作者: Denterp
2014-06-29 09:08:29
The government says, “we will break away from OS dependency with open source software by 2020”
As the support for the Microsoft (MS) Windows XP service is terminated this year, the government will try and invigorate open source software in order to solve the problem of dependency on certain software. By 2020 when the support of the Windows 7 service is terminated, it is planning to switch to open OS and minimize damages. Industry insiders pointed out that the standard e-document format must be established and shared as an open source before open source software is invigorated.
At the ‘Open Source Software Invigoration Policy Debate,’ hosted by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning and held on June 25 at the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies in Seoul, Lee Hyeok-jae, head of the Software Industry Promotion Division of the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) announced the interim result of the ‘Open Source Software Invigoration Plan’ established by the industry-university-research experts (Open Source Software Policy Study Group) last April. The open source software invigoration plan was established with the aim of creating a computing environment not biased toward a certain OS and making a domestic open source software ecosystem through cooperation between the private and public sector.
According to this plan, support will be provided so that it will be possible to freely connect to the Internet with all operating systems and browsers by 2017. The HTML5-based conversion work will be done so that Active X will be excluded from public administration and customer service websites and international standards will be complied with. Documents distributed by public institutions will come in various formats, including hwp and PDF. To support development of open OS and application SW, corporations and communities will lead in supporting OS distributions. Starting next year the pilot open sources OS project will be carried out for 10 public and private institutions, and the expenses related to employee education and systems will be supported.
Starting in 2018 the government is planning to review whether the introduction of open source software for PCs reduced expenses and institutionalize the result so that the open OS-related private project can be further expanded. “We are planning to develop excellent open source software manpower by supporting open source software community activities and reinforcing university education,” said Mr. Lee Hyeok-jae. “We are considering establishing related systems so that the open source software will be invigorated as a government R&D project.”
The open source software industry seems to welcome the government’s plan to foster open source software. However, some point out that it is more urgently needed to prepare a domestic document format standard and open it as an open source in the short run.
“Web browsers and public certification environment are gradually changing enough to be fit for the open OS,” said Song Hyeon-do, chairman of Korea Ubuntu Community. “However, as public agencies are using certain e-documents, such as hwp and pdf, they are interfering with the invigoration of open source software.” “Standardization is more urgent than diffusion of open source software,” said Song Sang-hyo, chairman of the Open Source Software Association. “Public institutions need to make a standard for the e-document production format and open it before the open source software market can grow.” It is forecast that the opinions of the industry and experts will be pulled together and the open source SW invigoration plan will be finalized in the second half of this year.
http://english.etnews.com/