[clug] Your Best arguments please

[Jepri]

On 2003.08.21 21:42, Carl Jackson wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
>     I'm currently corresponding with an ACT MLA about OSS legislation
> and the MLA has challenged me with the article at the link below .  I
> would appreciate the input of the list Brains Trust on the best
> counter-arguments.  Any and all opinions welcome.  Give it your best -
> there is a vote hanging in the balance here...
> 
> Carl Jackson
> 
> 
> > "<i>A Great Number of Servants</i>: The case against government
> software preferences"
> > http://www.acton.org/ppolicy/comment/article.php?id=150

One point I can definately address that maybe some people on the list 
don't have to deal with is that we (my work) are locked into a 
proprietry piece of software, and we can't escape.  We literally have 
ten years worth of records in its "database".  
And the company knows they have us - each license cycle they jack up 
the license fees and service charges, and we grin and bare it.

Their innovation in the last five years has pretty much been limited to 
changing the colours on the GUI.

A lot of the software we use is supported by a service contract.  Only 
someone in lala land would come up with a statement like "propriety 
companies factoring in costs".  Heck, even our operating system has a 
service contract.

But why not just go for emotions - large foreign software companies 
trying to crush our local developers.  Where's Dick Smith and his "buy 
Australia" campaign when we need him?