\title{Astun Technologies}
\author{Mike Saunt}
\maketitle

Although we are a commercial enterprise we work in the UK Public Sector, which has long had an interest in Open Source software technologies. Our software works hand in hand with a number of Open Source software components, so we tend to see our solutions as hybrids. 

The UK Government recently came out strongly in favour of Open Source software and published a report and action plan to increase the pace of adoption, {\dots} a real shot in the arm.\footnote{\url{http://tinyurl.com/bdujro} or \url{http://tinyurl.com/cgoozu}}

The good news is that this can only help foster further adoption of Open Source, hybrid or otherwise. In the past year we have had considerable success and our platform is in use with over twenty UK Local Authorities and one Police Force.

The iShare data integration and publishing platform enables a local authority to make the most of its own data, extracting it, transforming it and publishing it both internally and externally. It can serve the call centre through CRM integration and citizens through a rich mix of information, maps and transactional services on an authority's website.

In many cases the adoption of MapServer and Postgres/PostGIS has happened despite the prevalence of MapInfo or ESRI at a particular authority. It is the cost/benefit balance combined with customers wanting a complete solution, not a piece of technology, that wins through every time.

So there you have it widespread acceptance of Open Source technology running at the very heart of our solutions. In 2008 our deployment for South Tyneside Council won the NLPG Exemplar Award for Best Business Process Transformation and in the SOCITM "Better Connected" 2009 survey three of our sites were in the top twenty. We can't think of a better endorsement than that.
