A technology policy think tank is campaigning to win Linux a greater role in government by offering to act as a central repository for a federally certified version of the open-source operating system. . .
A technology policy think tank is campaigning to win Linux a greater role in government by offering to act as a central repository for a federally certified version of the open-source operating system.

The Cyberspace Policy Institute, established a decade ago at George Washington University, plans to push for Linux to be certified under the Common Criteria, a standard grading of technology required by the United States and other countries before products can be sold into sensitive government applications.

If successful, the initiative would lead to a single, standard version of Linux acceptable to the government, and hence make it easier for Linux companies to compete against Microsoft and other large software makers. Certification costs anywhere from $100,000 to millions of dollars and takes up to five years--Microsoft is just finishing the certification of Windows 2000--but the effort could be a boon for Linux companies.

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