OREANDA-NEWS. March 17, 2008. Russian Post and American company Red Hat signed the Protocol of intentions on IT development based on open freeware. Andrey Pogodin, Deputy Director General of FSUE Russian Post and Jim Whitehurst, President of Red Hat signed the document within the framework of meeting. The parties agreed to join efforts to implement operating system Linux and other software products with open code in Russian Post’s IT-structure.

Transfer to freeware products helps to safe immense sum of money the enterprise presently spends on software for wide Russian Post’s network. Software products with open code are сonsiderably less expensive than commercial programs as the company doesn’t purchase any license. In case of difficulties company can sign contract on maintenance with the representative of company-developer. “Company using software with open code doesn’t pay for the software product itself. Maintenance work is paid only. So signing of such contract is 2-3 times lower than purchasing of license,” comments Andrey Pogodin.

Open software is to be implemented this year. Presently the developers of special programs used by Russian Post have task to adapt them for work on the base of operating system Linux. Тhus, postal operators won’t find any changes difficult as they will use the same applications with user interface. Russian Post’s IT-specialists will pass special training.