= FSFE publishes expert brochure about “Public Money? Public Code!" =
[ Read online: https://fsfe.org/news/2019/news-20190124-01.en.html ]
Why should governments develop Free Software? Where is Free Software
already generating benefits in the public sector? What are Free Software
business models? Answers to these questions and practical guidelines are
given in the new expert policy brochure published today by the Free
Software Foundation Europe. Produced with decision-takers in mind, the
brochure will be a helpful source of information for candidates and
parties running for the European Parliament election. Downloads and
prints are available under a Creative Commons license.
Today the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) releases its policy
brochure, *"Public Money Public Code - Modernising Public Infrastructure
with Free Software"* [1]. This brochure aims to answer decision-takers'
questions about the benefits of using and developing Free Software for
public administrations. To help understand the important role that
public procurement plays in this, the brochure presents an overview of
EU Free Software projects and policies, uncovering legislation on
software procurement. The FSFE will use this brochure in the upcoming
European Parliament elections to inform MEPs how to speed up the
distribution and development of Free Software in public administration
and putting in place appropriate legislation.
Download the brochure now:
https://download.fsfe.org/campaigns/pmpc/PMPC-Modernising-with-Free-Softwar…
=== About the brochure ===
The brochure evaluates the modernisation of public infrastructure with
using Free Software from the perspectives of academia, law, business,
and government. Expert articles, reports, and interviews help readers to
understand the opportunities for Free Software in public administration.
For decision-takers, practical guidance is provided to move forward and
start modernising public infrastructure with Free Software.
FSFE President Matthias Kirschner states: "Free Software licences have
proven to generate tremendous benefits for the public sector. This is
not a trend that will pass, but rather a long-term development that is
based on very positive experiences, and strategic considerations
resulting from serious vendor lock-in cases in the past. In a few years,
Free Software licences could become the default setting for publicly
financed IT projects. The Free Software Foundation Europe watches these
developments very carefully and we want to contribute our knowledge to
support the public sector in this transition."
First steps for making Free Software licenses the default in publicly financed
IT projects are outlined in the brochure. Other topics cover competition and
potential vendor lock-in, security, democracy, "smart cities", and other
important contemporary debates. The language and examples used have been
specifically chosen for readers interested in politics and public
administrations.
The brochure stars leading experts from various ICT areas. These include,
among others, Francesca Bria - Chief of Technology and Digital Innovation
Officer (CTIO) for the Barcelona City Council, Prof. Dr. Simon Schlauri -
author of a detailed legal analysis on the benefits of Free Software for the
Swiss canton of Bern, Cedric Thomas – CEO of OW2, Matthias Stürmer – head of
the Research Center for Digital Sustainability at the University of Bern,
and Basanta Thapa – from the Competence Center for Public IT (ÖFIT)
within the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems. The
brochure is released in digital and print, and is published under a CC
BY-SA 4.0 licence.
=== About the campaign ===
With the 'Public Money, Public Code' campaign [2], the FSFE demands that
publicly financed software developed for the public sector is made
publicly available under a Free and Open Source Software licence. The
campaign's open letter [3] has, until now, gained more than 19.000
signatures, as well as support from more than 150 organisations. If it
is public money, it should be public code as well!
1:
https://download.fsfe.org/campaigns/pmpc/PMPC-Modernising-with-Free-Softwar…
2: http://publiccode.eu/
3: https://publiccode.eu/openletter/
== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==
Free Software Foundation Europe is a charity that empowers users to
control technology. Software is deeply involved in all aspects of our
lives; and it is important that this technology empowers rather than
restricts us. Free Software gives everybody the rights to use,
understand, adapt and share software. These rights help support other
fundamental freedoms like freedom of speech, press and privacy.
The FSFE helps individuals and organisations to understand how Free
Software contributes to freedom, transparency, and self-determination.
It enhances users' rights by abolishing barriers to Free Software
adoption, encourage people to use and develop Free Software, and
provide resources to enable everyone to further promote Free Software
in Europe.
http://fsfe.org