Qt 5 will be binary incompatible with Qt 4
Not quite, at least as far as I understand it. See this for example: https://bugreports.qt.nokia.com/browse/QTBUG-397. There are more planned changes that break ABI.
Qt only guarantees ABI compatibility between point (e.g. 4.6.1 to 4.6.2) releases; they sometimes manage to retain ABI between minor (e.g. 4.6 to 4.7) releases, you can read about it somewhere in the docs.
Using OO Writer instead of Word for example. Sure, sounds simple, the nerds can probably fgure it out without blinking, but it is all the NON-NERDS who make it a very expensive idea to test.
You may consider me a nerd and yet I have absolutely no idea how to use word. I 'outsource' my work that has to be done in word to friends who are actually capable of operating this software. Writer is no better, it somehow manages to always hide the toolbars that I actually need at the moment and show them immediately after I find a workaround.
The only sane "word processor" I know of is LaTeX. It creates beautiful documents, has easily editable source and it works great with SCMs.
The problem is, while you say you want to chose, you're not actually making a choice - you're dictating a solution based on ideological goals.
I believe that since it is *my* money, then it is also *my* choice.
Second, don't be sad. Seriously. I've said this before - it's supposed to be about choice. If someone chooses to use Windows/other Microsoft products/other closed source products, well then isn't that their choice?
Your argument may be valid when it comes to private companies or private users, but this is government that we're talking about. A government that is sponsored by the public taxes. I do not wish to spend my hard earned money on proprietary software that cannot be accessed. The money spend should come back to citizens, whether it is by building roads, schools or using/contributing to open source - a software that anyone can use. As such, it is not up to government to choose but to citizens of the country, and I am certainly sure that those who care, are all in favor for using open source. I do not live in germany, but it saddens me how public institutions, which I pay for, cover themselves by unrealistic clauses in public bidding to make sure only MS software gets through. Once again - it might be about the choice, but I am the one who chooses.
The one day you'd sell your soul for something, souls are a glut.
