Comments for Blog - Champaign County Clerk, IL - Mark Shelden http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com Champaign County Clerk Blog Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:35:43 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 Comment on Why doesn’t open source government take off? by Champaign County Clerk http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/10/27/why-doesn%e2%80%99t-open-source-government-take-off/comment-page-1/#comment-1428 Champaign County Clerk Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:35:43 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=213#comment-1428 Stan, you've hit a lot there. Thanks for the post. Contact me directly any time you'd like so we can collaborate. I'll post more about GOSCON this week, but suffice it to say that my eyes are wide open to the possibilities. I'll be talking more with our IT staff, and leaders across the state. I want to focus on Illinois, while drawing upon other areas. We have to take a long term view. In doing so, I believe we can lay some groundwork now for software solutions that increase transparency while lowering costs. But I'm convinced we can find enough people to make that happen. Stan, you’ve hit a lot there. Thanks for the post. Contact me directly any time you’d like so we can collaborate.

I’ll post more about GOSCON this week, but suffice it to say that my eyes are wide open to the possibilities. I’ll be talking more with our IT staff, and leaders across the state. I want to focus on Illinois, while drawing upon other areas. We have to take a long term view. In doing so, I believe we can lay some groundwork now for software solutions that increase transparency while lowering costs. But I’m convinced we can find enough people to make that happen.

]]> Comment on Why doesn’t open source government take off? by Stan http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/10/27/why-doesn%e2%80%99t-open-source-government-take-off/comment-page-1/#comment-1416 Stan Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:44:40 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=213#comment-1416 Mark, these are great postings and quite insightfully written. Working in public sector IT for 2 decades I have watched a succession of software vendors come (and go). The biggest, Oracle and Microsoft, are basically "bandits in business suits" who squeeze their clients software budgets for all they can while doing everything in their power to stifle competition and "own" the entire "vertical stack" of software. Proprietary software license and associated maintenance fees make up a very significant part of local government IT budgets. Most of the vendors of proprietary software are constantly pressuring their customers to upgrade to the “latest and greatest” version or risk being “unsupported”. These upgrades can be expensive, time consuming and unnecessary. Local government IT continues to face a huge budgetary crisis and mounting pressures from revenue reductions and increasing expenses as they struggles to provide labor saving and cost effective information technology solutions for employees, constituents and the general citizenry. Salary costs are the largest expenditure that most organizations face. After laying off, retiring and not replacing employees, most local government IT departments are working with “bare bones” staffs that can barely cope with the work they are expected to deliver. Likewise, un-funded state and federal mandates, undelivered revenue sharing and unavoidable infrastructure changes and capital expenditures are putting even more of a squeeze on everyone’s budgets. Budgetary issues are likely to dog everyone for some time to come. One of the few remaining areas where cost savings can be realized is software and systems. Enlightened government entities are increasingly utilizing open source applications in an effort to trim their software budgets. As you pointed out, vendor instilled fears and a perceived lack of support for open source applications are keeping many organizations from adopting FOSS. Also some applications (like ERP) just don't exist as FOSS. The universities, who have staff and know how, are taking on this challenge. For instance, the Kuali Foundation is a consortium of American universities developing open source administration applications. IBM and Sun are also involved. Arizona State, Colorado State and USC in LA are replacing their proprietary financials systems with the Kuali Financials system (KFS). The universities collaborating on this project have agreed to each one becoming an expert in one particular module of the overall system under the governance of the foundation. A cursory investigation of the KFS project indicates that it has the tremendous promise of delivering a comprehensive enterprise-quality open source financial system. The project is well funded, well organized and is enjoying swelling support from a community of colleges. Local governments would do well to copy the Kuali model and cooperatively create non-profit organizations that would foster collaborative development and sharing of software like KFS. Private vendors could provide implementation, consulting, support and upgrade services. How about you bringing this up with your CIO, Mark? Mark, these are great postings and quite insightfully written.
Working in public sector IT for 2 decades I have watched a succession of software vendors come (and go). The biggest, Oracle and Microsoft, are basically “bandits in business suits” who squeeze their clients software budgets for all they can while doing everything in their power to stifle competition and “own” the entire “vertical stack” of software. Proprietary software license and associated maintenance fees make up a very significant part of local government IT budgets.
Most of the vendors of proprietary software are constantly pressuring their customers to upgrade to the “latest and greatest” version or risk being “unsupported”. These upgrades can be expensive, time consuming and unnecessary.
Local government IT continues to face a huge budgetary crisis and mounting pressures from revenue reductions and increasing expenses as they struggles to provide labor saving and cost effective information technology solutions for employees, constituents and the general citizenry.
Salary costs are the largest expenditure that most organizations face. After laying off, retiring and not replacing employees, most local government IT departments are working with “bare bones” staffs that can barely cope with the work they are expected to deliver. Likewise, un-funded state and federal mandates, undelivered revenue sharing and unavoidable infrastructure changes and capital expenditures are putting even more of a squeeze on everyone’s budgets. Budgetary issues are likely to dog everyone for some time to come.
One of the few remaining areas where cost savings can be realized is software and systems. Enlightened government entities are increasingly utilizing open source applications in an effort to trim their software budgets. As you pointed out, vendor instilled fears and a perceived lack of support for open source applications are keeping many organizations from adopting FOSS. Also some applications (like ERP) just don’t exist as FOSS.
The universities, who have staff and know how, are taking on this challenge. For instance, the Kuali Foundation is a consortium of American universities developing open source administration applications. IBM and Sun are also involved. Arizona State, Colorado State and USC in LA are replacing their proprietary financials systems with the Kuali Financials system (KFS). The universities collaborating on this project have agreed to each one becoming an expert in one particular module of the overall system under the governance of the foundation. A cursory investigation of the KFS project indicates that it has the tremendous promise of delivering a comprehensive enterprise-quality open source financial system. The project is well funded, well organized and is enjoying swelling support from a community of colleges.
Local governments would do well to copy the Kuali model and cooperatively create non-profit organizations that would foster collaborative development and sharing of software like KFS. Private vendors could provide implementation, consulting, support and upgrade services.
How about you bringing this up with your CIO, Mark?

]]> Comment on What Sequoia’s Source Code Publication Means by Michelle Shafer http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/11/03/what-sequoia%e2%80%99s-source-code-publication-means/comment-page-1/#comment-1402 Michelle Shafer Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:50:21 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=238#comment-1402 Hello County Clerk Sheldon - I enjoyed reading your blog posting regarding Sequoia's recent announcement to disclose the source code for our new Frontier Election System. I just wanted to answer the question in the second paragraph of your post. Sequoia will in fact be releasing the code for the election management system as well as the firmware for the scanners, DREs, etc. All code for our new system will be released prior to submittal for federal certification (in mid-20010) and we look forward to constructive feedback from the election community. We will begin to release code this month on our website at www.sequoiavote.com. Thanks, Michelle Shafer Vice President, Communications & External Affairs Sequoia Voting Systems mshafer@sequoiavote.com Hello County Clerk Sheldon – I enjoyed reading your blog posting regarding Sequoia’s recent announcement to disclose the source code for our new Frontier Election System. I just wanted to answer the question in the second paragraph of your post. Sequoia will in fact be releasing the code for the election management system as well as the firmware for the scanners, DREs, etc. All code for our new system will be released prior to submittal for federal certification (in mid-20010) and we look forward to constructive feedback from the election community. We will begin to release code this month on our website at http://www.sequoiavote.com.

Thanks,
Michelle Shafer
Vice President, Communications & External Affairs
Sequoia Voting Systems
mshafer@sequoiavote.com

]]> Comment on Why doesn’t open source government take off? by Champaign County Clerk http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/10/27/why-doesn%e2%80%99t-open-source-government-take-off/comment-page-1/#comment-1343 Champaign County Clerk Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:28:13 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=213#comment-1343 Joyce, I think part of the problem might be that governments have been so flush with money that it's been easier to farm out a host of items. One reason I'm pushing this right now is that with every government being strapped for money, it really opens up opportunities for ideas that can save money. A small sliver of sunshine in an otherwise dismal financial picture. Joyce, I think part of the problem might be that governments have been so flush with money that it’s been easier to farm out a host of items. One reason I’m pushing this right now is that with every government being strapped for money, it really opens up opportunities for ideas that can save money. A small sliver of sunshine in an otherwise dismal financial picture.

]]> Comment on Why doesn’t open source government take off? by Joyce McCloy http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/10/27/why-doesn%e2%80%99t-open-source-government-take-off/comment-page-1/#comment-1342 Joyce McCloy Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:02:39 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=213#comment-1342 Mark, thanks so much for your blog on this topic. I just checked back today to see the comments and have learned way more than I know now. Perhaps part of the problem in the US is the ignorance on technology, in spite of our "greatness" :O Also, its easier for vendors to grease the wheels of govt than it is for open source to take root. But if we keep educating the public on what is possible, we can improve. Thanks for the excellent topic. Mark, thanks so much for your blog on this topic. I just checked back today to see the comments and have learned way more than I know now.

Perhaps part of the problem in the US is the ignorance on technology, in spite of our “greatness” :O

Also, its easier for vendors to grease the wheels of govt than it is for open source to take root.

But if we keep educating the public on what is possible, we can improve.

Thanks for the excellent topic.

]]> Comment on Why doesn’t open source government take off? by Champaign County Clerk http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/10/27/why-doesn%e2%80%99t-open-source-government-take-off/comment-page-1/#comment-1151 Champaign County Clerk Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:12:03 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=213#comment-1151 Well, I'm sure it will make many Americans happy that Peru has a vibrant government open source community. You make my point. This is very doable, and is happening. It's just not happening much here. As to Sequoia's source code, that is merely the publication of the code. It is not open sourcing. Although there are plenty of complications along those lines that I'll comment upon soon. Well, I’m sure it will make many Americans happy that Peru has a vibrant government open source community. You make my point. This is very doable, and is happening. It’s just not happening much here.

As to Sequoia’s source code, that is merely the publication of the code. It is not open sourcing. Although there are plenty of complications along those lines that I’ll comment upon soon.

]]> Comment on Why doesn’t open source government take off? by Roy Lipscomb http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/10/27/why-doesn%e2%80%99t-open-source-government-take-off/comment-page-1/#comment-1106 Roy Lipscomb Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:44:31 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=213#comment-1106 You ask, "If I’m correct that open source software is such a winner for the government, why hasn’t it taken off?" Evidently, you're not correct, if you'll look outside the U.S. Here's a sampling found through googling "open source software europe" : Peru's parliament approves pro-open source bill ------------------------------------------------------------------ --http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/29/peru_goes_open_source/ (29th September 2005) Open-source software gaining in Europe ------------------------------------------------------- --http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=5195 (October 21, 2005) "A study of 12 European countries conducted by the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands found that nearly 49 percent of local government authorities are using Floss (free/libre/open source software) and those doing so would like to increase its use." "About 70 percent of Floss users wanted to increase its use..." Open-Source Software Running for Public Office ------------------------------------------------------------------ --http://www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?id=392799&ref=g_search Last, but not least, here's a news flash from the U.S.: In Industry First, Voting Machine Company to Publish Source Code ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/10/sequoia/ You ask, “If I’m correct that open source software is such a winner for the government, why hasn’t it taken off?”

Evidently, you’re not correct, if you’ll look outside the U.S.

Here’s a sampling found through googling “open source software europe” :

Peru’s parliament approves pro-open source bill
——————————————————————
–http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/29/peru_goes_open_source/ (29th September 2005)

Open-source software gaining in Europe
——————————————————-
–http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=5195 (October 21, 2005)

“A study of 12 European countries conducted by the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands found that nearly 49 percent of local government authorities are using Floss (free/libre/open source software) and those doing so would like to increase its use.”

“About 70 percent of Floss users wanted to increase its use…”

Open-Source Software Running for Public Office
——————————————————————
–http://www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?id=392799&ref=g_search

Last, but not least, here’s a news flash from the U.S.:

In Industry First, Voting Machine Company to Publish Source Code
——————————————————————————————-
–http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/10/sequoia/

]]> Comment on Why doesn’t open source government take off? by Kathy Dopp http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/10/27/why-doesn%e2%80%99t-open-source-government-take-off/comment-page-1/#comment-1088 Kathy Dopp Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:44:03 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=213#comment-1088 I appreciate this blog post but disagree with the following: "Looking just within their own organization, few local governments will find the programming talent to meet all their needs. The best open source solutions are probably beyond the reach of all but the most wealthy governments. If you’re not one of them, a prepackaged solution looks pretty attractive." The city or government organization will usually not need any programmers in order to use open source software, they will need a system administrator who can install it and keep it updated and running. Virtually all local governments already have system administrators and computer technicians to keep their current computer systems working. Using open source software also saves money by allowing a local government to hire anyone at all to update it, maintain it, or modify it rather than being tied into one costly vendor who has a monopoly on its own trade secret software. Another advantage, besides the additional transparency and reliability is that using open source software allows for putting more of the government's money into the local economy since locals can be hired, rather than voting vendor technicians. I appreciate this blog post but disagree with the following:

“Looking just within their own organization, few local governments will find the programming talent to meet all their needs. The best open source solutions are probably beyond the reach of all but the most wealthy governments. If you’re not one of them, a prepackaged solution looks pretty attractive.”

The city or government organization will usually not need any programmers in order to use open source software, they will need a system administrator who can install it and keep it updated and running. Virtually all local governments already have system administrators and computer technicians to keep their current computer systems working.

Using open source software also saves money by allowing a local government to hire anyone at all to update it, maintain it, or modify it rather than being tied into one costly vendor who has a monopoly on its own trade secret software.

Another advantage, besides the additional transparency and reliability is that using open source software allows for putting more of the government’s money into the local economy since locals can be hired, rather than voting vendor technicians.

]]> Comment on Amend and Pass HR 1719 by Paul Malischke http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/10/26/amend-and-pass-hr-1719/comment-page-1/#comment-1087 Paul Malischke Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:41:32 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=227#comment-1087 Mark, you make perfect sense. Readers, check the House Elections Subcomittee membership at http://cha.house.gov/elections.aspx and contact your representative. You can learn more about online voter registration at http://www.fairelectionswi.com/Online%20Reg.htm Cheers, Paul Malischke Mark, you make perfect sense. Readers, check the House Elections Subcomittee membership at
http://cha.house.gov/elections.aspx
and contact your representative.

You can learn more about online voter registration at
http://www.fairelectionswi.com/Online%20Reg.htm

Cheers,
Paul Malischke

]]> Comment on The Benefits of Open Source Programming by Why doesn’t open source government take off? | Blog - Champaign County Clerk, IL - Mark Shelden http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/10/23/the-benefits-of-open-source-programming/comment-page-1/#comment-1064 Why doesn’t open source government take off? | Blog - Champaign County Clerk, IL - Mark Shelden Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:06:23 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=211#comment-1064 [...] I’m correct that open source software is such a winner for the government, why hasn’t it taken off?  There are a number of reasons, not all of them [...] [...] I’m correct that open source software is such a winner for the government, why hasn’t it taken off?  There are a number of reasons, not all of them [...]

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