More on Open Source Software: Obama Gets It - Do School Leaders?

by Clay Burell · 2009-01-22 18:12:00 UTC
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axeI posted recently about Free Open-Source Software as a smart way to cut school spending without losing anything at all, and comments expressed the head-against-brick-wall frustration of Those Who Get It trying to explain it to School Leaders Who Don't ("If it's free, it can't be any good.")

So maybe this will help as ammo. From Crooks and Liars:

The secret to a more secure and cost effective government is through open source technologies and products.

The claim comes from one of Silicon Valley's most respected business leaders Scott McNealy, a co-founder of Sun Microsystems.

He revealed he has been asked to prepare a paper on the subject for the new administration.

"It's intuitively obvious open source is more cost effective and productive than proprietary software," he said.

"Open source does not require you to pay a penny to Microsoft or IBM or Oracle or any proprietary vendor any money."

You can hear lobbyists from companies like Microsoft flocking on D.C. already to try and stop this. Hopefully they fail, because open source software is the way to go. Supporting a growing industry like this is something synonymous with economic stimulus. Small start up companies that specialize in different open source applications could see themselves grow by receiving support and development requests from the U.S. government.

I'd love to hear stories from any of you out there about schools that do get it. Please share 'em if you have 'em.

Image by Chris Campbell

Clay Burell
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