Newly founded NOC lifts open source area
Linux VARs hopeful that the National Open Centre will drive Linux adoption
Linux VARs are hopeful the launch of a new national open source think tank could help drive up public sector Linux adoption.
The National Open Centre (NOC), whose founding members include Birmingham City Council and the National Computing Centre, will push for wider adoption of open source software and standards in the UK, with a focus on central and local government.
Nigel Wright, UK sales director at Red Hat VAR Abtech, said: “In the local government sector, pockets of councils have gone for Linux, while several others do not appear to be sure what to do with it.
“Anything that helps spread the word that people have had success with Linux can only be a good thing, especially if it is coming from peers.”
Peter Dawes-Huish, chief executive of Linux integrator LinuxIT, argued that the NOC’s collaborative character may help it avoid the unfortunate fate suffered by other bodies that have worked in this arena.
“As a VAR, I would welcome whole-heartedly any organisation that puts some weight behind the adoption of open source,” he said.
“Over the years many bodies have been created to further the future of open source, and all have failed miserably because they have been run by individuals. The NOC is taking more of a true consortium approach, so I would support it and look for a way in which to sponsor or help it.”
Dawes-Huish pointed to OpenForum Europe and the Open Source Consortium as two similar bodies that had “met with little success”.
Nearly 100 people showed up at the NOC’s launch in the Houses of Parliament last week. The NOC stated that its core focus is to develop policy and clarify opportunities to help the UK benefit from open source and open standards.