A Montreal-based open source association has launched a lawsuit against the Quebec government for procuring proprietary software (an upgrade to Vista) without considering open source alternatives.   Ultimately this comes down to whether the Quebec government followed their own procurement rules.   And of course it isn’t as simple as if a commodity like paper was being purchased.  There are a lot of factors to consider when comparing software choices, especially when considering traditional software vs open source.

Take a look at this ITWorld Canada article about it.  I’m quoted in the article. (And yes, I’m in London, not Toronto.)