Governments to fuel open source growth: A new report claims that open source software will thrive in the governmental sector based on its inherent adaptability. IDC researchers at Government Insights (GI) suggest that open source products -- software solutions distributed under a public licence allowing any programmer to tinker with the underlying code -- are poised for significant growth, fuelled in particular by the public sector. Overall, the report predicts a 30 percent compound annual growth rate as part of total global IT spending over the next five years. "Government software needs are unique because governments perform a unique function -- service to the citizen," said GI researcher Shawn P. McCarthy. GI predicts that government IT departments will most likely drive substantial growth in the use of open source software over the next five years, with rapid growth in the five to ten-year time frame. For more on this story see ENN.
Kazakhstan to offer interactive e-services: The government of Kazakhstan has said its e-government portal will begin providing interactive services in December, reports Kazakhstan Today. The portal currently offers more than 500 services, the majority of which are non-interactive. The government has outlined a four-phase plan for its e-government strategy: an information phase (currently in place), an interactive phase (scheduled for late 2006 to 2008), a transaction phase (2008 to 2009), and an "information society" phase (2009). The interactive services to be provided include the issuing of certain permits and licences, and electronic payments will also be accepted. By 2009, the number of services offered through the e-government portal will rise to 900, according to Askar Zhumagaliyev, chairman of the Government's agency for computerisation and communication. Separately, Zhumagaliyev announced that 2,000 new "public internet venues" would be opened around the country, providing free access to the internet and the e-government portal.
US rolls out online toolkit for federal CIOs: The US government has launched an online tool to encourage federal agencies to implement IT more effectively. The Office of Management and Budget said the Federal Transition Framework (FTF) would act as a single information source for cross-agency IT initiatives, providing guidance on policy and best practice for federal chief information officers and chief architects. The website contains information on government-wide IT policy objectives and cross-agency initiatives such as OMB-sponsored projects, Internet Protocol Version 6 and the latest Homeland Security Presidential Directive. "By consolidating cross-agency information on IT policy in one convenient location, agencies are able to quickly and more efficiently make decisions related to their overall mission," said Karen Evans, OMB administrator of E-Government and Information Technology.
UAE to launch online licensing for pilots: The United Arab Emirates is rolling out an electronic licensing service for airline pilots in an effort to make the aviation industry more efficient. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Emirates Airline for cooperation on the e-licensing service. A special portal site will be set up where pilots, engineers and other airline staff can apply for and be granted licences. "The GCAA has created new strategies to develop and facilitate transactions with airlines operating in the country. This portal will be further developed to accommodate the growth in the aviation sector in the UAE and to provide superb services to GCAA's clients," said Waleed Al Ghanim, head of the licensing department at the GCAA.
Thai collaboration project sets sights on e-gov: Thailand's Office of Computer Cluster Promotion (CCP) is working on a collaborative project to help get local software developers involved in e-government initiatives, reports Thai online newswire The Nation. The Open Development of e-Government Collaboration is a joint project from the CCP, the Thailand Science Park, the Software Industry Promotion Agency and Software Park Thailand. CCP will act as "super-project manager", collecting e-government projects and allocating them to selected local software vendors. "It is a win-win-win situation as government organisations will receive the software they require, local software vendors will get jobs and income, and the private sector will be able to sell tools," said CCP director Smith Suksmith.
Autor(en)/Author(s): Sylvia Leatham
Quelle/Source: ElectricNews, 19.07.2006
