[ Thanks to Fermigier
for pointing us to this Press Release: ]
A substantial majority of the research committee in Folketinget
now supports Open Source. This spring, the Socialist Peoples Party
put forward a proposal suggesting that the authorities support the
spreading of Open Source in various ways. The research committee in
Folketinget has now made a report over this proposal and seven
parties (the Social Democrats, Venstre, the Conservatives, the
Socialist People’s Party, the Danish People’s Party, Enhedslisten
and the Christian people’s party), who represents a substantial
majority of the parliament, support the report.
In the report the parties clearly express their support for Open
Source and for provision of a good framework for development of
Open Source by the state. This will be a part of the state’s IT
policy in the future.
The report recommends that the state henceforward use Open
Source in the development of its own software, that the state
provides possibilities for bids with Open Source software, and that
the state disseminates information about experiences with Open
Source.
Furthermore, the research committee recommends that the state
use open standards. As a result, citizens will not have to use
products from a certain manufacturer and the possibilities for Open
Source to develop will improve.
Furthermore, the majority recommends that the government work on
promoting Open Source on a European level.
The Socialist People’s Party spokesperson on IT, Knud Erik
Hansen, finds it delightful that such a substantial majority has
been able to agree on supporting Open Source. Open Source
represents a dynamic model of development for IT – unlike the
prevailing software, where the development is impeded by
monopolies.
Knud Erik Hansen also says that Open Source has the potential of
promoting lower prices, more security and flexibility.
Knud Erik Hansen can be reached at 33 37 44 10 or 40 40 43 44 or
sfkeha@ft.dk