Open Source in Government areas.......
Created | Updated Jun 6, 2003
I have been researching this alot lately and have decided to take a stand. I work in a public library where computers are the main thing that we work on. We use all propriatary software and spend thousands of dollors every year on licenses for all of the software. Well I myself use Linux at home and mainly nothing but open source. I have went to my boss asking about why we do not get open source into our library? He just gives me the same line everytime saying that "It is not the norm so noone will like it". Here is what I have decided to do. I am writeing up a propossil to take to the city counsil in my area about open source. With open source you can save thousands of dollors a year and in doing so you can spend more money on books and putting money back into the community. If we had open source in schools the money saved could go to getting up to date school books and to have someone on hand to do upkeep on the computers. Everyone says "It is not microsoft so I don't know how to use it" Well if you take the little bit of time it takes to learn to use open source software such as the linux OS than it is not that hard. If you are just useing the applications of the OS such as a word processor or things of such or maybe a planning guide than you have to learn nothing new really other than where the buttons are on the screen to "double click". I don't feel it is right to have software such as windows in government places like schools, librarys, and such because Microsoft is a monopoly and they are in government court fighting a anti-trust suit. I don't care what you use in your home to get onto the internet and I understand that some people are happy with windows but you have to understand the money that can be saved in schools with open source. I live in a town that does not have much money and that couple grand a year to pay for us to keep or upgrade our software is killing us. I would like to see open source in all schools throughout the world and in all libraries, why, because it is a better learning situation than windows. You don't have to think to use windows and it is becomeing more unstable with every year. True there is no "Blue Screen of Death" with XP but just because it does not show up doed not mean it is not there. Tell me what you think.
Hornbeck
Hornbeck
