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Story: MP attacks government over Microsoft policy

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The OSA tries to down the Eagle

Here is the spin the Open Schools Alliance put on yesterday's debate. I think it would be fair to say that there version is lightly different.

"In the debate John said: "The Driving Standards Agency driving theory CD-ROM can be used only on Windows computers. The Revenue website has limited functionality for the Firefox web browser...The Department for Work and Pensions online benefits system can be accessed only by those who have a Windows computer. Those who have Unix or Linux computers or who use Mac computers should simply not bother...the Government's chosen solutions .. are close to being product placement."

John further highlighted the controversial BECTA (British Educational Communications and Technology Agency) procurement frameworks as well as the BBC iPlayer which have been subject to fierce criticisan EU complaint over interoperability and a referral to the Office of Fair Trading.

He added "I am obliged by the Government...to use a Windows computer if I want to apply online for benefits. If the problem did not concern software and I was forced to buy a Vauxhall car to use the roads, it would be a simply intolerable situation. The fact that this issue concerns a new industry makes the point less obvious, but none the less equally damning."

"Fundamentally this debate is about neither Microsoft nor open source; it is about eradicating the suspicion and certainly the prospect—indeed, I believe it is the reality—of illegal state aid being given to any software enterprise through the use of public resources."

Ms. Eagle, who was repeatedly asked by John Pugh MP to refute the claim that the government was giving state aid by preferencing one operating system in its provision of web and software services continued to read from a prepared statement on open source, appearing to ignore the question before her.

Clearly wrong-footed in the debate Ms. Eagle, who seemed totally out of her depth on issues of anti-trust and competition, did not even appear to be aware that Microsoft had been fined over 600m euros for anti-trust violations by the EU last month."

Good points perhaps but a little unfair maybe. I thought that Eagle put up a better fist of it than that. Although it can also be said that judging by the handful who attended the debate, interest in this question may still seem largely academic to many.

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