While the participants in the consultation on the digital bill overwhelmingly requested that the State favors the use of free software in the administration, the government has – unsurprisingly – not exhaucé this desire shared by many thousands of users. A “ climbdown ” for some, the choice to operate other levers according to the executive.
Among the top ten proposals of this self-proclaimed operation ” co-construction of the law ‘, three had the same purpose: to actively promote the use of free software by public authorities (ministries, city halls, schools, independent administrative authorities, etc.). In sum, the authorities would thus be obliged to use principle of Linux operating systems and types Libre Office programs, instead of the traditional Windows and other Microsoft Word and Excel.
To Eye of April, the association promoting free software (originally the second proposal), “ free software, in that they can be checked and improved by all, are a building block to build a computer that is serving the users, so citizens . ” Other contributors also put forward the importance of protecting themselves against possible backdoors that could allow many things, as demonstrated by the revelations of Edward Snowden.
The government promises efforts “increased” in the promotion of free
Problem: the new version of the draft law Digital contains no provision relating to free software. The government is justified in saying loud and clear that “ fully supports the development of free software and its use, particularly in the administration .” Except that the Executive “ wants above all to do with non-legislative measures, support in the field and promoting initiatives administrations and agents .” The “ free software promotion efforts will be increased ” promise also to the authorities, giving hope “ a revision of Circular [Ayrault] 2012 ” – however, conditional on “ an assessment of its impact .” In other words, the question for the moment to touch anything legally.
The hopes of April are now based on parliamentary
In view of the accession aroused by his proposal, the pill is very difficult to pass on the side of April, especially as the number one Microsoft was received yesterday with great fanfare by the Elysee, where he signed a check for more than 80 million euros. “ At the political level, be content with promotional, verbiage without any constraint, respite inaction. The government can not discard on public officials, who no real support, are working every day to free software. “Manuel Valls is accused of passing” fi citizen expression . “
Raillant the” vague declarations of intent “of the executive, the organization prefers to defer to parliament, which it hopes they will introduce by amendment of the provisions answering” the need, widely expressed, for fair informatics service of general interest . ” Some will remember also that since 2013, higher education uses “ priority ” free software, by decision of deputies and senators (see article).
These provisions, while unpublished, had aroused the anger of memory for proprietary software professionals. “ This wording is very problematic for the digital ecosystem we represent because it introduces unjustified discrimination between the different actors of the sector facing the public order, according to their business models and licensing type or their marketing methods “regretted at the time Jamel Labed, president of AFDEL, Guy Mamou-Mani, President of Syntec Numérique and Michel Cosnard, CEO of INRIA.
Xavier Bern
Journalist, specialized in legal and political themes.
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