Many state and federal governments around the world are increasingly
turning to open source software for e-government solutions. According to Sun Microsystems Inc. chairman Scott McNealy, a state and local government that bases an e-government portal on open source is building a "
custom jalopy" and digging "a deeper hole by going open source." He recommends using Java and Solaris instead.
McNealy also mentioned that Sun Microsystems is close to "open sourcing" Solaris. Will governments that use an open source Solaris operating system be digging a deeper hole too?
McNealy is trying to sell his company's products and services. Nothing wrong with that. But he goes on to make this comment :
"I've told the government it ought to be a court-martial offense to develop in anything but Java."
Maybe Mr. McNealy has been drinking too much coffee.
Abhijeet Chavan is co-founder and co-editor-in-chief of Planetizen.
