これは圧勝だったのだ、と思う。むしろ唖然とするというか。いや、しつこくLinuxの話ですが。
ほとんど何もわけが分からないまま、ちょろちょろと触っているだけで、その世界の広さが少しずつ見えてくると、WとかMの世界がなんとせせこましかったのかと思う。Linuxには巨大な自由がある。Free で、Openというのは、我々の住む世界の念仏と違って、文字通りLinuxではほんとの話だった。
しかし、これがなんというか、とても悩ましい現実を生んでいると思う。僕はLinuxが世界中に革命的に普及すればよいのにと願ってやまないけれど、人間は果たしてそんなに自由を望むだろうか。自由はつらいものでもある。自分で考えたり、決断したりしないといけない。自由からの逃避は、自由な社会が多数の人間にとっても現実のものとなり始めた２０世紀の特質ではなかったか。もうすでに自由まみれで困っている、コンピュータごときで頭を使いたくないと思ってもおかしくない。テレビのように買った時にほとんど何もかも仕組まれていて、自由の範囲は電源とチャンネルと音量くらいで十分ではないだろうか。そうすると、WとかMは非常にいいさじ加減の拘束を与えてくれているのかもしれない。
単にマーケティングの問題だけではなく、自由を選択する人が多いのか、自由からの逃避を選択する人が多いのか、それがLinuxの普及に反映するような気がする。
＊ ＊ ＊
ところで、今日Plasma Workspace という、ディスプレイの見栄えを管理するらしいアプリケーションがクラッシュしてしまった。画面が真っ暗になってしまって、にっちもさっちもいかない。強引に電源を落として、起動し直してみると、どうやら画面が見えない以外のことはすべてちゃんと動いているようだ。暗い画面の裏に光も見えるし、音もなるし、インターネットにまで繋がっている。しかし、どうやって直したらいいのか。Ubuntuのコミュニティに質問を送ってみたが、回答してくれた人の内容も僕にはいまいち理解できない。しょうがないから、Linuxのコマンドについて書いてあるサイトをぼちぼちと読み始めた。
しかし、直るまでこのコンピュータを遊ばせておくのももったいない気がするので、パーティションを入れて、Ubuntuを入れてみた。一つのコンピュータにKubuntu 4.2とUbuntu 8.10が入っている。
Ubuntu 8.10は、驚くべき安定さを持っている。Kubuntu と同じように、英語版をインストールして、後から日本語入力用のソフトを付け足したのだが、Kubuntuとは比べ物にならないくらいあっさりと動き始める。もちろん、普通のユーザーが使うようなアプリケーションソフトはすべて入っている。インターネットやプリンタードライバーも何も設定する必要がない。勝手に動けるようになっている。Linux陣営の中でUbuntuが急速に普及し始めているのもうなずける。すぐ使える、という状態のセットになっていること、過剰な自由を放置しないという点で、UbuntuはLinuxの世界を少し更新したのではないだろうか。
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Monday, March 02, 2009
UK government backs open source
大英帝国政府がITシステム全体の見直しをしている。オープン・ソース−つまり、Linuxとか−に入れ替えると年間600万ポンド（850億円くらい）の節約になるという。この厳しいご時世なら、これは真剣に考慮した方がいいってことになるだろう。ものすごい抵抗があると思うが頑張っていただきたい。
UK government backs open source
BBC NEWS 2009/02/25 15:13:37 GMT
The UK government has said it will accelerate the use of open source software in public services.
Tom Watson MP, minister for digital engagement, said open source software would be on a level playing field with proprietary software such as Windows.
Open source software will be adopted "when it delivers best value for money", the government said.
It added that public services should where possible avoid being "locked into proprietary software".
Licences for the use of open source software are generally free of charge and embrace open standards, and the code that powers the programs can be modified without fear of trampling on intellectual property or copyright.
According to some in the open source industry, the shift from proprietary standards could save the government £600m a year.
Simon Phipps, chief open source officer for Sun Microsystems, said the UK government's stance was part of a "global wave" of take up for open source in governments.
“ Open source can help avoid many of the hidden costs of proprietary software ”
Steve Shine, Ingres
"We waste a fortune on proprietary computer software because of paying for licences and promises up front and not demanding value," he said.
Mr Phipps said schools, government departments and public services would have a "crucial freedom" because of the choice of whether to pay for support and training when using open source software.
The government's action plan could see a wave of open source software being deployed in areas such as office applications (word processing and spreadsheets), document management and database infrastructure, the backbone of many large-scale IT systems.
'More teeth'
Steve Shine, European vice president of Ingres, an open source support vendor, said the government's action plan had "more teeth" than policies being adopted in other countries because the plan was tied into policies regarding how IT managers procure new software.
He said the move had partly been driven by a series of high-profile IT failures in recent years that had relied on proprietary software.
He said: "Open source can help avoid many of the hidden costs of proprietary software such as making organisations re-pay for licences if they want to shift use of a particular piece of software from one place to another.
"This is irrelevant in the open source world."
Announcing an open source and open standards action plan, the government said it would:
ensure that the government adopts open standards and uses these to communicate with the citizens and businesses that have adopted open source solutions
ensure that open source solutions are considered properly and, where they deliver best value for money are selected for government business solutions
strengthen the skills, experience and capabilities within government and in its suppliers to use open source to greatest advantage
embed an open source culture of sharing, re-use and collaborative development across government and its suppliers
ensure that systems integrators and proprietary software suppliers demonstrate the same flexibility and ability to re-use their solutions and products as is inherent in open source.
Government departments will be required to adopt open source software when "there is no significant overall cost difference between open and non-open source products" because of its "inherent flexibility".
Expected backlash
Mr Phipps and Mr Shine said they expected a backlash from proprietary software firms.
"I am absolutely certain there have been communications extremely high-up in proprietary vendors with management high up in government," said Mr Shine.
Mr Phipps added: "Measured over the short term traditional vendors will cut prices back, end load contacts and do everything to appear cheaper.
"But the real value with open source comes from giving users a new flexibility."
He said the widespread adoption of open source software in public services could also have a knock on effect to the ordinary consumer.
"It's already happening to significant extent in the UK. Lots of homes are using Firefox and OpenOffice.org.
"It is becoming acceptable and expected."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/technology/7910110.stm
Published: 2009/02/25 15:13:37 GMT
© BBC MMIX
UK government backs open source
BBC NEWS 2009/02/25 15:13:37 GMT
The UK government has said it will accelerate the use of open source software in public services.
Tom Watson MP, minister for digital engagement, said open source software would be on a level playing field with proprietary software such as Windows.
Open source software will be adopted "when it delivers best value for money", the government said.
It added that public services should where possible avoid being "locked into proprietary software".
Licences for the use of open source software are generally free of charge and embrace open standards, and the code that powers the programs can be modified without fear of trampling on intellectual property or copyright.
According to some in the open source industry, the shift from proprietary standards could save the government £600m a year.
Simon Phipps, chief open source officer for Sun Microsystems, said the UK government's stance was part of a "global wave" of take up for open source in governments.
“ Open source can help avoid many of the hidden costs of proprietary software ”
Steve Shine, Ingres
"We waste a fortune on proprietary computer software because of paying for licences and promises up front and not demanding value," he said.
Mr Phipps said schools, government departments and public services would have a "crucial freedom" because of the choice of whether to pay for support and training when using open source software.
The government's action plan could see a wave of open source software being deployed in areas such as office applications (word processing and spreadsheets), document management and database infrastructure, the backbone of many large-scale IT systems.
'More teeth'
Steve Shine, European vice president of Ingres, an open source support vendor, said the government's action plan had "more teeth" than policies being adopted in other countries because the plan was tied into policies regarding how IT managers procure new software.
He said the move had partly been driven by a series of high-profile IT failures in recent years that had relied on proprietary software.
He said: "Open source can help avoid many of the hidden costs of proprietary software such as making organisations re-pay for licences if they want to shift use of a particular piece of software from one place to another.
"This is irrelevant in the open source world."
Announcing an open source and open standards action plan, the government said it would:
ensure that the government adopts open standards and uses these to communicate with the citizens and businesses that have adopted open source solutions
ensure that open source solutions are considered properly and, where they deliver best value for money are selected for government business solutions
strengthen the skills, experience and capabilities within government and in its suppliers to use open source to greatest advantage
embed an open source culture of sharing, re-use and collaborative development across government and its suppliers
ensure that systems integrators and proprietary software suppliers demonstrate the same flexibility and ability to re-use their solutions and products as is inherent in open source.
Government departments will be required to adopt open source software when "there is no significant overall cost difference between open and non-open source products" because of its "inherent flexibility".
Expected backlash
Mr Phipps and Mr Shine said they expected a backlash from proprietary software firms.
"I am absolutely certain there have been communications extremely high-up in proprietary vendors with management high up in government," said Mr Shine.
Mr Phipps added: "Measured over the short term traditional vendors will cut prices back, end load contacts and do everything to appear cheaper.
"But the real value with open source comes from giving users a new flexibility."
He said the widespread adoption of open source software in public services could also have a knock on effect to the ordinary consumer.
"It's already happening to significant extent in the UK. Lots of homes are using Firefox and OpenOffice.org.
"It is becoming acceptable and expected."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/technology/7910110.stm
Published: 2009/02/25 15:13:37 GMT
© BBC MMIX
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