Open source's new weapon: The law?

"Open-source software advocates will unfurl a legislative proposal next week to prohibit the state of California from buying software from Microsoft or any other company that doesn't open its source code and licensing policies. "

http://msn-cnet.com.com/2100-1001-94...ase&subj=cn_fd

This is an important step especally since it is starting in a Bell Weather State. The only way to loosen the grip of M$ and other large corporations is to begin to change the very letter of the law and in contracts for services. Since the US goverment followed by State goverments the largest purchaser if hardware and software and since these are supposed to be by and for the people then apply pressure on law makers to continue to passing laws that prohibit purchase on non-open source software.

Interesting post PaleMoon, two thumbs up, since a n00b can't give AP's ... :-)

Although this would be a Good Thing (tm), there are a couple of roadblocks to be encountered on such an endeavour...
1.) Billy'$ Boyz will surely expend vast amounts of resources on lawyers, lobby groups, etc., to prevent such things from happening. If this works, though, anything that makes M$ blow vast quantities of money on something that ends up going against them would make quite a few people in many countries deliriously happy *coughs*.
2.)Inertia - The bane of IS/IT departments in both the Private AND Public sectors. Going to OSS, although much less expensive in terms of licensing costs, can be prohibitively expensive from the Training point of view. Imagine thousands upon thousands of hapless (l)users, who had trouble with the various flavours of Windoze, now thrust onto a 'new' OS and it's 'new' programs. Even rolled out over a one to two year period, Tech Support will still be getting frantic calls from some wackjob who boots up his box and discovers a Kernel Panic!, or proudly informs you that s/he's exorcised the computer of all the resident daemons. Did I mention the inherent F.U.D. from management types?...urghhh.
3.) Public Opinion - Anything that's forced upon us (in general, no flames please) can only be a Bad Thing (tm). Nobody wants to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to the altar of Sensible Computing. Sure, Bill and Co. snuck it in like drug dealers (Windows 3.X, anyone?), but they did it quietly. No one want's to be forced to use another OS. We have a choice (now, in any case).
If this bill does go through, I sincerely hope that the wording is carefully chosen. Language can be a very powerful thing, and badly chosen words have started wars between countries, no matter the good intentions.
If what's coming down the pike is true ( I can't find the URL, I will post again, I'm sure), we will have to make some sort of choice. Micro$oft is looking at a more restrictive licensing scheme, so that even if you only have one Win2k server on your network, and everything else is *nix or species of Apple (hyuk), one will still be considered a Win2k server client, and licensing will apply ( I could be wrong in the interpretation of this, feel free to correct). Bill, Steve B. and the gang may end up shooting themselves in the feet introducing stuff like that, and the impending California bill may be moot. But caution is recommended. There's a lot of snakes in this business that don't like to be tread upon...


zaddikim

Three cheers for California!! Excellent post, palemoon. Call me an idealist, but I honestly feel that open source can bring about innovations that Bill and Co. can't even imagine, let alone replicate. Wait...scratch that...M$ is a master of replicating someone elses work....

I agree with you, Al. Open source will bring forth unimaginable innovations to the software world. With opensource, people will finally be able expand upon their ideas.

I wonder if this law will pass? I'm also wondering if this law will set any kind of trend?

I sure am excited to find out. ;)

Well lets not forget people the any branch of goverment in the US when they purchase over a set dollar amount must put such purchases out to bid. Low and behold US never pays top dollar but is bound by law to take the lowest bid. Again software vendors have taken advantage of things far to long, let M$ and others place their bid. Only way things are going to progress is if tech is not bought by some 500 lb gorella like M$ has done for years. Let them bid on the contracts see who wins. Low bidders always get any contract :) it's the law of the land and even in private contracts :)