Re: Having worked in a UK based software house
You have hit the nail on the head.
Councils used to work with specific vendors to ensure that only certain products could tender, with most having to admit to a bit of a botch to meet all the requirements.
That was fine when the council officers knew what they were doing, but they all seem to have been replaced by officers prepared to ignore local requirements and enforce OTS products and processes, to meet short term budgets, satisfy inept management teams, but furthering their own career.
Even better if they can move on with a good CV before the SHTF.
That's one of the reasons for busted budgets and missing work targets. Locally, it also led to a significant increase in nervous breakdowns amongst the stressed workforce.
I still think it was short sighted to get rid of all the good council programmers.
Whereas our local council used to spot a problem, report it and get it fixed immediately, I have been told that there can be a two year wait just to get the OTS people to recognise the existence let alone dream of fixing it.
Meanwhile our local council is missing budgets by millions and constantly failing to meet targets.