One of the issues HKAOA considered when developing the new system was security. "Because we were putting sensitive information about our members online, security had to be absolutely bullet-proof. Linux was clearly the best choice from a security perspective," said Findlay. . . .
While questions surrounding Linux's reliability have left some companies skittish, the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association (HKAOA) is looking the other way and is more committed than ever to the open source operating system that powers the organisation's online information system.


Representing pilots and flight engineers employed by Cathay Pacific Airways, the HKAOA has over 1,000 members based in Hong Kong, Europe, North America and Australia, and Asia. And because of this large worldwide member base, maintaining communication is their core business objective.

"IT is the glue that brings the organisation together," said John Findlay, general secretary of the HKAOA.

"What we rely on very much is a system that allows our members to contact us using the Internet at anytime of the day and no matter how far away they fly," he said.

In the early 1990s, the organisation had put its information system online with a bulletin board system. However, it hit a brick wall when the organisation wanted to scale up the functions of the system.

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