Lessons from open source in the Mexican government

a year ago

Federico González Waite shared his experiences promoting open-source software in the Mexican government, highlighting both successes and challenges.
Key reasons for adopting open source in Mexico include cost reduction, IT sovereignty, and breaking vendor lock-ins.
González Waite led significant projects, such as migrating from Oracle to PostgreSQL and developing Mexico's electronic passport using open-source technologies.
Education and training were major hurdles, leading to the creation of boot camps and online courses to build open-source expertise among students and government employees.
The banking sector saw a project using Mifos, an open-source financial platform, though it faced regulatory and security challenges.
Lessons learned emphasize the importance of strong leadership, proper budgeting, and overcoming resistance due to fear and lack of knowledge.
Proprietary software companies often resisted changes, using tactics like audits and threats to maintain their market share.
The new presidential administration's stance on open source remains uncertain, but existing legislation still supports its use.

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