:Why the public sector is opening the doors to open source technology
Why the public sector is opening the doors to open source technology Jul 14, 2009, 17 :01 UTC (3 Talkback[s]) (2373 reads) (Other stories by Roger Burkhardt)
"Instead, by moving from an upfront license fee to a service based model, capital expenditure will be reduced and the saving can be funnelled into other areas of public spending.
"At the heart of this New Economics of IT is open source, which earlier this year was given a massive endorsement by the UK government with the publication of its open source strategy. Looking at the cost savings that have been achieved by companies and governments all over the world, it is estimated that the UK Government could reduce its annual IT bill by at least £600m a year if more open source software was used as part of an effective procurement strategy.
"As all political parties search for the policy options that will enable them to cut costs without cutting services, one could be forgiven for being a little skeptical. After all, it seems the impossible balancing act of trying to reconcile the irreconcilable. However, taking costs out of IT projects does not have to mean shelving those projects all together."
