According to one of the key figures in the Novell team which won the Linux deal with the NSW Government, Paul Kangro, research suggests that implementing Linux desktops could result in savings of up to 30% over the Microsoft alternative. Other reports, however, from sources such as the Northern Territory Government, which has deployed Linux desktops in the education sector, indicate the savings are far more modest. There are of course other questions that need to be considered, such as flexibility and reliability, and the reports coming out of the Northern Territory have been very encouraging for the case for implementing open source.

For the Victorian Government, the question that remains then is what happens now with regards to implementing an open source strategy? According to one source, who happens to be very close to government policy and decision making in Victoria, not much. “The Victorian Government is about five years behind (NSW),” our source tells us. We have put in a request to Victorian Government CIO, Ms Treadwell, for confirmation or denial of this and we await her answer with interest.{moscomment}