[ILUG] Government use of OSS

[Braun Brelin]

On Thu, Mar 19, 2009 at 8:49 AM, Lisa Muir <34.24.34 at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 9:44 PM, Gerard Cunningham <lists at faduda.net>
> wrote:
> >
> >> Anyone got an estimate of how much the government might save
> >> if it went over to open source software?
> >
> > On a not quite related topic, does anyone here know anything about the
> > Garda PULSE system. I'm assuming its not open source, and since
> > Accenture are the main providors/maintainers I can find from a google
> > search, I'm guessing it's custom built. The only cost figures I can find
> > is from a PQ a few years ago giving an annual cost of 12Million. I'm
> > wondering how comparable this (and other computing needs of the force,
> > desktops, portables) would be to the French experience.
>
> I was under the impression that PULSE was provided by Esat telecom as
> part of a deal where Esat got to use every garda station as a mobile
> phone tower. I do recall seeing the familiar solaris screensaver
> running at the local barracks one day (like 9 years ago), which would
> hint at solaris x86. I also vaguely recall the deal going pear shaped
> which might explain why there is talk here of VB4 and Microsoft
> involvement.



That isn't correct.  ESAT had nothing to do with PULSE.  Also, unless
things have radically changed, the Gardai don't use Open Solaris.

Braun


>
>
> So... in your digging, you could well find that there were limited
> hardware costs, and an original software system funded by a telecoms
> third party, with the software system being replaced at a later stage
> at the cost of the taxpayer. In such deals where windows would replace
> a non windows solution, you could well expect extremely heavily
> discounted microsoft licences for OS software, maybe even free, just
> to kill oposing OS vendors case studies and replace them with an MS
> case study.
>
> I expect things have moved on significantly from 9 years ago but if
> you're examining funding, its probably going to start back there.
>
> Lisa.
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