[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[Sheflug - Sheffield Linux User's Group] Re: On LinuxToday... erm... today :)
>>>>> "Bob" == Bob Ham <u9rah [at] dcs.shef.ac.uk> writes:
Bob> On Thu, 27 Apr 2000, Dr A V Le Blanc wrote:
>> I can't see any great push to replace old systems (as long as
>> they still work) with Linux boxes.
Bob> And good; should there be?
Depends on how you define "work." The bureaucracy tends to define
"work" as "if pushing the same button makes the same paper come out,
it still works." The clients prefer to define it as "if by getting
off their duffs and changing to a new system they could produce more
convenient and reliable service, but they don't, the system's now
broken."
Of course "should?" is a tough question; there are costs as well as
benefits to be considered. But the bureaucrat's typical reaction is
not to be relied on, since serving clients is not what they like
best---it doesn't make their lives easier or better paid. (Which,
like it or not, what drives most good service. Free software is a
special case ;) which unfortunately does not generalize to civil
"servants". :( )
So I would hope that every once in a while somebody a little higher up
would stroll over to the computer center and say, "you know, the
private sector is doing XYZ; what would it cost us to do that, and
would the citizens like it enough to make it worthwhile?"
And the answer would be "Cheap and Excellent if you use Linux!"
:-)
--
University of Tsukuba Tennodai 1-1-1 Tsukuba 305-8573 JAPAN
Institute of Policy and Planning Sciences Tel/fax: +81 (298) 53-5091
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
What are those straight lines for? "XEmacs rules."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheffield Linux User's Group - http://www.sheflug.co.uk
To unsubscribe from this list send mail to
- <sheflug-request [at] vuw.ac.nz> - with the word
"unsubscribe" in the body of the message.
GNU the choice of a complete generation.