[PLUG] HB 2892 - Fight for what you believe (fwd)

[Russell Evans]

I have to wonder about the bill in its current form. When it was first talked
about, the proposal seemed right on the money in that any non-free software
purchase required justification. It seems everywhere I've worked, I've had to
justify all purchases and have had to have an approved budget to charge against
meaning at least to levels of justification and buy off. I've never however had
to justify a free solution to purchasing as it was never purchased. I've had to
justify a free solution to a technical review, and a business practices review
( ROI ), the same as any non-free solution. But no purchasing checks and
balances where involved.

As free alternatives are available and widely know about in company management
levels today, it seems that a company that does spend money on software, would
want to verify why, in a business sense. It seems like it would be prudent and
necessary to make sure the companies interests are being served by making sure
a check is installed to make sure all avenues are examined before money is
spent and there is someone accountable for saying so.  Why should the
government be any different? 

Isn't the bill this simple: We need a purchasing check in the State government,
so the purchase requester has to go on record as saying that this is the best
investment at this time and that all know avenues have been explored? 

Thank you
Russell





On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 03:32:07 -0700 (PDT), David Mandel said:

>               -  Open Source software uses such a different business
>                  model that we need HB 2892 to get equal consideration.