Government mulls Linux
The Australian government is exploring the option of using
open source software for its IT needs, a conference heard
this week.
The conference brought together IT professionals from
all government agencies to discuss the pros and cons
of using open source software such as Linux.
A representative of Veterans Affairs, whose department
is the first to use Linux in a substantial way, said
the software met his objectives of saving money while
enhancing the IT infrastructure of his department.
Most of the conference delegates agreed that Linux
would save the government money but worried about its
reliability.
The conference concluded that government agencies would
study how the private sector used Linux before making
any changes to the government IT structure.
In the meantime, the Australian Unix & Open Systems
User Group Inc (AUUG) continues its call on the Government
sector to review all areas of IT procurement and information
standards to ensure that there is no bias against Open
Standards based Open Source solutions.
This, they claim, would allow government IT managers
to calculate the true ROI for each software acquisition
and deployment - enabling the comparison of open and
closed solutions on an equal footing. A comparison that
AUUG believes Open Source will win, ultimately delivering
major savings to Australian taxpayers.
In addition to ROI issues, Open Standards based systems
provide Open file formats and interfaces, thus could
increase the accessibility of Government information
and services to all citizens without discrimination
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Let them eat pumpkins
Livestock in New South Wales can thank the drought that
has been devastating Australia's farms for a newly varied
diet.
As the drought bit into agricultural yields, drought
stressed livestock bit into the increasing amount of
sunburnt melons and pumpkins.
Instead of ploughing this damaged fruit into the ground,
southern NSW farmers are selling the pumpkins as feed
for livestock.
NSW Agriculture representative Tony Napier said it
was certainly not what the farmers wanted - selling
their produce at reduced price - but the cattle aren't
complaining about the new diet.
Meanwhile, recent rains gave farmers hope of both an
economic recovery and of an end to the drought.
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Australia set to double in
size
A research team set sail from Hobart, Tasmania this
week on a journey that could double the size of Australia.
The scientists will chart the seabed along the continental
self between Tasmania and Western Australia.
The AUD $1 million study called Auscan, and made up
of experts from Australia, Germany and France, will
be the basis for Australia to claim a larger continental
shelf at next year's UN Convention of the Law of the
Sea (UNCLOS).
It is hoped the survey work will enable Australia to
lodge the necessary data on the Limits of the Continental
Shelf (CLCS) before November 2004, the deadline established
by Annex II, Article 4 of UNCLOS
Determining the extent of the continental shelf from
the baseline to the foot of the continental slope would
allow Australia to claim more territory and could increase
its official size by up to two and a half times.
Most importantly, though, under Article 77 of UNCLOS
Australia will have exclusive rights to the natural
resources (ie: the mineral and sedentary living resources)
found on the extended shelf.
According to the Australian Antarctic Division, having
exclusive rights will enable the government to restrict
other coastal States from using those resources, thus
providing protection of the environment by denying them
access while at the same time supporting Australia's
commitment to the Antarctic Treaty.
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