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<html newsdate="2012-07-30">
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<version>1</version>
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<head>
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<title>FSFE explains the importance of Free Software to the administration
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of Region Lazio, Italy.</title>
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</head>
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<body>
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<h1>FSFE explains the importance of Free Software to the administration
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of Region Lazio, Italy.</h1>
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<p>
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Last May 23th, the Council of Region Lazio, Italy, approved a Regional Law
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on "Reuse of information and public data, and connected initiatives". With
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further regulation, methods and technical rules for reusing software will be
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determined. In the meantime, we proposed them a checklist of motivations by
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which both Institutions and the Community would be advantages by a migration
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to systems based on Free Software.
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</p>
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<h2>
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Adaptability, control, support for innovation and economical development.
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</h2>
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<p>
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Free Software can be freely modified. The Public Administration can adapt
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him to her needs, how best required, with a flexibility advantage. In
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case the PA wouldn't have the necessary human resources, she can demand
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the adaptation to local partners, who don't have to refer to any software
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vendor. This advantages the local industry and encourages competition among
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different developers or providers of IT services: Free Software adoption
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allows to foster the development of private economical initiatives, and of
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technologically innovative projects. Actually, the freedom to modify software
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allows to private economical operators to directly operate on software.
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</p>
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<h2>
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Software Reuse
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</h2>
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<p>
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Free Software is characterized by a type of licence allowing use, analysis,
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modification and redistribution of software. Thanks to Free Software, public
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authorities can use software already developed, or they can provide their
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own solutions to other public authorities. This favours cooperation among
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different entities, and allows to save on public resources, assigning them
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to developments to improve software features. Indeed, problems faced
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by different organisms tend to be similar, and can be solved efficiently
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with a common effort.
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</p>
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<h2>
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Absence of licensing costs
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</h2>
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<p>
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The use of Free Software allows public authorities to nullify licence
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costs. This does not mean that adopting Free Software is a costless
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choice. Implementation, adaptation, technical support, maintenance, staff
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training are activities which generate costs. A part of those costs are to
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be faced also in case of choice of a proprietary solution, but given its
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flexibility and the free competition among suppliers, Free Software will be
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by far the more cost-effective choice in the long run.
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</p>
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<h2>
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Support for innovation
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</h2>
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<p>
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The freedom to study and modify software favours innovation and
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cooperation among citizens and institutions. Free Software introduces
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a model of conduct based on solidarity and civic commitment.
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</p>
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<h2>Links</h2>
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<p><a href="https://blogs.fsfe.org/alessandro.polvani/2012/07/30/lettera-alla-regione-lazio-perche-il-software-libero-e-la-soluzione-per-la-pa/">Original text of the letter (Italian)</a></p>
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</body>
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