Study shows that government promotion helps to overcome barriers
The majority of companies in Galicia, one of Spain’s autonomous regions, uses free and open source software solutions, reports Osimga, the region’s observatory for information society and modernisation. To overcome the remaining barriers, the agency recommends that the government continue to promote the use of this type of software - combining workshops, trainings and advice. The government should also increase its own use of these solutions.
The most-cited reasons for using free and open source are lower costs (80%) and vendor-independence (46%).
Good references
The actions developed by Amtega (the agency for technological modernisation) are aligned to the needs of companies, and are having effect, Osimga writes. However, small and medium-sized companies in particular are worried about switching to free software alternatives, the organisation writes. “There is a lack of available reference examples”, the agency says.
Osimga recommends that Amtega and Agasol, the region’s trade group for ICT firms specialised in free and open source, continue to promote the use of this type of software. The two should also keep working with academic computer science organisations and relevant business networks.