Government Goes Open Source
The US government has finally adopted the open source model!! Well, not really but it is using the model to get some work done. The federal government has released captured documents from Iraq and is requesting the publics help in translating them. Volunteers have been tearing through the documents, translating and making comments, and by opening the work to the public the government has been able to save money and use recourses for higher priority needs. This is a very good example of the efficiency of the open source model, and illustrates that by allowing everyone to have access to the materials and by encouraging collaboration, a project can be finished quickly and cheaply. There are also positives associated with accuracy, as everyone can see the documents therefore any mistakes can be easily found from the many eyes reviewing the materials. Here is a link to the story.
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