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Try open-source technology

Sunday, Mar. 17, 2013 | 06:05 PM

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In the line-item budgets, more than $3 million was spent annually (fiscal years 2009 through 2012) on computer software. Open-source technology could help. Dump Windows and MS Office for free Ubuntu Linux and LibreOffice or NeoOffice. The budget numbers would sting less if the mayor used elegant Prezi, free for public documents, instead of bland Powerpoint. Need Photoshop, try GIMP. Blender edits feature film quality video. Use SciLab for tough numerical problems, R for Statistics, and FreeCAD for 3D modeling. Utilize codeforamerica.org apps.

Other things: Stop idling city vehicles, including police, switch all diesel vehicles to CNG, use GPS to track buses and garbage trucks to optimize services, keep Fulton pedestrian and cover with free WIFI to drive traffic, stop paying SMG to monopolize large indoor venues, encourage trees over grass to save water and encourage bidets to reduce burden on solid waste infrastructure.

Hire me.

Kalin Semrick

Fresno


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