Dutch Open Source consulattion (13)

Further suggestions
In the concluding suggestions and comments the thought prevails Not words, but deeds and the need for a clear framework to build policy around. Some highlights:
- In the government there is not enough insight in what open sources and open standards are. This need improvement if you want to progress, certainly on the practical decision level. Higher maths you can leave to independent experts from science and the social level, but you need to support them.

Government needs to know what she does not know and leave that to experts. Make money available so that people with knowledge of the matter can participate in standardisation bodies (and do not do this yourself as government). ICT policy needs a change. Now the situation marches along the old ICT lines (closed source, not web based, no input from users, specifications on paper which no one can oversee, old purchase rules in which only companies with a big turn-over can compete). The thinking about ICT has to change, says Margot Lagendijk.

- For users of not-open desktop platforms such as Windows, a complete transition in one go might be an organisation handicap, which leads in many cases to unnecessary delays and postponement. Realistic plans, small steps, but moving ahead. Introduction in phases will built up confidence.

One should slowly start superseding Windows as a standard with open source software, so that the transfer to open desktop will be easy, says Kees Lijkendijk, ISC Police Netherlands.

It should not be considered as a technical (and thus a civil servant) issue, but also as a political subject, and thus one for parliamentarians and governors. Pressure on suppliers is very important; a clear choice of the government (as a big client) forces purchases to become open. Without such a clear choice nothing will happen, says Michel Klijmij, member of the municipal board for the Green party in Gouda.

There should be recognition that ICT is more than just an enabler. ICT is an strategic issue for our society, in the economic as well as the social respect. Keeping and maintaining control over ICT is crucial for our future. This is impossible without open technology. Another problem is that by the scant attention and negative signals from the sector about lay-offs, outsourcing, near sourcing and more of that kind there are only a few ICT students This is worrying, says Jo Lahaye, president of Holland Open

More openness and freedom with regard to information and information technology leads to more (digital) sustainability and willhave eventually a positive effect on the economy and the society. To reach that open standards and open source software is needed. It can only be hoped that that direction becomes policy and that we (the policy makers) will have ourselves lead by indolence and the big money, says Frits de Jong.

To use a conclusion which well represents why it is important the fight the fear for cold fee ton the execution level, and which has been able to suppress the motion Vendrik so far:
Only live experience can convince people and can really help to enlarge the camp of ambassadors and experts of free software and open standards, says Mr. C.A.M. Segers of Avans College, Academy for ICT & Media in Breda.

(This is the last installment in the mini-series on the Dutch Open Source consultation).

Blog Posting Number: 793

Tags: OSS