Open Source in Government FAQ

The Department of Defense has a much longer and more comprehensive FAQ on this same subject.

Can the government use open source?

Yes. See CENDI’s report on open source in government, which talks a lot about how the government works with open source licenses.

Is Open Source secure?

Yes, but you’re asking the wrong questions. Start with this Wikipedia article on open source software security.

How popular is open source in government? Why aren’t we using more of it?

Very.

Way back in 2003, MITRE released a study on the Department of Defense’s use of open source, with some surprising results.

Ben Balter has a list of open source projects used by the US government.

You can read this list of government-released open source projects.

Here’s a list of major events for open source in government.

I put together a timeline based on these last two resources.

How can I get started with my government program?

You want to read the mind-boggling comprehensive evaluation guide from the inimitable Dr. David Wheeler.