Open Source Observatory (OSOR)

Amtega, Galicia's agency for technological modernisation, has published the classroom management system XEA as open source. The software and its documentation can be downloaded for free from the repository of the Galician government (Xunta de Galicia).

The PSI Directive encourages governments to make available for re-use as much public sector information as is reasonably possible. That way, data generated and collected by governments can be re-used by companies to feed and create digital content products and services, and facilitate learning and insight by citizens. The Directive provides a framework to stimulate the internal market and to do so without disturbing competition.

In this article we inquire into the relationship between software and the PSI Directive. After summarizing the Directive itself, we argue that software should not be treated differently from any other works with regard to the re-use of information and transparency of government.

We then continue by demonstrating the complementary relationship and interdependency between (open) data and software. The potential of government-produced data can only be converted to socio-economic value if the software that was used to generate, process, publish and visualise it in the first place is made available as well.

These two arguments fall completely within the objectives and rationale of the PSI Directive. Even though that is not the case with the re-use of government information within the public sector itself, similar economic arguments can be made for the sharing and re-use of government information between public agencies. The ISA programme facilitates the exchange of information by promoting the interoperability of government ICT systems and reducing vendor lock-in, commending the use of formal open standards just like the PSI Directive.

All in all, we build a strong case for software to be explicitly included in the national laws that are now being implemented by the member states.

The Russian Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications has announced a plan to replace proprietary software with open source and locally produced software. The plan is one of the measures aimed at promoting sustainable economic development and social stability announced earlier this year.

One year ago, the new Swedish framework agreement for the procurement of open source became active. Five suppliers were contracted to provide software and services. Central government, the public educational sector, all twenty county councils, and 225 out of the 290 Swedish municipalities are participating. They call off mini competitions for contracts the suppliers then have to battle for. This model differs from the recommendations made in the European 'Guideline on public procurement of Open Source Software', aiming to overcome current barriers and increase the use of open source.