London’s Livingstone looks to Linux

In an attempt to get more citizens to use IT and the Internet, London’s Mayor wants the inside track on the ‘costs, benefits and risks’ of open-source
software

London Mayor Ken Livingstone has ordered a report into the benefits and pitfalls of open-source software, as part of an attempt to close the UK
capital’s digital divide.

A policy statement on London’s strategy for information and communication technology (ICT), published on Thursday by the Greater London Authority
(GLA), reveals that Livingstone is looking to Linux as a way of fighting social exclusion.

“As a further means of making the Internet more easily affordable, the Mayor believes that there is a strong case for businesses, Government and the
community sector to consider using open-source software,” states the report, called “Connecting the capital: information and communications technology
in London”.