Re: [Fsfe-uk] NHS OSS paper?

[Mark Preston]

Hi all,
Like Phillip says there are quite a few versions.
Go to http://web.archive.org and type

http://www.nhsia.nhs.uk/text/pages/features/i_250202.asp

into the search box.

Regarding the current page where it states:


      "What is the issue of reliability and performance with Open Source?

Open Source code typically comes without ownership, support or 
maintenance. NHS infrastructure and information systems are critical to 
the delivery of quality care and therefore guarantees on the reliability 
and future maintenance of systems are required.

No policy decision has yet been made by the Department of Health or OGC 
to nominate a designated guardian for Open Source code across the NHS."

This is just spin. I didn't know Microsoft and other closed source 
companies were now giving guarantees to this effect. Most of the 
click-through software license agreements I have ever read were more 
disclaimers than guarantees. At least with an open source program you 
get the source code. Most end-users never get the source code if the 
software company goes bust, even if they have source code escrows. What 
the hell gives the DoH the right to nominate a "guardian" for Open 
Source code across the NHS? I suppose it's the same as the right for the 
NHSIA to be the guardian of white papers that discuss "Open Source 
Software and the NHS"

Regards,
Mark

Philip Hands wrote:

> Graham Seaman wrote:
>
> > Does anyone have a copy of the original paper mentioned in this 
> > register story?
> >
> > http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/25/nhsia_vapes_oss_paper/
>
>
>
> Should have said, if you were interested enough to try and work
> out how that's been edited over the years, there seem to have
> been a few versions, although they might well turn out to all
> be the same in fact:
>
>  http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.nhsia.nhs.uk/text/pages/features/i_250202.asp 
>
>
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