EU to go open source?

European administrations should share open-source software resources, according to a report published on Monday by the European Commission.

The report, called Pooling Open-Source Software, recommends that European administrations should share software on an open-source licensing basis, to cut soaring e-government information technology costs which, it says, are set to rise by 28 percent to 6.6bn euros this year.

Pooling would be achieved by a clearing house, to which administrations could "donate" software for reuse, according to the report, which was financed by the Commission's Interchange of Data between Administrations (IDA) program. This facility, which would concentrate on applications specific to the needs of the public sector, could encourage the replication of good practice in e-government services.

The report is bound to infuriate software companies that preach the mantra of closed, proprietary software. In a speech delivered in May to the Government Leaders' Conference in Seattle, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates likened the concept of open-source software to anti-capitalism. Warning developing countries against using software based on the General Public License (GPL), which much open-source software uses, Gates said those who put development time into it are denying themselves the benefits of essential taxes.

What do you think? Is such an idea workable? Given the size of the EU and its vast administration? Do you think Microsoft and the like will be bothered?

News source: ZDNet