Richard Wood: Sideshow overshadows real issue

It must have been a misguided attack of political correctness that saw Microsoft invited to speak at the Government information systems managers forum last Monday.

The event was clearly identified as an open-source-software seminar with the aim to "explore the opportunities and challenges" of using the software "to provide a fit-for-purpose, value-for-money solution".

Microsoft, built on proprietary software, is an arch-enemy of open source so the only part it was ever likely to play was to reiterate a well- worn list of negatives. What a waste of time.

But it did provide some entertainment - so perhaps it was a smart way to grab some media coverage from the two journalists present.

This was certainly the result, to the chagrin of open-source advocates, who must have been peeved to see the size of the group surrounding Microsoft's "competitive strategy manager", Brett Roberts, during the breaks.

He didn't have it all his own way, though. IBM's imported US drawcard, Linux program director Mary Ann Fisher, was holding her own at the other end of the building.

And with NZ Post's Stuart Wakefield giving a presentation on two projects - one that opted for Microsoft and the other for open source - the halftime score was one-all. But the sideshow was overshadowing the real issue.

Which was surely a clearer understanding of what open-source software is and what it can do for our supposedly cash-strapped Government organisations.

Government policies and mandates in support of open source have been justified in some countries on the basis of building a new IT industry skills base, providing security through being able to see and modify the source code, providing freedom from multinational control, not to mention the software's much lower cost.

But in New Zealand open source is struggling even for recognition in Government both at a department and political level.

Open-source software is in use in places like the Ministry of Social Development and at the Department for Corrections, but there is little information on the scope of the projects and the business case that prompted the change.

All we've really seen from the top levels is a report and half-hearted letter from the State Services Commission asking departments to consider open source among other choices.

Fisher, an IBM global Linux guru, could reel off many examples of Linux use in Governments around the world, but when I asked her about New Zealand Government Linux use, she drew a blank.

This is sad and the conference really was the chance to break through the ignorance and conservative barriers - which were evident among the 80-odd state sector IT staff attending with a handful of open-source advocates and already-converted.

It was a real opportunity to establish the depth and breadth of what open source is and can do. Is it for boring old infrastructure, or is it for competitive advantage? Is it for packaged applications, or is it for customised applications? Is it ready, or is it not? All questions that should have been asked and debated, but sadly they barely got a mention.

Capable speaker and local Open Source Society president Peter Harrison was given 10 minutes unprepared before the panel discussion at the end of the day. With more time he could have drawn a comprehensive picture of usage of open source in New Zealand and where it might come into play in Government here.

Instead the only strong message came from US-based Forrester Research analyst Ted Schadler, speaking by videotape.

He said open source's time had come, but said any consideration of the software should be filtered by a need for a five-year history of development, having a vibrant development community behind it and the availability of commercial support.

"These take 50,000 open-source projects to a handful that are ready for prime time," he said.

That handful is headed by the up-and-coming Linux operating system and the market-dominating Apache web server.

His no-no list caused some righteous consternation in the room as it included Linux on the desktop and Microsoft Office competitor Open Office, felt by some to be making significant strides locally.

"Microsoft will give you a more stable, functional product on the desktop," he said.

Schadler also told the audience that if they weren't using Linux they were likely shortchanging their constituency. "The risks are small and manageable."

The SCO lawsuit, which is creating intellectual property concerns over Linux, was not discussed much by the various presenters but Schadler claimed it will disappear. "We think IBM will pay off SCO to make it go away."

According to Schadler, there is a revolution in the backroom and Linux will "hollow out" the Unix operating system base that dominates large IT departments.

If that's the case then New Zealand Government departments should be listening very carefully.

Far more time at this event could have been spent by the knowledgeable establishing a greater understanding of where open source might work for the New Zealand Government and educating the ignorant in the process.

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