Brazil's Government Snuggles Up to Linux
Sun November 23, 2003 09:42 AM ET
(Page 2 of 2)
A complete switch to Linux would take time. "It would be possible to achieve 80 percent of that in three years," said Ricardo Sigaud, director of systems integration at Brazil's planning ministry.
One of Lula's objectives is to extend computer access to low- and middle-income families, mostly through Brazil's public school system. Last year, only 10 percent of the country's public schools were equipped with computers.
A switch to a free, open system like Linux might help. For one thing, according to Amadeu's calculations, it would cost the government $200 million every two years just to pay for software licenses to install computer laboratories in 100,000 of 170,000 Brazil's public schools.
MICROSOFT UNFAZED
In fiscal 2002, total sales by Microsoft's partners in Brazil were 878.5 million reais, or about $300 million, and 6 percent of that was generated by the government, according to the company's marketing and business director, Luiz Marcelo Moncau. Microsoft's own revenues were not available because it does not break out its sales by countries.
The Microsoft marketing director said he believes the state's shift to Linux will not affect sales in Brazil for now.
But Alberto Luiz Albertin, who heads the Getulio Vargas Business School's technology department, said the gradual move toward Linux could signal more changes in the future.
"It's inevitable that this will change the market. This attitude creates some trust for the system (Linux) in the sector and can encourage the creation of a broader users group," he said.
The number of mid-sized and large Brazilian companies that started using Linux grew to 12 percent in 2002 from 8 percent in 2001, Albertin said.
For its part, Microsoft has told the government its technology is actually cheaper than Linux because it needs less support resources.
"There are studies showing that the total cost of owning and maintaining Microsoft technology can be 16 percent cheaper than using Linux," said Emilio Umeoka, general-director of Microsoft Brazil.
The software giant is also preparing a proposal that would grant the government discounts, Moncau added.
"The government would like to have a different negotiation and we understand that, and we are trying to answer those cost necessities," he said. "We have always defended free choice."
| 
