Brasília, 11/26/2003 (Agência Brasil – ABr) - The Ministry of Science and Technology reports that it has set up a pioneer work group with the objective of developing free software for use in the government.

This first group, consisting of twenty employees who underwent special training, is part of a broad effort by the Brazilian government to reduce costs by developing its own, free, software. The project will reduce costs of licensing and updating privately owned software, as well as strengthen domestic Information Technology.

According to Paulo Sergio Bonfim, who is a system development coordinator at the ministry, savings will reach R$1,300 per workstation. As the ministry has 950 computers, that works out to an economy of R$1.2 million. (AB)