Every time you turn around, it seems like another government is considering using open-source software as an alternative to expensive proprietary software. While the progress has been slow, as it usually is with governments, the trend is obvious.

In fact, not only is it obvious, but it’s also very logical. Think about it. Governments are usually on very tight budgets, especially for smaller things like software, so the cost alone is a huge advantage. Furthermore, open-source software gives them control. With proprietary software, the government has no idea what could be in the software. Certainly they can have security experts examine it, but that is nothing compared to actually being able to see the complete source code. Plus, beyond security, there are other advantages to open-source software. Not only can the government inspect the software, they can modify it to their needs, giving them the ability to deliver exactly the right operating system to their users, possibly even customized to the job the computer performs.

If you think about it, it is almost suprising governments have tolerated proprietary software. It seems fair to say that governments are rapidly heading to open-source and will likely stay there.

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