[Am-info] Re: IP: Norway dumps Microsoft

[Gene Gaines]

Another step toward a healthy computer software market
and healthy competition.
Gene
gene.gaines@gainesgroup.com

On Monday, July 15, 2002, 2:42:59 AM, Dave wrote:


> ------ Forwarded Message
> From: Nathan Cochrane <ncochrane@theage.fairfax.com.au>
> Organization: The Age newspaper
> Reply-To: ncochrane@theage.fairfax.com.au
> Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2002 16:13:45 +1000
> To: Dave Farber <dave@farber.net>
> Subject: Norway dumps Microsoft

> Hi Dave

> Interesting to consider this item from UK's The Register in light of the
> European Commission's call to create an open source portal across Europe
> as it seeks to cut its software bill, expected to rise 28 per cent to
> EUR6.6 billion this year. Perhaps a legitimate use for P2P software?

> Norwegian gov ditches contract with Microsoft
> By John Lettice
> "We think that the contract we've had with Microsoft has in reality
> given them a monopoly in a field where we're better off getting
> competition," said employment and administration minister Victor D Norman.
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/26172.html

> "European administrations should share software resources, a report
> published by IDA says. This (portal), which would concentrate on
> applications specific for the needs of the public sector, could
> encourage the replication of good practice in eGovernment services.
> (S)haring software developed for administrations could lead to
> across-the-board improvements in efficiency of the European public sector."
> Main website:
> http://www.europa.eu.int/ispo/ida
> Press release:
> http://europa.eu.int/ISPO/ida/jsps/index.jsp?fuseAction=showDocument&parent=
> news&documentID=550
> Report and annexes:
> http://europa.eu.int/ISPO/ida/export/files/en/1115.pdf
> http://europa.eu.int/ISPO/ida/export/files/en/1116.pdf

> The three tiers of Australia's governments (local, state, federal) must
> spend a conservative $AU250 million dollars a year with Microsoft, and a
> similar amount of money with other software providers. That's a big
> whack to the balance of payments, lost jobs, lost tax revenue through
> transfer pricing and lost opportunities to develop indigenous
> intellectual property.

> Microsoft, Victorian Govt sign AU$80 million deal
> http://www.zdnet.com.au/newstech/enterprise/story/0,2000025001,20265283,00.h
> tm

> Victorian govt deal costs 28 per cent more
> http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/05/17/1021544074413.html

> Queensland Government spends $77 million with Microsoft
> http://www.powerlan.com.au/pwr_web_site/pwrweb.nsf/Web+Pages/3322B3A8B6048EF
> 5CA256A9A0017BB1E

> South Australian Government says you can buy anything, as long as it's
> Microsoft
> http://www.government.ics.sa.gov.au/policy/POL4-1D.HTM

> Same for WA's Education Department
> http://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/ltcontracts/ltc_microsoft.htm

> Whole of Australian government Microsoft contract
> http://www.govonline.gov.au/projects/wholeofgovonline/gsa.htm

> Apparently many of the competitive tendering documents in government
> boil down to a choice between Office 97 and Office 2000, or Windows NT
> 4.0 and Windows 2000 (rarely is it XP because most enterprises are not
> convinced it delivers significant benefits over 2000). The same is
> likely true in many other municipalities, administrations and NGO's
> elsewhere in the world.

> No real choice or competition at all.

> Often the lynchpin is a standardised file format policy -- so you can
> buy whatever you want, so long as it is 100 per cent Microsoft file
> format compatible, which is all but impossible as Microsoft changes its
> formats so often and for no real purpose other than to lock in customers.

> MORE:
> Original Norwegian stories
> State drops Microsoft
> http://www.nettavisen.no/servlets/page?section=9&item=223062

> http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/okonomi/1987724.html
> (Ironically, the multimedia stream at this site of the statement is
> coded in Windows Media Audio format.)



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