A (non-)reply from HMG

Regular readers will be aware that Bristol Wireless wrote during September to the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer (news passim) and sent them each an Ubuntu live CD (so they could do half of Whitehall each? Ed. 😀 ).

We’ve now had a reply (sort of. Ed.) from Tim Bett, Director, Commercial Delivery, ICT at the Office of Government Commerce (OCG). The full text of his response – in all its brevity – reads:

Dear Mr Woods

UBUNTU LINUX

Thank you for your letter of 23 September to the Rt Hon. Gordon Brown MP. I have been asked to reply.

I was interested to read about Ubuntu Linux and its potential for helping the public sector reduce ICT costs. As individual departments are responsible for their own ICT arrangements, if you have not already done so you may wish to contact them direct [sic] to let them know about your product.

Yours sincerely, etc.

Your correspondent wonders exactly what the point the OCG serves if it is supposed to set procurement standards for government departments and its ICT folks are telling third parties to approach individual government departments.

Needless to say a considered response will soon be winging its way to Mr Betts…