= German Government: Lack of knowledge or deliberately offending Free Software? =
[Permant URL http://fsfe.org/news/2011/news-20110511-01.en.html ]
Berlin 11. May 2011. In the case of the Foreign Office turning away from Free Software, the German Government is entangling itself in contradictions. The reaction of the Government to an inquiry by "Bündnis 90/Grüne" has led to more pending questions than answers.
"Many replies show that the government either doesn't understand important aspects of Free Software or is deliberately offending Free Software in general as well as Free Software companies in particular" says Matthias Kirschner, Germany coordinator of Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE).
The government argues that the developments in the Foreign Office constitute a "turning away from the policy of exclusively using open source software." At the same time, the government has confirmed that they will migrate to Microsoft Windows 7 and Office 2010.
"The statements that Free Software would be worse to use, would cause additional expenses on hardware, and that a lack of warranty would exist are imaginative perceptions rather than fitting into a serious reply from the government" said Elmar Geese, president of the "Linux-Verband".
Furthermore the response of the German Government has raised new questions. The government mentioned that 4.3 million Euro have been spent on a Free Software federal GNU/Linux distribution which apparently has never been finished. "We wonder what has happened to that project and what the money has actually been spent on" said Matthias Kirschner.
The FSFE and the "Linux-Verband" will work on an analysis of the reply together with those who are interested.
- The reply of the German Federal Government (German) http://www.von-notz.de/downloads/antwort-ka_bmi_quelloffene-software-aa_03-0... - Some comments in a blog entry (German) http://blogs.fsfe.org/mk/?p=781 - Public plattform to comment the questions (German) http://etherpad.fsfe.org/1TyQlboVdF
== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and involved in many global activities. Access to software determines participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study, modify and copy. Founded in 2001, creating awareness for these issues, securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues of the FSFE.
Contact: Matthias Kirschner, Free Software Foundation Europe, Linienstr. 141, 10115 Berlin, t +49-30-27595290, m +49-1577-1780003