UK Takes Huge Step Forward On Open Standards

jrepin sends this news from the FSF Europe site: "The UK government is certainly taking a long and winding road towards Free Software and Open Standards. The UK's public sector doesn't use a lot of Free Software, and many smaller Free Software companies have found it comparatively hard to get public sector buyers for their products and services. The main reason is that government agencies at all levels are locked into proprietary, vendor-specific file formats. ... The UK government has released a new Open Standards policy. With this policy (PDF), and in particular with its strong definition of Open Standards, the UK government sets an example that governments elsewhere should aspire to,' says Karsten Gerloff, President of the Free Software Foundation Europe. Under the new policy, effective immediately, patents that are essential to implementing a standard must be licensed without royalties or restrictions that would prevent their implementation in Free Software."

And?

[Desler]

and many smaller Free Software companies have found it comparatively hard to get public sector buyers for their products and services.

Maybe because some of them have a terrible product and services? Just because your a FOSS company doesn't mean your owed the business of the government. Not everything is a "M$" conspiracy.

Re:And?

[Microlith]

Maybe because some of them have a terrible product and services?

Or maybe it's not that at all? But it has to be what you suggest. It can't possibly be anything else.

Just because your a FOSS company doesn't mean your owed the business of the government.

No one is owed that business. But it's hard to get those contracts when the incumbent holds all the secrets to the document format in use.

Not everything is a "M$" conspiracy.

Because Microsoft totally hasn't manipulated standards bodies and harassed politicians who have pressed for open standards.

Re:I'm sceptical

[trewornan]

Nothing's changed and this policy is meaningless until the Cabinet Office releases the guidelines for applying for an exemption. Every dept purchasing an IT system will trump up some half assed excuse and apply unless there are some serious restrictions imposed by the Cabinet Office.