support something for only the price of a new broom.

[ugm6hr]

That post is more about personal awareness, rather than any expression of interest from a societal / governmental viewpoint.

Nevertheless, he does refer to future freedom...

[jshepherd]

That post is more about personal awareness, rather than any expression of interest from a societal / governmental viewpoint.

Nevertheless, he does refer to future freedom...

But at least he is aware of Ubuntu

[benerivo]

David Cameron supported open source...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/03/conservative_open_source/

As the article says, the politicians then argued over which party 'owned' the idea of supporting open source!

[jennybrew]

Nice to see politicians who know a little about Linux etc.
However Im not at all certain that translates to procurement practices.
Company I work for is doing a public sector contract at the moment.
The contract specifies Microsoft products as part of the risk mitigation.
Hopefully things will change as time goes by.

[MisterGaribaldi]

David Cameron supported open source...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/03/conservative_open_source/

As the article says, the politicians then argued over which party 'owned' the idea of supporting open source!

Isn't that, to borrow from Crocodile Dundee, a bit like two fleas arguing which of them own the dog they're standing on?


Nice to see politicians who know a little about Linux etc.
However Im not at all certain that translates to procurement practices.
Company I work for is doing a public sector contract at the moment.
The contract specifies Microsoft products as part of the risk mitigation.
Hopefully things will change as time goes by.

And the problem is just that: they know little about anything outside of politics itself, and that would include Linux and technology in general.

Oh, and using Microsoft products as an effort at "risk mitigation"? Oh, that's great. If they're using Windows to combat risk mitigation, I'd hate to see what they use to combat a skin rash.

[jshepherd]

Nice to see politicians who know a little about Linux etc.
However Im not at all certain that translates to procurement practices.
Company I work for is doing a public sector contract at the moment.
The contract specifies Microsoft products as part of the risk mitigation.
Hopefully things will change as time goes by.

Ha ha, I work in local government and all the servers have been upgraded to the newest Windows. In fact they are really advocating the use of Office 2010 by all staff even going as far as offering Office 2010 for a silly low price to all staff as part of a partnership thing with Microsoft!

[MisterGaribaldi]

Ha ha, I work in local government and all the servers have been upgraded to the newest Windows. In fact they are really advocating the use of Office 2010 by all staff even going as far as offering Office 2010 for a silly low price to all staff as part of a partnership thing with Microsoft!

Local school district is doing that, offering discount copies of Windows and Office to teachers and staff. Of course, they're running into trouble with that because teachers are ordering multiple copies for their own families and also trying -- evidently -- turn around and sell some of the copies off at a profit.

Now Microsoft is kicking up a fuss over that. Oh well... what a shame. :P

[SJC61]

I've heard of government officials (Delaware, I think) that will support something for only the price of a new broom.

My MP looks like she'd probably ride on a broom!

Hopefully though the idea of Open Source IT is slowly getting through to public bodies.

Steve