osOpinion: Keep an Open Mind About Open Source: It’s the Law!

“Representative Phil Barnhart of the Oregon state legislature in
March introduced a bill that would compel the state to pledge to
strongly consider Linux and other open source programs in all
future purchase decisions. Barnhart’s bill doesn’t require that the
state purchase Linux or any other software. It simply calls for an
examination of the merits of open source software during the buying
process.

“Regardless of what you think of Microsoft’s newly released
Windows 2003 server, Linux or any other piece of software, it’s
worth taking a closer look at what Barnhart is asking of the state.
It may be throwing oil on the fire to add yet another complication
into the practice of shopping for IT, but there are good reasons to
consider instituting similar referenda inside most corporate IT
shops. Chief among those reasons: to keep vendors honest…”

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