1. Free and Open Source Software:
A Viable Option for Government
Ariel S. Betan
IOSN ASEAN+3
University of the Philippines Manila

2. Agenda
➲ FOSS Model
➲ FOSS Economy
➲ FOSS Benefits
➲ FOSS Availability
➲ FOSS Viability

3. FOSS Model
➲ The call for transparency, accountability
and citizen participation in government is
compatible with the Free and Open Source
Software (FOSS) model since they are in-
herent in FOSS itself

4. FOSS Economy
➲ Considering the government's limited re-
sources and limited budget, FOSS offers a
more economical option due to its lower cost
of implementation and its alternative business
models

5. FOSS Benefits
➲ Freedom of Choice
➲ Interoperabilty
➲ Reliability
➲ Security
➲ Fast Deployment
➲ Localization

6. FOSS Availability
➲ No need to re-invent or create new ones
➲ Tried and Tested
➲ SourceForge.net: world's largest open
source software site
➲ Freshmeat.net and other specific sites
➲ 126 software in health or related to health
➲ Philippines has the 8th largest development
community for FOSS in the world

7. FOSS Viability
➲ Governments are moving/migrating towards
FOSS use with encouraging results
➲ Some governments have already included
them in their official policies and plans.
➲ Examples are European countries, the Unit-
ed States and, ASEAN countries like
Malaysia.
➲ Some Philippine government agencies are
also using FOSS and are including FOSS in
their programs.

8. References & Resources
1. Open Source Initiative. [http://www.opensource.org/]
2. Open Source for America (OSFA).
[http://www.opensourceforamerica.org/learn-more/benefits]
3. NHIN Connect. [http://www.opensourceforamerica.org/case-
studies/nhin]
4. Open source infiltrates government IT worldwide.
[http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/030108-ossi.html?
page=1]
5. What is connect.
[http://www.connectopensource.org/about/what-is-CONNECT]

9. References & Resources
6. What is SourceForge.net.
[http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/sourceforge/wiki/What%20is
%20SourceForge.net]
7. About Freshmeat.net. [http://freshmeat.net/]
8. FOSS4Health: eHealth Applications. [http://www.foss-for-
health.org/portal/ehealthapps]
9. Overview: Malaysian Public Sector Open Source Software
Program. [http://www.oscc.org.my//content/view/177/183/
10. Government Saves RM 200 million through OSS - various
press media. [http://www.oscc.org.my//content/view/303/128/]

10. References & Resources
11. Malaysian Government has reached 97% OSS Adoption --
WOW! [http://www.opensource.org/node/535]
12. Open source infiltrates government IT worldwide.
[http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/030108-ossi.html?
page=2]
13. Open source headlines from the Open Government plans.
[http://opensource.com/government/10/4/open-source-headli-
nes-open-government-plans]
14. Open Source, the Recession and the Lower-TCO Promise
By Jeff Meisner, LinuxInsider
[http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/Open-Source-the-Reces-
sion-and-the-Lower-TCO-Promise-66323.html]

11. References & Resources
15. Boom Time for FOSS by By Katherine Noyes, LinuxInsider
[http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/Boom-Time-for-FOSS-
68044.html]
16. Open Source in RP: Ready for Primetime By Jenalyn Ru-
bio, Computerworld Philippines
[http://www.comunionerp.com/company/news/89-open-source-
in-rp-ready-for-primetime]

12. Addional References & Resources
1. FOSS4SME / FOSS Toolkit - Free Open Source Software
guide for SMEs. [http://fosstoolkit.iosnasean.net/]
2. FOSS A General Introduction. FOSS Education. FOSS
Government Policy. FOSS Licensing. FOSS Localization.
FOSS Open Standards. FOSS Network Infrastructure and Se-
curity. FOSS Open Content.
[http://www.iosn.net/publications/foss-primers
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/UNDP-APDIP_Books]

13. Thank you!
Ariel S. Betan
<ariel.betan@up.edu.ph>