Editing Initiative for Software Choice (section)

The '''Initiative for Software Choice''' ('''ISC''') is a lobby group founded<ref name=high>{{cite news
 |title       = An Alternative to Microsoft Gains Support in High Places
 |first       = Steve
 |last        = Lohr
 |url         = http://rfrost.people.si.umich.edu/courses/SI110/readings/IntellecProp/Open-Source%20in%20Govt.pdf
 |newspaper   = The New York Times
 |issn        = 0362-4331
 |date        = 2002-09-05
 |pages       = 4
 |accessdate  = 2010-07-16
 |quote       = There are currently 66 government proposals, statements and studies promoting open source software in 25 countries, according to the Initiative for Software Choice.[...] 'It's growing, unfortunately, from our perspective,' said Mike Wendy, a spokesman for the software initiative, which was founded in May.
 |url-status     = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110720091919/http://rfrost.people.si.umich.edu/courses/SI110/readings/IntellecProp/Open-Source%20in%20Govt.pdf
 |archivedate = 2011-07-20
}}
</ref> in May 2002 in response to widespread international government interest in open source software.<ref name=high/> The ISC website characterizes its membership as "committed to advancing the concept that multiple competing software markets should be allowed to develop and flourish unimpeded by government preference or mandate".<ref>
{{cite web
 |url         = http://softwarechoice.org/about.aspx
 |title       = About the Initiative for Software Choice
 |year        = 2004
 |work        = softwarechoice.org
 |publisher   = The Computing Technology Industry Association
 |accessdate  = 2010-07-16
 |quote       = The Initiative for Software Choice is a growing global coalition of large and small companies committed to advancing the concept that multiple competing software markets should be allowed to develop and flourish unimpeded by government preference or mandate. The Initiative actively educates policymakers and regulators worldwide about the benefits of this approach and its value to future innovations.
 |url-status     = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090518092539/http://softwarechoice.org/about.aspx
 |archivedate = 2009-05-18
}}
</ref>

According to many Free Software advocates such as [[Bruce Perens]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lohr |first1=Steve |title=Champion of Open-Source Is Out at Hewlett-Packard |work=The New York Times |date=9 September 2002 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/09/business/technology-champion-of-open-source-is-out-at-hewlett-packard.html |accessdate=28 January 2019}}</ref> [[Microsoft]] founded ISC in reaction to the call for the adoption of [[Free Software]] by politicians in many countries.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Perens |first1=Bruce |title=MS 'Software Choice' scheme a clever fraud |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/08/09/ms_software_choice_scheme/ |accessdate=28 January 2019 |date=9 August 2002}}</ref>

The [[Computing Technology Industry Association]] (CompTIA) chairs the Initiative.{{Citation needed|date=August 2010}}