Public administrations pay almost 40 millions more ¿because of ignorance or incompetence?

 “Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” (Martin Luther King, Strength to Love, 1963 )

Members of I+D OpenInnova Group have written a research called “El coste de oportunidad derivado de las trayectorias tecnológicas” [1] “El verdadero coste de la elección tecnológica: ¡Cómo emplear (sabiamente) el dinero del contribuyente!” [2] where it is refereed to the economic benefits that it can be obtain throughbooting open source technology (FLOSS) in our society. More particularly, in the first part of the article it is focus in the public administration of the TIC’s expensive whereas in the second part, it is analyzed the safe that suppose changing the Windows private software to the Linux open source.

OpenInnova is the movement of open source software around the new models of collaboration and knowledge creation. It means, the necessity to share and cooperate for the distribution of the innovation in the market.

Based in the last biennial IRIA 2008 Report [3] (Report about Computers Scientist Resources of the Public Administrations) with the data obtained in 2007, it has achieved an interesting results. Without any doubt, the most prodigious data are the ones that are referring to the amount of money that our public administration could save if they replace the Windows operating system to Linux. In total, it is assumed 37,2 millions of euros per year (both software and hardware). Enough amount to be consider. Even if the change isn’t be total, only partial, the save money will still be quite essential, 15,5 millions of euros.

Now, if we focus on the operating systems that it has been installed in the Spanish public administrations in 2007, it has been analyzed, as the research did, according to the equipment used, large systems, media systems, small systems and personal computers ( servers, desktop and laptop  computers). Large systems or mainframes use UNIX (56%), Linux (22%) while Windows NT and OS just reach 11% of the total. Regarding  the medium systems, Windows leads with 55% whereas Linux obtain 19% and Windows XP 11%. The competitiveness in the small systems is leading Linux with a little more than half followed by Windows 2003 (24%). Finally, we can not let pass up the opportunity to mention the almost total dominance of the Windows operating system (XP, 2000 and Vista) with 98% of installations in personal computers.

Annual savings by substitution privative S.O in different equipments

If we make a brief review of the data obtained in the report IRIA 2006, the figures are quite encouraging in terms of progress in installing the Linux open operating system. On small servers  has increased 23% in these two years. However, the replacement of OSS in personal computers is still presented as the most sought-after transformation.

Let’s see how Spanish government divide the money of taxpayers.

As Proinnova Group explains in the article, the State Government has spent 1500 million euros in Information Technology and Communications, an increase of more than 200 million euros compared to the last report with 2005 data . Again the IT spending has been higher (80%) than to telecommunications (20%). As another year, the ministries division has not been equitable. About 50% of expenditures go to the Departments of Economics and Finance, Labor and Social Affairs and Interior Ministries, while the Defense and Promotion ones is around 10%.

Regarding the cost of software, the amount spent by public administrations is 1.241 billion euros, distributed as follows: 39% for services, 25% for personnel costs, 13% software and hardware, the only one who has suffered a setback, gets 21%. The ministries that have more computing costs are of Economics and Finance, and Labor and Social Affairs, both with 18%.

With this research it is pretended to raise awareness of better management that government do in technology  which could save nearly 40 billion euros  that might be invested in other beneficial activities for the Spanish population.

[1] el-coste-de-oportunidad-derivado-de-las-trayectorias-tecnologicas.pdf (Spanish)

[2] el-verdadero-coste-de-la-eleccion-tecnologica.pdf (Spanish)

[3] informe-iria_2008.pdf (Spanish)