Pioneering the Use of Open Source - More About Operating Systems

Pioneering the Use of Open Source

Or: How Indonesia Tried to Stop Paying for Software It Never Really Paid For Anyway

Discovering More About Operating Systems

From PCs to Public Policy

Toward Good Governance (and Fewer Pirate CDs)

Let’s be honest first. Licensed software has never been cheap, while the purchasing power of most people in Indonesia has always been… let’s say, realistic. This awkward gap became the main reason why illegal software usage spread faster than free Wi-Fi rumors. The result? Indonesia proudly landed itself on the Priority Watch List, proposed by the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) to the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

Sounds fancy, right?

Not really. Being on that list means bad news: potential loss of the Generalized System of Preference (GSP) a special export tariff facility for developing countries. In short: use pirated software, lose trade benefits. Not exactly a fair trade.

When the Government Finally Said: “Enough Is Enough”

To avoid that very uncomfortable situation and to prevent public services from being disrupted by violations of Copyright Law No. 19 of 2002 the Indonesian government stepped in. Through the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, a Circular Letter No. 05/SE/M.KOMINFO/10/2005 was issued, politely but firmly asking all government institutions to use legal software.

Now here’s the twist.

Instead of burning the national budget just to buy licenses, government institutions were encouraged to switch to Open Source Software. Cheaper. Legal. No piracy guilt. No awkward audits.

Meet FOSS: Free, Legal, and Surprisingly Powerful

Open Source Software, also known as Free Open Source Software (FOSS), comes with a license that basically says:

Use it. Study it. Modify it. Copy it. Share it. No license fees. Totally legal.

Because of that, since 2004 the government began promoting legal software usage through a national movement called Indonesia Go Open Source (IGOS-I), signed by five ministers. This commitment got even stronger with IGOS-II, declared on May 27, 2008, involving 18 ministries and non-departmental government institutions.

The target was ambitious but clear:

By December 31, 2011, all government institutions should be using legal software.

Banjarnegara Goes Open Source

“If We Can Do It, Others Can Too”

Switching habits is never easy. Especially when everyone is already deeply attached to Windows, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the whole familiar family. They feel like home. But legally speaking, those “free” installations were anything but free.

So instead of endlessly bleeding budget money for licenses, Banjarnegara Regency chose a more elegant path: migrating to Open Source.

Since 2006, the Telematics and Data Management Division (Telpengda) actively conducted socialization and training programs to introduce Open Source usage. After organizational restructuring in 2008, this mission was continued by the Public Relations Division.

In May, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication and Information, a socialization event was held regarding Circular Letter No. SE/01/M.PAN/3/2009 on the use of legal and open source software. The event gathered 125 participants from various government offices, agencies, divisions, and districts across Banjarnegara.

Not bad for something people used to think was “too complicated”.

Supporting Good Governance

Open Source, Real Commitment

During the event, the Vice Regent Drs. Soehardjo, MM emphasized that this movement must be taken seriously. The instructions were clear, the risks of continuing illegal software usage were real, and public institutions couldn’t afford to pretend otherwise.

Concrete steps were taken.

All servers at the Public Relations Division functioning as the Network Operating Center (NOC) for the official website were migrated from Windows to Linux Ubuntu and Unix. Client PCs began using IGOS/Linux Ubuntu, while some systems ran in dual-boot mode. Even the computer lab was prepared as a hands-on training ground for Windows-to-IGOS migration.

The philosophy was simple:

Let users install it themselves. Confidence comes from experience.

Final Thoughts: It’s Just a Matter of Time

The fear surrounding Open Source in government environments turned out to be mostly psychological. Once implemented, people adapted. Once adapted, it became normal.

Therefore, every government institution is encouraged to act as a role model for society setting clear migration stages and meeting the 2011 target to support a clean, efficient, and legally compliant government IT system.

Because Good Governance isn’t just about policies.

Sometimes, it starts with choosing the right operating system.