Open Source, Open Standards and Re–Use: UK Government A...

But we need to increase the pace:

1. We want to ensure that we continue to use the best possible solutions for public services at the best value for money; and that we pay a fair price for what we have to buy.
2. We want to share and re-use what the taxpayer has already purchased across the public sector – not just to avoid paying twice, but to reduce risks and to drive common, joined up solutions to the common needs of government.
3. We want to encourage innovation and innovators - inside Government by encouraging open source thinking, and outside Government by helping to develop a vibrant market.
4. We want to give leadership to the IT industry and to the wider economy to benefit from the information we generate and the software we develop in Government

So we consider that the time is now right to build on our record of fairness and achievement and to take further positive action to ensure that Open Source products are fully and fairly considered throughout government IT; to ensure that we specify our requirements and publish our data in terms of Open Standards; and that we seek the same degree of flexibility in our commercial relationships with proprietary software suppliers as are inherent in the open source world.

This open source strategy addresses these key points. It sets out the steps we need to take across Government, and with our IT suppliers, to take advantage of the benefits of open source.

Tom Watson MP
Minister for Digital Engagement

Mr Tom Watson is UK Civil Service Minister in the Cabinet Office working with fellow ministers Mr Ed Miliband and Mr Phil Hope. He is blogging and, certainly, well acquainted with the digital world. However, what really gets through in overall governmental politics might be quite another matter.

Nevertheless, it appears to be quite clear that collaborative IP is the parole of the day, and a particular phenomenon thereof, Open Source Software / Free Software has reached mainstream. Ideas behind Open Innovation and Open Standards might still have to struggle for a while before they also will eventually reach mainstream status.