The National Open Centre (NOC) holds its official launch, hosted by John Hemming MP, in the Houses of Parliament on the 26th February 2007. Nearly 100 individuals from the ICT industry: proprietary and the open source community, media and public sector are expected to attend.

The NOC will help the UK to benefit from open source and open standards by developing strategic analysis and policy, clarifying opportunities and fostering innovation.

Speakers include Dr Barbara Held of the EU Commission's IDABC Programme, who is responsible for open source and open document standards matters and John Hugh MP, primary sponsor of an Early Day Motion to promote use of open source software in schools.

Barbara Held will explain why the Commission's policy promotes open standards, open specifications and interfaces for interoperability. In particular, she will provide insights in the OSS activities that IDABC has started in order to support cross-border collaboration in eGovernment.

Significant interest in the NOC has already been generated. An Advisory Group of 25 members, has been created, representing small business, multinational organisations, the public sector and open source communities. This diversity of interests is being used to guide the NOC's efforts, helping establish the topics of most importance to the UK.

[This is an initiative of national importance. As pointed out for years, running the nation's software on operating systems controlled by a foreign power is a threat to national security and should be avoided! --Ed].

Related links: (Open in a new window.)
www.nationalopencentre.org.uk/

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