[Osia-members] Interesting read about FOSS in USA

[Daniel Jitnah]

Link to an interesting article, specially the section relating to
acquisition of FOSS from a US Gov perspective.

http://opensource.com/government/14/4/interview-david-wheeler

Any comment about the discussion to "commercial software" in the above,
in relation to Australian law?

One comment in that article and also mentioned somewhere else recently
is the one relating to increased FOSS penetration:

"... One reason for the trend is that younger people in IT are used to
using OSS, so as they enter the workforce they come understanding OSS
instead of being ignorant or resistant"

Anecdotally this would appear *not* to be the case in Australia.

1. Surveys by both LA and Linux Users of Victoria suggest that Linux and
OSS users are actually older users 40+.  Among Linux and OSS users,
younger <25 yrs number very low. (2% from respondent from LUV survey in
2011 - 160 respondents)
2. Visibility of OSS in Tertiary and Secondary education sector here has
been and is still very low.

The comment that younger people "... come into the workforce
understanding OSS ..." does not seem to be valid here.

Note that OSIA will likely be announcing a project to address this
situation soon.


Regards,
Daniel.