The Portuguese government runs on top of OpenSource Software. There is a bunch of Java web applications, jQuery-powered websites, the Citizen Id Card runs on open source software and our public data instance also runs on OpenSource. Throughout many organizations, we use linux web servers, Android devices and many other server-side tools. The government even has a GitHub account where they publish some of their projects (and identify open-source dependencies). There is a report listing some of our dependance on Open Source Software.
So, OpenSource software is part of the necessary public infrastructure, just like roads or water sewage are. Both didn’t exist 200 years ago, but they are not expected by all citizens. Would you imagine a government that does not fund sewers? Well, ours does not fund OpenSource software.
But Germany does! Germany has invested more than 23 million euros into sixty projects. It’s time other countries follow the lead, and create a more sustainable environment for open source software.
Next-Cloud (an alternative to Office 365 or Google Apps that you can install within your company) are asking the EU to create an Europe-wide Sovereign Tech Fund.
If we want commercial and data independence from the US and China, we need to invest more in local-first alternatives, and promote the open source alternatives from which European companies can create their own products.