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Open-source software in government:

• Adoption challenges: Governments can be resistant to using FOSS for various reasons despite its advantages.

• Federico González Waite's experiences: He worked in the Mexican government, advocating for open source.

  • Cost savings: Mexico, a developing country, looks to reduce costs by using open source instead of licensing.
  • IT sovereignty: Build IT sovereignty by having technical IT leadership and reducing reliance on external vendors.
  • Talent development: Train government staff to support open-source software and move from an IT-consuming to an IT-producing nation.
  • Self-sufficiency: Avoid being locked in by vendors and package and sell IT development.
• Government agencies: Multiple agencies handle technology in Mexico. INFOTEC managed a large telecommunications project. All technology projects require presidential approval. Open-source software is enshrined in Mexican law.

• Projects examples:

  • Foreign affairs: Moved data to the cloud and from Oracle to PostgreSQL. The agency gained direct access to data and developed an electronic passport.
  • Education: Created internship programs and boot camps for software development and cybersecurity. Developed online educational programs based on open source. Overcame challenges in educating regulatory bodies and returning code.
• Lessons learned: Regulations help but are not enough. Problems are often due to obsolete technology and lack of data knowledge. Poor leadership and lack of skills are barriers. Projects either succeed greatly or fail. Ensure the right champion and backing. License audits are a concern. New administration's stance is uncertain. Handling obsolescence is a major problem.

A video of the talk will soon be on SCALE's YouTube page. The full set of talks is available with a specific talk as the first of the day. The Linux Foundation funded the travel to Pasadena.