[ Thanks to Jason
Greenwood for this link. ]
“When the Government of Australia’s second largest state
Victoria signed an $80 million [US$57.3/€47.4 million],
four-year contract with Microsoft in May 2002, advocates of open
source software and other critics cried foul. Today that contract
has just about expired, the Victorian Government has a new CIO, the
NSW Government has opened its doors to Linux and the question
arises as to how much longer Victoria can justify committing to
long-term Microsoft lock-ins without considering alternatives.“Extending the lock-in by another two years plus there is also
the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement. This is a three-year contract
struck on 30 June 2005 which enables subscribing Victorian
Government agencies the option of buying Microsoft software,
upgrades and maintenance at a discounted rate…”