What is "GovernmentForge"?
GovernmentForge.org is now live
The Open Source Software Institute has re-launched the
GovernmentForge.org public sector, open source software portal and repository.
PURPOSE: The concept behind GovernmentForge is to provide a central location for government representatives to gather information, download programs and applications, and share knowledge and experience on open source software and other open technologies which can provide benefit and service to government and public sector IT users, managers and policy makers.
To meet this challenge, GovernmentForge will serve as: 1) an Information Aggregater; and as a limited 2) Government Open Source Software Resource Repository.
1) Information Aggregater: GovernmentForge is specifically designed to serve as an aggregater, or reference point, for available open source software programs, modules and development communities-of-interest for access, acquisition and use by government and public sector entities.
Access to this information is not limited to government entities, but is designed to address common public sector program needs, technical and security requirements and standards government acquisition protocols.
Reuse of Publicly Sponsored Code Development -- One of the essential benefits of the open source software is the ability ( and legally-granted right through license agreement) of developers and end users to access, use and redistribute programs and applications.
2) Open Source Software Repository :
There are many very valuable and well run software and resource repositories currently available within the government and private sector. GovernmentForge's is to provide reference and access (where appropriate) to these various resources in order to leverage the existing available resources for public sector's usage.
GovernmentForge is designed to:
-- serves as a vendor-neutral, non-exclusive liaison node between government and numerous open source "development communities of interest" who represent the different open source development, service and support communities (industry, government, academic, open source development communities-of-interest).
-- meet DoD acquisition and technical development, deployment and distribution protocols in order to provide the most accurate information, security, vulnerability alert and management and updates and documentation for open source software solutions.
What GovernmentForge is "NOT":
GovernmentForge does NOT intend or attempt to limit access to programs or applications or other public resources.
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Zea Partners announced:
PS-OSS : A study about Public Sector involvement in Open Source software
by Nicolas Bossut - August 30, 2007
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Public sector and Open Source Software (PS-OSS), a report commissioned by the EU Commission addresses the question : What would be the potential impact on the development of the Information Society if public organisations (administrations, research institutions, universities, agencies, public companies) were to release software fully owned by them under a Open Source licence? Is an amplification effect on the adoption and use of information society technologies to be expected?
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Publishing software fully owned by public bodies as Free/Libre/Open Source Software (FLOSS) could facilitate re-use, adaptation and modification of the software by other public organisations, as well as other actors. The free availability of public sector software could possibly result in a "multiplier effect", which if significant, could have an accelerating effect on the development and take-up of information society technologies.
Copy of the full report available here:
Public Sector and Open Source (within European Union) - Final report
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