Open source software movement in the French central and local government: a retrospective and prospective exploratory study

Abstract

As one of Europe's leaders in modernising government through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), France offers an opportunity to investigate how the use of Open Source software contributes to the process of improving government performance. This paper examines the extent to which the French government accepts Open Source solutions as part of its use of ICT to support e-democracy through government operations. This study bases its investigation on interviews of more than 100 program and ICT officials responsible for running or supporting government programs in France.