Open source initiatives all at sea

A government-run open source advocacy group is pressing to have more Linux-based initiatives in the US Navy by the end of the year.

The Naval Oceanographic Office (NavOceanO) is working alongside the Open Source Software Institute (OSSI) to introduce more Linux-based initiatives in a bid to save time, improve effectiveness and reduce platform diversity.

The OSSI is a non-profit organisation, combining government, academic and corporate representatives, which advocates and promotes the implementation of open source in federal entities.

According to a report by open source advocacy website NewsForge, Linux is already used on the oceanic data collection computers of the NavOceanO survey ships.

In these cases, "Linux on Intel machines is costing 10 per cent of the former Risc-based systems," the report revealed.

Open source software is also used to a lesser degree in visualisation and storage systems, and even on the desktop. But the OSSI is set to recommend that the Naval Office start rolling out Linux in more areas before the end of the year.

Andrew Aitken, of the Olliance Consulting Group, working in tandem with the OSSI to research the use of open source in the Naval Office, said that Linux is saving time and improving the effectiveness of the facility.

"In some circumstances, it's been proven to be just as robust, stable and secure as proprietary platforms," he was quoted as saying.