E-Petition: Migrate all government IT to Linux based systems

[Mr.Whippy]

the software is not under the control of some organisation that can prevent you doing whatever you want with it, as is the case with software like Windows or OS X.

What do Microsoft prevent you from doing with Windows OS's?

[d000hg]

The thing I never quite got my head round with your typical GPL OSS is what happens when you link to it. Fine, you can use Linux and LibreOffice and your documents are your property. But if your code interacts with GPL code, it's caught under GPL itself, yes? If that happens who is it you have to make your code available to - only the people using your software, or the people who developed the GPL code your code linked to?

I tried asking this to GPL mailing lists but they either get all frothy-mouthed, or accuse you of trolling and deliberately not understanding tom be divisive.

So what is the situation when the government uses OSS code as opposed to an OSS infrastructure?

[petergriffin]

What do Microsoft prevent you from doing with Windows OS's?

They prevent you from installing the OS and the applications on other computers than the ones you've paid the licence for. They prevent you from seeing and modifying the source code. They prevent you from deciding when and how to update/upgrade the software because it's their marketing folks to decide for you. They prevent you from choosing to buy a laptop without Windows because 99.9% of laptops on the market come with Windows and you replace it you'll violate the manufacturer's T&C's. Just for starters...

[Bunk]

They prevent you from installing the OS and the applications on other computers than the ones you've paid the licence for. They prevent you from seeing and modifying the source code. They prevent you from deciding when and how to update/upgrade the software because it's their marketing folks to decide for you. They prevent you from choosing to buy a laptop without Windows because 99.9% of laptops on the market come with Windows and you replace it you'll violate the manufacturer's T&C's. Just for starters...

Yeah yeah, but apart from all that, what do they prevent you doing?

[d000hg]

They prevent you from installing the OS and the applications on other computers than the ones you've paid the licence for.

That's nothing to do with it being closed source, is it?

They prevent you from deciding when and how to update/upgrade the software because it's their marketing folks to decide for you.

That's not true.

They prevent you from choosing to buy a laptop without Windows because 99.9% of laptops on the market come with Windows and you replace it you'll violate the manufacturer's T&C's.

Please provide a citation for this claim.

This is the part that FOSS appeared to overcome:

They prevent you from seeing and modifying the source code.

the idea that you should have access to the source code so you can modify it or fix it based on your needs. This is a valid argument, all the crud of GPL and 'free' came later IIRC. Licensed software can provide the source, free software can be closed source.

[SimonMac]

See they are doing this all wrong, the money is in Oracle Licences not OS, mySQL anyone?

[SimonMac]

They prevent you from installing the OS and the applications on other computers than the ones you've paid the licence for. They prevent you from seeing and modifying the source code. They prevent you from deciding when and how to update/upgrade the software because it's their marketing folks to decide for you. They prevent you from choosing to buy a laptop without Windows because 99.9% of laptops on the market come with Windows and you replace it you'll violate the manufacturer's T&C's. Just for starters...

Yeah yeah, but apart from all that, what do they prevent you doing?

Linus Torvalds is not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy

[Doggy Styles]

I fear the almighty expensive feck-up HMG would make of such a project, if they can't even get nationwide access to patient care records right.

I'd also be concerned with having customised OS all over the place, and the maintenance and trouble-shooting problems that would bring.

I'm not sure how much we'd gain from it all either. Apart from a good old gravy train for contractors! Until they eventually cancel it of course.

[Mr.Whippy]

I fear the almighty expensive feck-up HMG would make of such a project, if they can't even get nationwide access to patient care records right.

Exactly...the usual suspects would be lining up to get their cut of the untold billions it'd cost to then probably walk away 5 years down the line saying "sorry, we couldn't deliver but you still owe us £XX billion please". kerching!

Although AtW has been quiet on this thread, I'm surprised he hasnt piped up how it's "just a simple database" and that SKA would do it for £94.99 +VAT. Perhaps he's already working on the bid

[NickFitz]

Although AtW has been quiet on this thread, I'm surprised he hasnt piped up how it's "just a simple database"

The thing is, many if not most HMG projects really are simple databases. When you consider the kinds of online services that manage to get up and running and servicing millions of users a day with nothing more than a small group of college dropouts behind them, it seems preposterous that so many HMG projects drag on for years before finally failing and being shut down without ever having seen a single real user.