Re: mods for compiling perl && perl common packages

[Joe Buck <jbuck at synopsys dot com>]

> "Indicating these activities will be understood as a request for  
> permission to keep carrying out these activities"
> 
> "_Initially_, you yourself judge whether these activities are a  
> barrier for your function in the public office" (emphasis mine)
> 
> So, because of the first sentence, I decide not to return the  
> questionaire.  Now consider the following scenario:

[ conflict of interest described ]

Yes, there are situations where your employer may be legitimately
concerned about your outside activities.  But that should be solved
by a much more focused survey, asking only about outside activities
that may have direct relevance.  (I'm actually surprised that such
lack of sensitivity to privacy should be displayed in the Netherlands,
where the government generally has a much better record on privacy
issues than the US government does).

> Next year, on behalf of my employer, I'm issuing an Invitation to  
> Tender for the successor of our current computer system for  
> operational weather forecasting (a well known "killer micro", not a  
> Cray, but the Cray's best friend :-).  This needs a European  
> procedure, because the projected purchasing price is ~ Dfl 500,000  
> (i.e. ~ $ 250,000).
> 
> Surprise, surprise, we get an offer for a (commercially supported)  
> Beowulf a la the Avalon (see http://cnls.lanl.gov/avalon), which is  
> approximately 8 times as fast as our current system (our code is  
> almost perfectly parallel).

In this case, you can forsee an issue that may be of concern for
your employer, so you should bring it to their attention.  And if
you are on the selection committee, you should disclose all of your
possible conflicts up front.  I think that it isn't really a conflict
at all: you are helping to make possible a big savings to the taxpayers.
They should be proud of you. :-)

> Now the above mentioned "killer micro" manufacturer is pissed and  
> complains in Brussels about our procedure:  One of the members of  
> the selection team at KNMI has ulterior motives to push a solution  
> based on free software.

It's only an ulterior motive if you hide it.  Have it be an open motive
and you're fine.