IT'S RARE TO see a concept as technical as open-source software in a federal funding bill. But the House's proposed National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (H.R. 5658) (GCN.com, Quickfind 1209) includes language that calls for military services to consider open-source software when procuring manned or unmanned aerial vehicles.

It seems both cost and software security were considerations in this. It is an important victory for open source.