I think that simply stating "If there is a reasonably well-developed open source alternative, use it." isn't good enough. GIMP is a reasonably well-developed open source alternative but its not fit for purpose as a viable alternative for alot of publishing requirements. The standard just isn't close enough to photoshop to be viably used with significantly impinging on the quality of the work done by our staff as well as wasting time trying to train staff up in entirely new pieces of software. I made a genuine attempt to use gimp during my time at the foundation and its a very difficult piece of software to come to terms with particularly with a background in photoshop. This is unlike Inkscape, Audacity or OpenOffice, which are very easily picked up when you have used illustrator of MS Office.
I think that its important to asses whether it is fit for purpose intended and whether or not it is going to impinge on the work of our staff and not simply whether the piece of software is well developed.
> Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:17:27 +0100
> From: thomas.dalton@gmail.com
> To: wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> Subject: Re: [Wikimediauk-l] Adobe Creative Suite software license
>
> On 17 April 2012 18:15, Tom Morris <tom@tommorris.org> wrote:
> > This thread seems to have become about open source vs. closed source, and what exactly counts as industry standard or best of breed.
> >
> > I think there is a much more sensible policy we could pursue here:
> >
> > 1. If there is a reasonably well-developed open source alternative, use it.
> > 2. If not, use whatever the best priced solution is.
> > 3. Use the community to help decide what the best solution is.
> >
> > Given Wikipedia's inherent systemic bias towards young geeky men with computing experience, I'm sure some reasonably pragmatic advisers can be sought on a voluntary basis from within Wikimedia UK's membership.
>
> 1 and 2 are already policy. Forming a "WMUK Software Advisory Group"
> to help implement that policy is a good idea.
>
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