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I think the article misses a great point. That by using open source they can spend on IT locally! Look at the Extremadura (region in Spain) case for as a refere
by cies 10y ago
I think the article misses a great point. That by using open source they can spend on IT locally! Look at the Extremadura (region in Spain) case for as a reference; they went with open source to stop all spending on IT outside of their own borders and thereby significantly boosted local business.
To me this is a clear case of how lobbying can destroy the value governments provide to their citizens.
- l0b0 10y agoThey did mention that point: > Last, but not least, most expenditures related to the purchase of Microsoft licenses will contribute to the GDP of Ireland (where all Microsoft products sold in Europe are sourced from) rather than to local enterprises who support the open source solutions deployed today.
- signal11 10y agoIANAL, but isn't encouraging the City of Munich to source from "local" enterprises vs Ireland a violation of EU free-trade laws? By the same token Ireland could then discourage/block "imports" from Munich and we'd be back to the internecine trade conflicts the EU was supposed to stop.
- omouse 10y agoFree market doesn't mean you have to go with the cheapest solution. It means you have choice. Preferring local firms is ok because they're competing in a free market; they aren't being given contracts because they're local, it's just local firms will be opening up to supply the demand.
- mironathetin 10y agoFor a local government a preference of local business is not only ok. It should be the first choice, the second choice and also the third one. In this case, as there is totally different tax flow involved as the article nicely explains, local business is the only responsible choice for an elected government, IMHO.
- cies 10y agoOops. Missed this. Thanks.
- Grollicus 10y agoMicrosoft Germany is located in Munich. Or, well, it will be moved there soon.