I’ll admit it. There have been times where clients have asked me about specific products that happen to be of the OSS variety. Unbeknownst to them, the apps that they referring to could potentially be their introduction to the Open Source world. But that begs the question: Do people really use OSS? Better believe it!

Where do we begin when it comes to separating the open source words from the business reality? Where is open source in business and, in particular, in New Zealand business?

NZ slowly opens up

Almost half of New Zealand’s 20 largest user organizations have deployed an open source operating system or applications (most of them Linux). However, only a small number of the country’s biggest IT organizations currently run their business critical systems on open source, and only a small number of these have increased their investment in it. The public sector, though, may become the global engine of change for the way software is licensed and deployed.

As reported in Computerworld in October, a deal has been struck that allows agencies throughout government access to open source software (Novell’s Suse Linux server and its Linux Desktop) and support from Novell at preferential rates in a syndicated procurement contract. In this arrangement, a lead agency signs the main deal and others are allowed access to the products and services on the same terms. Novell has been supplying Inland Revenue, the lead agency in this first instance, with networking software, as well as with open source product for a pilot. Agencies will also be able to access other open source products such as MySQL with full support. Source: LinuxWorld

[tags]open source,mysql,computerworld,novell’s suse linux,new zealand[/tags]