Spanish Public Administration firmly bets on Free Software

After the success achieved with the Linex [1] project, the Spanish Public Administration has published at TLDP-ES (LuCAS) [2] its report about the project RHODAS [3], regarding the production state of 8.000 workstations running Debian GNU/Linux [4], which saves aproximately 20 Million Euros in licensing, and other advantages as virus control, support, maintenance and training.

After the success achieved with the Linex [1] project, the Spanish Public Administration has published at TLDP-ES (LuCAS) [2] its report about the project RHODAS [3], regarding the production state of 8.000 workstations running Debian GNU/Linux [4], which saves aproximately 20 Million Euros in licensing, and other advantages as virus control, support, maintenance and training.

This project is the evolution of another started by the consulting firm Andago [5] in 2001, that setup more that 200 servers using the same system.

It is, hoever, now Unisys [6] together with staff from the Administration, who is now commited to the evolution and enlargement of the project, proving this way that most of the assertions uttered in the report "Economical consecuences of Free Software" [7] published by Hispalinux in 2001.

The great importance of this project resides in the experience and knowledge adquired by its members, so that it can be used and taken advantage of by other departments and public administrations, because of their willingness to share it.

This is the first review of a series that will describe the whole proccess, the improvements and customizations can be used by virtually anyone, as it remains Free Software.

It is important to point out the key role played by the higher range of civil employees staff at MAP [8], the Consejo Superior de Informatica (CSI) [9], Justice Department [10] and other departments and public entities in their firm bet to try to saveguard the values of the country and citizen's rights.

It is also important to thank and highlight the support recived from some of our national and european politicians in the achievement of our independence and know-how for technological innovation.

Hispalinux is been working for a long time in this, now reality, providing the required infrastucture, knowledge and experience to achieve this paradigm: cooperating and sharing knowledge is the most efficient procedure to make an Information Society for all and a balanced globalization of the different countries of the world.

We invite other initiatives from Spain and other countries to get involved in this Digital Revolution with us.

HispaLinux

Links (in Spanish)

[1] http://www.linex.org
[2] http://lucas.hispalinux.es
[3] http://lucas.hispalinux.es/Articulos/0000otras/doc-proyecto-rhodas/doc-proyecto-rhodas/
[4] http://www.debian.org
[5] http://www.andago.com
[6] http://www.unisys.com
[7] http://www.hispalinux.es/~rsantos/
[8] http://www.map.es
[9] http://www.map.es/csi/
[10] http://www.mju.es