[ILUG] Government use of OSS

[Gerard Cunningham]

On Thu, 2009-03-19 at 08:56 +0000, Braun Brelin wrote:
> On Thu, Mar 19, 2009 at 8:49 AM, Lisa Muir <34.24.34 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > On Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 9:44 PM, Gerard Cunningham <lists at faduda.net>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > >> Anyone got an estimate of how much the government might save
> > >> if it went over to open source software?
> > >
> > > On a not quite related topic, does anyone here know anything about the
> > > Garda PULSE system. I'm assuming its not open source, and since
> > > Accenture are the main providors/maintainers I can find from a google
> > > search, I'm guessing it's custom built. The only cost figures I can find
> > > is from a PQ a few years ago giving an annual cost of 12Million. I'm
> > > wondering how comparable this (and other computing needs of the force,
> > > desktops, portables) would be to the French experience.
> >
> > I was under the impression that PULSE was provided by Esat telecom as
> > part of a deal where Esat got to use every garda station as a mobile
> > phone tower. I do recall seeing the familiar solaris screensaver
> > running at the local barracks one day (like 9 years ago), which would
> > hint at solaris x86. I also vaguely recall the deal going pear shaped
> > which might explain why there is talk here of VB4 and Microsoft
> > involvement.
> 
> 
> 
> That isn't correct.  ESAT had nothing to do with PULSE.  Also, unless
> things have radically changed, the Gardai don't use Open Solaris.
> 
> Braun
> 
> 
> >
> >
> > So... in your digging, you could well find that there were limited
> > hardware costs, and an original software system funded by a telecoms
> > third party, with the software system being replaced at a later stage
> > at the cost of the taxpayer. In such deals where windows would replace
> > a non windows solution, you could well expect extremely heavily
> > discounted microsoft licences for OS software, maybe even free, just
> > to kill oposing OS vendors case studies and replace them with an MS
> > case study.
> >
> > I expect things have moved on significantly from 9 years ago but if
> > you're examining funding, its probably going to start back there


ESAT did get access to Garda aerials as mobile towers. AIUI the deal
involved cheap phone accounts to Garda officers, and free accounts in
the case of some senior ranks. Not sure what the exact details of the
scheme were, but it had nothing to do with PULSE