On 9/13/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">John Brun</b> <<a href="mailto:j.brun@mchsi.com">j.brun@mchsi.com</a>> wrote:<div><span class="gmail_quote"></span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
I am not sure if there is a stigma associated with government software,<br>as much as there is an empire in the government that needs to be dealt<br>with. Software is decided nationally. Somebody is some office makes<br>
the decision that "Word 2003 is now the only accepted format" and that<br>is that. The govt. spends the money and gets the software. Same goes<br>with operating systems.<br><br>Since the decision is based on the opinion of a handful of people then
<br>forced down the throats of the rest of the government entity, the<br>software choices are usually limed to whatever Dell, or Gateway sells.<br>In my experience, the software "people" who make the decision aren't
<br>really that knowledgeable. They rely on the rest of us (employees at<br>the local offices) to do all the tech support and "fix" their problems.<br>The fact that Ubuntu, or SuSE, or even Windows 2000 would be better
<br>choices at certain offices doesn't ever come into play. Just that we<br>are told how we're to be set up. (this is exactly why we don't want<br>government deciding health care issues, but I'll leave that to the other
<br>forums)<br><br>One other thing. There are big national systems that are running on<br>RHEL. I use one every day. I am not sure what the exact reasons for<br>setting that system up was, ( i could guess security) but the system is
<br>virtually flawless.<br><br><br>John<br><br>Jim Hall wrote:<br>> Mike Robinson wrote:<br>>> What I've found is it always comes down to price. People are always<br>>> surprised (and excited) when I recommend open office - free sells!
<br>>><br>>> Once the user base is built (and large enough) you can demand<br>>> compatibility, which is still the short fall for open office.<br>>><br>>> Government acceptance would help to. I work for the DoD and there is
<br>>> still a stigma associated with open source software that would be nice<br>>> to break, as its my tax dollars being spent as well.<br>>><br>>> Mike<br>>><br>>> On Fri, 2007-09-07 at 17:15 -0700, RK wrote:
<br>>><br>>>><br>>>> ******How can we make the non-technical users understand the<br>>>> ******importance of the decision?<br>>>><br>>>> Ron<br>>>><br>>>> --- "McKnight, Lee" <
<a href="mailto:LMcKnight@bandag.com">LMcKnight@bandag.com</a>> wrote:<br>>>><br>>>>> _______________________________________________<br>>>>><br>>>>><br>><br>><br>> The two questions above suggest: local tax payer groups?
<br>><br>> Also, with the number of different municipalities, other<br>> jurisdictions, quasi-governmental organizations, and other non<br>> governmental organizations that interact with government in and around
<br>> the QC we (and I do mean "WE" -- the members of QCLUG) can surely find<br>> one who will give something like OOo a try, IF some of us are willing<br>> to hold their hands while they go through the teething process. That
<br>> means some on-site and some phone support availability, folks. I know<br>> the LUG was never intended to be a general help desk (and still<br>> shouldn't), BUT, if you want to change the world, you have to get your
<br>> hands in the dirt. I'm doing my part where I am. How many of you are<br>> willing to do the same, even a little bit??<br>><br>> "Many hands make light work."<br>> Jim<br>><br>> _______________________________________________
<br>> <br></blockquote></div><br>
<br>
Two observations.<br>
1) I'm not so sure that what the City of Davenport runs is determined in D.C. BTW, part of their system was/is UNIX.<br>
2) RHEL is, if I'm not mistaken, a "support by customer pay"
version of Red Hat. There are the expected contracts and "pick up the
phone and someone comes". The reason governments and almost all
businesses except "Mom & Pops" love this system is because (as you
said), they are not knowledgeable. And, far more importantly, they are
not culpable if and when it breaks; but will take the credit if it
works. So it's much the safer thing for their careers.<br>
<br>
At any rate, we are really only able to deal with the greater QC area. I hope that's an easier nut to crack.<br>
<br>
Jim<br>