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1. Embed this notice
   Tobias Bernard (tbernard@mastodon.social)'s status on Wednesday, 05-Mar-2025 20:32:35 JST Tobias Bernard

   I recently learned that the Italian government is only allowed to buy proprietary software after it has determined that there isn't a free software option. IIUC they're also required to publish any code they write (or commission to be written) under a free license.

   https://www.agid.gov.it/it/design-servizi/riuso-open-source/linee-guida-acquisizione-riuso-software-pa

   However, at least as far as I know Windows, Office, et al are being used everywhere in public administration, and even e.g. public transport apps are proprietary. What gives?

   • Embed this notice
     Tommi 🤯 (tommi@pan.rent)'s status on Friday, 07-Mar-2025 03:10:09 JST Tommi 🤯

     in reply to

     • Carlo Gubitosa :nonviolenza:
     • Free Software Foundation Europe
     • Dario
     • maymage

     @tbernard @gubi @maymage

     There’s this but AFAIK it’s not for public institutions. For sure @dario, @llas, and the @fsfe know more!

     https://www.sfscon.it/talks/state-of-microsoft-windows-refund-2024/

   • Embed this notice
     Tobias Bernard (tbernard@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 07-Mar-2025 03:10:10 JST Tobias Bernard

     in reply to

     • Carlo Gubitosa :nonviolenza:
     • maymage

     @gubi @maymage @fsfe So in theory someone could sue over the fact that e.g. Windows was chosen in a specific procurement decision, it's just that nobody has tried?

     Gianmarco Gargiulo :tux: :kde: repeated this.
   • Embed this notice
     Carlo Gubitosa :nonviolenza: (gubi@sociale.network)'s status on Friday, 07-Mar-2025 03:10:14 JST Carlo Gubitosa :nonviolenza:

     in reply to

     • maymage

     @maymage @tbernard in Italy the law is one thing and the practice is another thing. This is also valid in Europe, where you have anti-trust laws in teory and in practice you cannot sustain the tests for the recruitment in the european public function if you have a Linux laptop, because the software chosen by EC for remote proctoring doesn't work on Linux. A class action is more than welcome, but @fsfe is more active on the advocacy projects and less on legal battles.

     https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/technical-requirements

   • Embed this notice
     Tobias Bernard (tbernard@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 07-Mar-2025 03:10:23 JST Tobias Bernard

     in reply to

     In the section about requirements it says you need to take "cost of data migration, installation, personalization, training staff" etc. into account.

     I guess with that you can basically always make a case to just keep the current thing?

   • Embed this notice
     maymage (maymage@sociale.network)'s status on Friday, 07-Mar-2025 03:10:23 JST maymage

     in reply to

     • Carlo Gubitosa :nonviolenza:

     @tbernard
     @gubi perhaps might know more

   • Embed this notice
     Tobias Bernard (tbernard@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 07-Mar-2025 03:10:24 JST Tobias Bernard

     in reply to

     Looking over the guidelines I'd guess the trick is probably in setting the requirements such that only Windows/MS Office/AutoCAD/etc can meet them?

     Very interesting document though, they have decision making flow charts and everything:

     https://www.agid.gov.it/sites/default/files/repository_files/lg-acquisizione-e-riuso-software-per-pa-docs_pubblicata.pdf