[PLUG] Israeli government suspends purchases of Microsoft software

[Sasha Romanosky]

I offer this to the group as an interesting point for opensource (not as
an MS bash). 

>From Risks Digest 23.11;
 
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 08:48:41 -0700
From: "NewsScan" <newsscan at newsscan.com>
Subject: Israeli government suspends purchases of Microsoft software

The Israeli government has become the latest national government to seek
open-source alternatives to Microsoft's productivity software, citing
cost as a major motivating factor. "The move with Microsoft was a purely
economic decision," says a Finance Ministry spokeswoman. "The Israeli
government will not be purchasing new products from Microsoft, but will
implement its contract to secure existing systems. On a policy level,
the government is committed to expanding computer use. We want open
source technology to spread, so more people will be able to afford
computers." The Finance Ministry has been working with Sun Microsystems
and IBM to create a Hebrew language version of OpenOffice software, an
open-source alternative to Microsoft Office. Some federal agencies in
France, China and Germany, as well as the city government in Munich,
have switched over to Linux-based servers and individual workstations.
Other governments exploring open source alternatives include those in
Britain, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, China and Russia. Governments
account for about 10% of global information technology spending,
according to IDC.  [AP/*USA Today*, 31 Dec 2003; NewsScan Daily, 31 Dec
2003]
 
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/world/2003-12-30-israel-vs-microsoft_x.htm