[OSGeo-Discuss] Re: Sign the Hague declaration

[Michael P. Gerlek]

I'm not looking to start a debate, but...

>> We call on all governments to:
>>
>>   1. Procure only information technology that implements free and
open standards;
>>   2. Deliver e-government services based exclusively on free and open
standards;
>>   3. Use only free and open digital standards in their own
activities.
>>

I'm certainly sympathetic to the desires this declaration seems to
express, but this seems to go too far by using words like "only" and
"exclusively".

There are undoubtedly cases where extant open standards are not as
mature, stable, featureful, mission-safe, etc, as the relevant
proprietary solutions, and so as a pragmatic matter governments must
rely on the proprietary works in those cases.

-mpg




> -----Original Message-----
> From: discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org 
> [mailto:discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Chris Puttick
> Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 11:28 AM
> To: discuss at lists.osgeo.org
> Subject: [OSGeo-Discuss] Re: Sign the Hague declaration
> 
> Hi all
> 
> A new group is being formed to promote open digital 
> standards, starting with a declaration regarding the 
> importance of digital standards being truly open:
> 
> http://www.digistan.org/hague-declaration:en
> 
> Please read it and sign if you agree. I'm sure most working 
> with spatial data would have encountered problems with the 
> core areas where standards are missing or not being supported 
> properly. Think GIS projects. Or CAD. I'm sure there are others...
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Chris
> 
> 
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