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____/ Matt on Friday 03 October 2008 22:08 : \____
> Roy Schestowitz wrote:
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>> ____/ Matt on Thursday 25 September 2008 20:17 : \____
>>
>>> Roy Schestowitz wrote:
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>>>> The Netherlands Patent Office changes to open source software
>>>>
>>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>>> | The Netherlands Patent Office is the first government authority to
>>>> | implement the ‘Nederland Open in Connection' action plan and to switch a
>>>> | large number of its ICT systems to what is known as open source
>>>> | software. As the first step, Frank Heemskerk, minister of Foreign
>>>> | Affairs launched the new website of the Netherlands Patent Office today,
>>>> | which is based on open source software. By the end of 2009, the entire
>>>> | office environment, including desktop computer systems and the
>>>> | relationship management system will be running on the basis of open
>>>> | source software.
>>>> `----
>>>>
>>>> http://en.octrooicentrum.nl/
>>>
>>> This one comes with a bonus---it's the patent office---they have
>>> influence beyond their own software choices.
>>>
>>> same article:
>>>> According to president Guus Broesterhuizen, the Netherlands Patent Office
>>>> is actively working towards wider use of open source software and open
>>>> standards, and he believes that the website is the first public display of
>>>> this commitment.
>>
>> Pretty much the entire government (and public sector) there will be
>> gradually moving to FOSS, unless things are changed. Microsoft got slapped a
>> lot around April for virtually bullying the country to change its mind. I
>> could find the articles if you are interested. It was utterly disgusting.
>
>
> Yes, thanks, I'd like to see something about that.
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-31230/domino:the-netherlands
It is hard to believe, but Heise reports that Microsoft was threatening the
Dutch government to sue it before the European Court of Juctice which would be
a competition case.
http://www.theopensourcerer.com/2007/12/14/going-dutch/
There is some good humour in the announcement too - from the Redmond based
owner of much of the world’s Intellectual Monopoly:
… he said the company [Microsoft] was worried about and opposed other
aspects of the Dutch policy, especially the provision that agencies should
prefer open source.
“We think it’s not in the best interest of the wider software market to
single out one model for endorsement like this,” he said.
HUH? What is the “wider software market” he is referring to? Oh, of course
it’s theirs… What complete twaddle. Why can’t they just say ‘we don’t like it
because we are going to lose business’. Or even better, make improved products
that compete on a level playing field? Why spin their message with such
meaningless drivel that it only exacerbates our bad opinion of them?
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-52518/microsoft-lobbyist-using-tbt-for-legal-threats
Microsoft lobbyist using TBT for legal threats
Jan van den Beld, who was promoting OpenXML at the Geneva BRM for CompTIA,
a well know Microsoft lobby group, is using the Technical Barriers to Trade WTO
treaty for legal threats to governments:
He also advised governments against mandating just one electronic
document standard as it may run foul of World Trade Organization policies and
open themselves to possible legal challenges. “One of the big concerns of WTO
is that you should not use standards as a barrier to trade,” he said.
“If a government enforces [use of just one standard], that would mean
the whole country is not allowed to use OpenXML. Then, they could get into a
very difficult legal situation as they can be challenged legally,” opinioned
van den Beld.
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20080410050845876
Member of EU Parliament asks if Microsoft should be excluded from public
procurement
[…]
Of course, if the EU Commission wants to find a way to avoid such a
penalty, no doubt it can do so. We saw how creative rule-bending/creating can
be in the ISO. But the very fact that this question is being placed on the
table is remarkable in itself, don’t you think? Something significant has
shifted in Microsoft’s universe. And if they are afraid to make such a move,
due to the ubiquity of Microsoft software and their dependence upon it, might
that alone not inspire some deep thoughts about the wisdom of doing something
about that vulnerability?
I have some more... but it requires further digging.
- --
~~ Best of wishes
Roy S. Schestowitz | Free 3-D Othello: http://othellomaster.com
http://Schestowitz.com | GNU is Not UNIX | PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
http://iuron.com - proposing a non-profit search engine
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