Brazil and Open source software
Steve Kingstone of BBC in his report on Brazil adopting open-source software had the following to say; “In Brazil's Ministry for Cities, staff are busy at work. The scene is much like any other modern office: an open-plan work space crammed with desks, telephones and computers. But there's one big difference. The word 'Microsoft' is no where in sight. Instead, computers here now use the Linux operating system. It has many similar functions to Microsoft's windows – but unlike Windows, it is available for free.”
The number one reason that prompted this change was basically economic. In overall, the government was projecting to save approximately $120 millions a year by switching from Windows to open source alternatives since it will pay less in royalties to foreign companies(BBC, 2005).
Open source software has been adopted by ministries and governmental organizations at Federal, State and City levels as well as in private business within Brazil(“Brazil and Open Source,” n.d.). Brazil's president – Luis Inacio Lula da Silva has contributed a lot in the success of open source software in this country by developing legislative policy on open source software. Since Lula's election, open source usage and developer community in Brazil has been growing. In April 2006, Jonathan Schwartz, C.E.O and president of Sun Microsystems described Brazil as a one of the progressive nations in the world in terms of use of free and open software. The rational behind the Brazilian government’s open source policy is based on two very closely related factors: economics and development .
Economics
Brazil had a GDP per capita of $8,600 in 2006 being Latin America’s largest economy. Brazils 31% of the population live below the poverty line while its public debt amounted to 50% of GDP in 2006.
In 2001, Brazil’s federal government paid $1.1bn for commercial software licenses. For every workstation, the Brazilian government were paying Microsoft fees of around 1200 Brazilian Reais ($500) in 2005. In 2003 figures show that only 10% of Brazil’s 170 million people had home computers and the debt-ridden government was the nation’s largest computer customer.
Not only is proprietary software more expensive to install; the cost of maintenance is high too. In 2005 it was reported that Brazil’s national statistics agency had not upgraded its Microsoft software since 2000 because of the high cost of fees. The government thus calculates saving from the switch to open source could save it around $120 million a year.
The postal service, for example, predicted in 2005 that is would be saving 21.4 million Reais ($8.91 million) in the coming years by switching.
Development
One of the reasons for the popularity of open source in developing countries is that it is a skills enabling platform; because it encourages developer participation and extends computer usage to the poor it helps countries foster a skilled workforce – both in software production and basic IT literacy - which is a boost to the economy. It has been argued that the Brazilian government’s open source policy is part of a wider focus on extending technological tools and knowledge throughout the country in order to leverage its impact for development purposes.
Brazil’s economy is the world’s 10th largest, but it is also the most unequal, with 10% of the population in control of almost half of the wealth and whilst many people living in desperate poverty. In 2005, 9 out of 10 people had never used the Internet in Brazil. But the Brazilian government is concerned that these inequalities should not be reflected in a digital divide where the rich have access to all the advantages of the computer age, whilst the poor remain technologically dis-empowered. It is argued that the gap between rich and poor will only become worse unless the less wealthy have easy access to the technology which the rich can purchase, especially in developing countries such as Brazil. Several initiatives were set up to bring technology to the poor in Brazil. For example Telecenter Free Internet project set up cyber cafes that worked on GNU/Linux. In 2003, there were 86 Telecenteres in Sao Paulo.
References
BBC.(2005). Brazil adopts open-source software. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4602325.stm
Brazil and Open Source. (n.d). in Charles Lead wiki. Retrieved Septemebr 27, 2012 from www.charlesleadbeater.net/cms/xstandard/Brazil_Open_Source.pdf
The number one reason that prompted this change was basically economic. In overall, the government was projecting to save approximately $120 millions a year by switching from Windows to open source alternatives since it will pay less in royalties to foreign companies(BBC, 2005).
Open source software has been adopted by ministries and governmental organizations at Federal, State and City levels as well as in private business within Brazil(“Brazil and Open Source,” n.d.). Brazil's president – Luis Inacio Lula da Silva has contributed a lot in the success of open source software in this country by developing legislative policy on open source software. Since Lula's election, open source usage and developer community in Brazil has been growing. In April 2006, Jonathan Schwartz, C.E.O and president of Sun Microsystems described Brazil as a one of the progressive nations in the world in terms of use of free and open software. The rational behind the Brazilian government’s open source policy is based on two very closely related factors: economics and development .
Economics
Brazil had a GDP per capita of $8,600 in 2006 being Latin America’s largest economy. Brazils 31% of the population live below the poverty line while its public debt amounted to 50% of GDP in 2006.
In 2001, Brazil’s federal government paid $1.1bn for commercial software licenses. For every workstation, the Brazilian government were paying Microsoft fees of around 1200 Brazilian Reais ($500) in 2005. In 2003 figures show that only 10% of Brazil’s 170 million people had home computers and the debt-ridden government was the nation’s largest computer customer.
Not only is proprietary software more expensive to install; the cost of maintenance is high too. In 2005 it was reported that Brazil’s national statistics agency had not upgraded its Microsoft software since 2000 because of the high cost of fees. The government thus calculates saving from the switch to open source could save it around $120 million a year.
The postal service, for example, predicted in 2005 that is would be saving 21.4 million Reais ($8.91 million) in the coming years by switching.
Development
One of the reasons for the popularity of open source in developing countries is that it is a skills enabling platform; because it encourages developer participation and extends computer usage to the poor it helps countries foster a skilled workforce – both in software production and basic IT literacy - which is a boost to the economy. It has been argued that the Brazilian government’s open source policy is part of a wider focus on extending technological tools and knowledge throughout the country in order to leverage its impact for development purposes.
Brazil’s economy is the world’s 10th largest, but it is also the most unequal, with 10% of the population in control of almost half of the wealth and whilst many people living in desperate poverty. In 2005, 9 out of 10 people had never used the Internet in Brazil. But the Brazilian government is concerned that these inequalities should not be reflected in a digital divide where the rich have access to all the advantages of the computer age, whilst the poor remain technologically dis-empowered. It is argued that the gap between rich and poor will only become worse unless the less wealthy have easy access to the technology which the rich can purchase, especially in developing countries such as Brazil. Several initiatives were set up to bring technology to the poor in Brazil. For example Telecenter Free Internet project set up cyber cafes that worked on GNU/Linux. In 2003, there were 86 Telecenteres in Sao Paulo.
References
BBC.(2005). Brazil adopts open-source software. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4602325.stm
Brazil and Open Source. (n.d). in Charles Lead wiki. Retrieved Septemebr 27, 2012 from www.charlesleadbeater.net/cms/xstandard/Brazil_Open_Source.pdf