Opening Government to Open Source
I've started doing some research on the current state of open source software and its integration in state and local goverment. I've found some articles (all by Tom Adelstein) but nothing too current yet. Anyone with other links or info, please drop a comment here or send me an email (pfhyper @ gmail dot com).

The Open Source Dilemma for Governments
Tom Adelstein
Jan. 4, 2004
The original Internet and Open Source standards came out of public monies mostly granted to university research departments by the Department of Defense. Who paid for those efforts? Why must the public have to pay for those technologies once again because companies like Microsoft adopt them and then resell them as proprietary software? If Open Source Software reduces the cost to taxpayers, that should put more money into the economy. Economics 101 will tell you that consumers buying goods and services create more jobs than governments taking money from taxpayers and shoving those dollars through the bureaucracy.

Open Source in Government: Newport News, VA
Tom Adelstein
Jan. 15, 2004
Interview with Andy Stein, CIO of Newport News.
In the private sector, individual accomplishments become "intellectual property" or something called "competitive advantage." After my first interview for a local government position, I saw the potential for "large scale collaboration." That provides quite an incentive. There's only so much one can develop and accomplish working alone. In my case, I find satisfaction in leveraging the knowledge and capability of many while driving toward common goals. In local government, I will accomplish in 2 years more than I could in 25 years in the private sector. That's exciting to me.

Tom also wrote a series of articles (at least eight) for Linux Journal. I cannot find a listing of all of them and they don't link too each other. Phil Windley (Technometria) lists several here and here.

From there do some searches at the Linux Journal site or via Google. I was able to spot a Part VIII for the series. Maybe someone has the links or maybe Mr. Adelstein will chime in here.

Here's a link to the first article in the series.

Linux Access in State and Local Government Part 1
July 10, 2003

- posted by Peter Fleck @ Permalink 2:35 PM [to Del.icio.us]