<HTML dir=ltr><HEAD><TITLE>Re: [Marketing] OSGeo benefits - Found word(s) risk free in the Text body</TITLE>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>Hello,</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I would suggest some more valuable criteria for government.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=2 face=Arial>* Technology independence.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=2 face=Arial>* Investment synergies among different adminstrations. </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The first is a question of knowing what the software does and to be able to adapt it. Yes, it's not just an intention, it's been done a lot of times; you can customize a software to your needings, by using external professional services, or by training internal resources.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The second is a strategy I've put into practice: Let more than one administration share their investment so that they can maximize the money they spend, as well as get future improvements as any partner needs some features.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=2 face=Arial>From my point of view, there are some other factors:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=2 face=Arial>* Cost bound investment "maintained over time"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=2 face=Arial>* Ability to try full versions before decission taking</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=2 face=Arial>* Fast knowledge about strategic decissions (in healthy OS communities)</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=2 face=Arial>BR</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Miguel Montesinos</FONT></DIV></DIV>
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<FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><B>De:</B> marketing-bounces@lists.osgeo.org en nombre de Cameron Shorter<BR><B>Enviado el:</B> mar 27/04/2010 22:35<BR><B>Para:</B> Jo Walsh<BR><B>CC:</B> marketing@lists.osgeo.org<BR><B>Asunto:</B> Re: [Marketing] OSGeo benefits - Found word(s) risk free in the Text body<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
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<P><FONT size=2>Jo,<BR>For government, I suggest focusing on government's selection criteria<BR>for projects, which is usually:<BR>* Value for money<BR>* Low Risk<BR><BR>Yes, Open Source licenses are free, but when promoted that way, Open<BR>Source often comes across as being "cheap". Also, the Total Cost of<BR>Ownership for Open Source and Proprietary, when compared head to head,<BR>is often similar, or even favours the proprietary software.<BR><BR>The value for Open Source comes when you consider the extra benefits<BR>open source brings:<BR><BR>In particular:<BR>* If a government invests Open Source software, they can give it away to<BR>the government's community groups, and citizens, for free.<BR><BR>* When you give away your software as Open Source, the international<BR>community will likely use it, and then improve it, which in turn<BR>benefits the local government. (This can be factored into purchasing<BR>selection criteria as Opportunity Management, which is the same as Risk<BR>Management, but in reverse. Ie, identify what could go right, then put<BR>enablement strategies in place to ensure that it happens).<BR><BR>You were after some material for presentations. I'll forward some slides<BR>through for this 15 minute overview of Geospatial Open Source here:<BR><A href="http://blip.tv/file/2748984">http://blip.tv/file/2748984</A><BR><BR>I'll send when I get to work in ~ 4 hours.<BR><BR>Jo Walsh wrote:<BR>> So, benefits to local government of using and supporting open source<BR>> (in general) and OSGeo in particular -<BR>><BR>> 1) Save money<BR>> 2) Grow small local business<BR>> 3) Share knowledge with peer organisations<BR>> 4) Be part of a wider governance culture<BR>> 5) Rapid access to innovations<BR>> 6) Preservation through open standards<BR>> 7) Outreach through open data (starting again at 1 for open data)<BR>> N) ?<BR>><BR>> I should add more to the list, thinking this is a talk to management<BR>> types who will be technologically aware but not that into details of<BR>> process.<BR>><BR>> Any advice much apprec,<BR>><BR>><BR>> jo<BR>><BR><BR><BR>--<BR>Cameron Shorter<BR>Geospatial Director<BR>Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050<BR>Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254<BR><BR>Think Globally, Fix Locally<BR>Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source<BR><A href="http://www.lisasoft.com/">http://www.lisasoft.com</A><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Marketing mailing list<BR>Marketing@lists.osgeo.org<BR><A href="http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/marketing">http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/marketing</A><BR></FONT></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>