Calls for greater tech openness rise

Greater openness is needed to boost innovation in the computer software industry and economic growth worldwide, a research group reported Monday.

"Open standards are needed for digital technology to continue to develop and create economic growth in the information age," said Paul Horn, chair of the digital connections council at the Committee for Economic Development, a non-profit public policy group and senior vice president of research at IBM.

"Additionally, open innovation is propelling change in commerce beyond the borders of software and information technology, even into physical goods," he added.

In its latest report entitled "Open standards, open source, and open innovation: harnessing the benefits of openness," CED said that governments should encourage the development and use of open standards through processes as open to participation and contribution as possible.

Meanwhile, the group objected to any requirement that forces governments to make purchasing decisions of software based on the licensing system used, adding that "no citizen should be required to use the hardware or software of any particular vendor."

Copyright 2006 by United Press International