FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Australia -- 5th April, 2005
Cybersource today launches a free information referral service which we
believe can help the state Departments of Education and the independent
schools save millions in software licence fees. We achieve this by providing
educators with the bargaining leverage that's needed to dramatically reduce
the prices paid for proprietary software.
"Educational software users are always short on budgets for IT," stated
Cybersource CEO, Con Zymaris. "Software licence costs are eating into an
increasing portion of those budgets. However, what many education
Departments don't realise is that they have substantial leverage when it
next comes time to negotiate with proprietary software vendors.'
The Cybersource Open Source in Education referral service consists of a
strategic analysis of the Department's existing platforms and applications
and a plan showing how open source software can cut the Department's
software licence expenses. We want to help each Department visualise how
they can use open source software to their benefit in negotiations with
vendors.
Our suggestion to Australia's education Departments is a simple one: you
control what software is placed in front of hundreds of thousands of
students and teachers. This gives you immense leverage when it comes to
negotiating with vendors - if you know how to use it.
"And Cybersource will show you how to use that leverage to full effect,"
continued Zymaris. "In many instances, it's not educators who should be
paying the vendors for selecting proprietary software - vendors should be
paying you for the privilege of indoctrinating your students with their
wares. And make no mistake about it, when prodded in the right way, vendors
will pay."
"Can you imagine how, as just one example, Microsoft would react if they
were told that 5 million students in various states, would now be learning
Linux and OpenOffice.org? If you were Microsoft, wouldn't you pay to ensure
that your products were preferentially placed in front of those students?
I'm sure they would. They know what damage to their mindshare would be
caused by millions of students entering industry with a comfortable
knowledge of Linux and other open source alternatives."
Zymaris went on to add, "Even if Microsoft demonstrates a willingness to
abandon their established mindshare any Department of Education that
utilises Cybersource's referral service is in a no-lose position; at any
point in the process they will have the option between two viable offerings:
OpenOffice.org and Linux on one hand and the offering from Microsoft."
"And as a number of large education Department licencing deals are coming up
for renewal, now is the time for Departments to start sharpening their
pencils, and Cybersource has just the sharpener for them," concluded
Zymaris.
More information about the Cybersource Open Source in Education referral
service can be obtained by contacting <info@cybersource.com.au>.
- - - -
About Cybersource Pty. Ltd.
Cybersource, founded in early 1991, is the second longest running open
source solutions company in the world. We have been demonstrating the better
value, security and robustness of open source technologies to our clients
since then. We also produce products like:
* The Safe Internet Computer: The Safest Way to Use the Internet.
* The Small Business Linux Server: the best value small business server on
the market and 75% less expensive than the Microsoft alternative.
* Datasafe: Stores copies of all your documents. Easy and direct access to
all past revisions.
* Cybersource Trim Client; All the advantages of a Thin Client with none of
the disadvantages.
http://www.cybersource.com.au/
Spokesperson/Contact: Con Zymaris
Phone: +61 3 9621 2377
Email: conz@cyber.com.au
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