There are some city governments in the US that are doing this too. (cost driven I.T. structure) EP
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German town opts for Linux in official work
By David McHugh
ASSOCIATED PRESS

SCHWAEBISCH HALL, Germany — At first glance, there is nothing cutting edge about Schwaebisch Hall, a provincial German town of crooked, medieval streets whose biggest employer is a savings bank.
But Schwaebisch Hall has jumped to the forefront of a growing technology movement by replacing Microsoft software on all city computers with open-source applications based on the free, unproprietary Linux operating system.
It is the first city in the world to do that, say local officials, who note the switch will save money, improve security and end dependence on one supplier.
Such companies as Deutsche Telekom and 7-Eleven, as well as government agencies in Germany, France, the United States and other countries, are relying increasingly on open-source software for heavy data lifting, mostly on servers that do Internet and database work.
But Schwaebisch Hall’s decision to adopt the software for everything represents a breakthrough, said SuSE, Germany’s leading Linux distributor, which swung the deal to make the switch.
SuSE credits the move to its user-friendly Linux desktop products, which make it palatable to the average computer user who wants only to deal with a graphical Windows-like interface.
“This is the first customer that has said, ‘This is the platform that our future is going to be taking shape with,’ ” said Stefan Werden, a senior SuSE sales engineer.
Open-source software is based on the principle that anyone using it should be able to scrutinize the source code, or inner workings, to make changes and improvements, rendering it, at least in theory, more transparent as well as more secure.
Corporations such as Microsoft keep source codes secret so that they can sell software at a profit, say open-source advocates.
The open-source software can be copied freely by the more than 400 new Linux users employed by Schwaebisch Hall, which is encouraging them to copy the software on their work computers for home use.
The basic version of Linux, the most popular open-source operating system, was written in 1991 by Finnish programmer Linus Torvalds, but for years its use was limited because it was complex and incompatible with most popular consumer-oriented programs and games.
By year’s end, Schwaebisch Hall, working with Nuremberg-based SuSE and IBM Germany, will have switched all 300 desktop computers and 15 servers recording tax payments, business licenses and library checkout records.
Mayor Hermann-Joseph Pelgrim says the key factor is money: “We expect to save a six-figure sum. … Our employees are proud to be helping with the consolidation of the city budget.”
City officials say it costs $88 to equip each desktop computer with open-source software, compared with $480 for new editions of the equivalents from Microsoft, by far the dominant producer of proprietary desktop software.
That, they say, adds up to a one-time savings of $121,000 — a considerable sum for a town struggling with declining tax revenue.
“There are plenty of signs right now that the open-source idea is very viable, for the pure and simple reason people are looking for cost savings,” said Charles Homs, senior researcher at the Forrester analytical firm. “So it’s not so much a philosophical question of ‘Do I support open source or don’t I?’ but ‘How can I save money?’ “
But for Matthias Setzer, head of the local Volkshochschule, or community college, which is doing much of the retraining, higher principles are in play.
“As a democratic society, we should not support monopolies,” he said, adding a gentle dig, “Freedom of choice — it’s the American way, isn’t it?”
Schwaebisch Hall, in southern Germany, joins the Extremadura region in Spain, where the local government has put on an effort to convert government computers as well as home machines of more than 1 million people in the region by distributing copies of the Linux system.
Companies such as SuSE and Red Hat, based in Raleigh, N.C., bundle Linux-based programs and charge customers for the packaging as well as the support and consulting services.
The German government made a deal in June with IBM and SuSE to outfit Interior Ministry computers with open-source software.
Microsoft Germany spokesman Thomas Baumgaertner contends that open-source software can get more expensive in the long run because of training costs and add-ons, such as administrative software updates.
“The cost analyses are in Microsoft’s favor,” he said.
SuSE officials wouldn’t say how much they charged Schwaebisch Hall for the deal, under which the company will provide technical support for five years.
“As the first customer, they got a special price,” was all Mr. Werden would say.
One hurdle for Schwaebisch Hall: Linux’s reputed difficulty for desktop use.
Mr. Pelgrim, a self-described non-techie, led the way by having his computer changed over first.
“From what I can see, Linux is something good and no big change from Windows,” said librarian Elisabeth Guechida, who keeps the library’s computers running though she is not a computer specialist. “There’s a mouse, a keyboard and icons. I personally find it interesting to learn new things.”

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SOC. Are you sure you didn’t accidently post photos of special shaped airborne bodies from Groom Lake by mistake??

😀

Anyway, TTP, you have now proven excellently why a non-competetive economy is in theory more effective than a competetive one.

Over simplified. When a major aircraft is built ( like X-45, X-47 ) and a whole bunch of others, hundreds – thousand of sub contractors compete to make a lot of the components. The title company (example Lockheed – Boeing etc ) Does the R&D, and oversight of final assembly and some ( the less the better ) fabrication of parts/components.

Wow! Can the current political climate in Belgium be explained like that in just a few sentences ?? 😀

Arthur,

This is an aircraft question. Does Fokker have any similar meaning to above ? :p

Article II in the constitution. Arnold doesn’t qualify.

Damn Geforce,

You would make a hell of a good school teacher. ( just that they would have to watch you to make sure you didn’t turn the kids into a bunch of flamming socialists 😀 )

And since the American constitution hasn’t changed a bit since 1783

Over time a bunch of articles/ammendments have been added:

A few of many many examples:

13th Amendment: No Slavery

19th Amendment:
Covers womens voting ( ratified Aug. 198, 1920 )

Article 18 ( prohibition ( alcoholic drinks become illegal ) Later repealed in the 21st Amendment

Anyway, you get the idea.

Happy Birthday !