French National Assembly goes open source

The French National Assembly will move to open source software, cutting IT costs in the process, after a study ordered by the president of the assembly found it could provide all the tasks need by the Assembly's deputies.

The software on the deputies' desks will include Linux - although what version has yet to be decided, Open Office, the Firefox browser and an open-source email application.

The move is a concrete response to the desire of numerous deputies to see open source software used more widely in the public sector in France. One deputy in favour of the move is Bernard Carayon, commissioned by the Prime Minister earlier this year to report on how European businesses could play a greater role in developing global industrial standards, in order to reduce Europe's economic dependance on other regions.