Re: Proposed Letter Text to Decision-makers

Sim Brigden wrote:
> I would very much welcome your views on how to improve/refine it.

    Remember, you asked for it. :-)

> Here are some of the programs which are on the near horizon or
> currently available:
> 
> Kroupware  - www.kroupware.org -

    I'm not sure of the idea of listing what is now vaporware in such a 
letter.  Many IT people have been trained to avoid .0 releases, and by listing 
something that isn't even released yet this highlights what is a weak point in 
GNU/Linux's software lineup.

    My suggestion would be to replace the paragraph on groupware with one 
later on about web-based apps.  One can list a half-dozen serious web-based 
apps and note that there are hundreds available.

> are looking to mandate the use of open source software.  China has even
> created it's own Linux-based Open Source operating system called Red
> Flag - www.redflag-linux.com.

    You'll find some people will react negatively towards a China reference -- 
competition, trade deficit, one-party "communist"[sic] state, and all that.  A 
better suggestion might be to cite the Norwegian school Linux distribution 
(it'd give a hint of Linux's educational usage too).  Nobody gets upset about 
Norway except Icelandic fishermen. :-)

> I wrote this because I'm on a mission to inform Government of stable,
> secure, free choices available out there.

    I can't urge strongly enough to strike/change that sentence.  Saying 
you're "on a mission" paints you as a raving fanatic.

    Something like, "I write this because I want to see the high cost of IT in 
gov't be brought under control" or saying something about freeing up gov't 
funds to be spent on higher priorities, or freeing the gov't from ominous 
licensing restrictions -- almost anything would be better.

    But don't take this criticism too harshly.  I really like the idea (so 
much so that I'm going to steal some parts of your letter:-).

    To me, more people need to start lobbying the gov't on the topic of free 
software.  But lobby them as concerned citizens/taxpayers, not as Linux 
fanatics or a special interests...

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