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["William Lester" <WLester AT engenderhealth.org>]

 

-----Original Message-----
From: fredericknoronha AT gmail.com [mailto:fredericknoronha AT gmail.com] On Behalf Of Frederick Noronha [??????? ???????]
Sent: Monday, July 23, 2007 5:03 PM
To: interider AT npogroups.org
Subject: [InteRider] A MARRIAGE BOUND NOT TO HAPPEN? FLOSS AND NGOs

 

A MARRIAGE BOUND NOT TO HAPPEN? FLOSS AND NGOs

 

By Frederick Noronha

 

SYDNEY, Australia: In theory, it should be the perfect fit. A

world where alternative software is suitably matched with the

needs of the alternative campaign and not-for-profit world.

Yet, in real life, NGOs (non-government organisations) and

others in the campaign network fall back on proprietorial,

"unfree" software written by influential corporations rather

than opt for Free Software.

 

This is all the more of a paradox since Free Software is one

of the few alternative sectors where the "alternative is

better than the real thing" in a way. Free Software is known

for its robustness, diversity and even being an ethical

choice. But it doesn't get widely used in the alternate

and campaign sector.

 

Question is: why?

 

What are the challenges when non-profits face technology?

 

Grant McHerron of APC.au says: "Aside from the usual

challenges (which come up when dealing) with most small

organisations, such as the lack of money, and lack of

knowledge, I think the challenge is really trying to work

with them to make sure that they know what's being done..."

 

He doesn't see non-profits as being "suspicious of

technology" in a place like Australia. "It's pretty up on

technology once they get the hang of it. Here they're not

worried about it," says Grant.

 

But there are new challenges coming in. While offering FLOSS

solutions, they found a major proprietorial software firm

offering "educational discounts" to those planning to shift

to FLOSS.

 

"After this, the difference in cost was negligible," he

notes.

 

Andrew  Lowenthal of Tactical Tech, who informally addressed

APC members about his work during the Sydney meeting, argues

that FLOSS itself has certain limitations which need to be

fixed.

 

Says Andrew, also known just as "And": "FLOSS is often

confusing and etremely overwheling for non-technical people.

It can be badly documented and too geeky. Sometimes it's hard

to find tools that work, or people are simply afraid. It's

also difficult to download tools because of bandwidth

issues."

 

But, at the same time, he points out that FLOSS also offers

some potential: it is free and legal to copy and distribute.

If 'editorial teams' select the most relevant and mature

tools, it is possible to 'build on the collective knowledge

of people using these tools'. And FLOSS users tend to be

rather free in sharing all they know!

 

"(Because it's FLOSS, and not encumbered by restrictive

copyrights) we can easily hand out copies of the software

programme after we teach it," explains And.

 

The lack of technical and support skills is one issue. Until

non-profit users can feel comfortable using FLOSS, sure they

will get the support when things go wrong, they will probably

just NOT use it. Another issue is the fact that we humans

remain creatures of habit. So what if FLOSS is more ethical?

Isn't Windows all that more easier to use, and haven't we

just been using it all this time?

 

But there are other less-discussed issues too.

 

Grant McHerron of APC.au admits that FLOSS (Free/Libre and

Open Source Software) faces a "lack of tools" on some, even

if only a few, fronts. This can be irritating.

 

"The big one is on the database front. There is a niche that

MSAccess fills, and I have yet to find a competitor (in the

FLOSS world). I must admit I haven't done any major research

in that area," says he.

 

"MS Access allows a reasonable savvy user to quickly create

basic databases, with input screens and reports. These can

then be shared between a small number of workers on the

network," says McHerron.

 

"So far the database with Open Office isn't (very

powerful)... you can't do relations between tables. You can't

have multiple tables. So, you either have very simple tools

or reasonably complex ones (in the FLOSS world) such as

Postgres and MySQL, at the top end, for which you need to be

a database administrator to know what you're doing. There's a

large gap in the middle. If you could fill it, that would be

really something," says McHerron.

 

OTHER GAPS

 

There are other gaps too waiting to be filled, even if these

need not be an alibi for trying out the increasingly

easier-to-use FLOSS tools.

 

Other tools in shortage in a FLOSS world include those

related to accounting and membership applications.

 

"These need a lot of logic, and the understanding of relevant

business rules. These are classic database applications, that

would in the past have been developed with Access or DOTNet

or things like that. And accessed thru workstations,

connected through a central database server," explains

McHerron.

 

Until now this has been a block to move across over to a

GNU/Linux-based system. Because we still have to run our

database system, and that requires Windows.

 

But soon this could cease to be a problem.

 

"Over the next 2-5 years, I see this block disappearing

completely. More and more systems use a database server and a

web-based frontend. Now you just need a browser. Suddenly

more and more companies need a powerful database sysem rather

than just an access system, are installing dedicated systems

to act as a database server and a webapplication server,"

explains McHerron.

 

You are now also getting centralised hosting, the ASP

(application service providers) model.

 

Says he: "Suddenly with these, you've got MySQL or Postgres

as your database, Apache as your webserver, PHP for your

logic, and who cares what the client is doing!"

 

At the moment, a lot of development is still being done in

DotNET, where you still need a Windows environment to run

ActiveX and things like that (other embedded objects). But

it's becoming much more generic," explains McHerron (39).

 

WITHIN APC ASIA

 

But within the network of APC members in Asia, there are some

strong feelings about the need to promote FLOSS.

 

Bobby Soriano's IPD in the Philippines is campaining

"internally" for that group to migrate to FLOSS. Bobby is

himself actively involved with FLOSS advocacy. Says he: "We

have a 20-computer FLOSS training facility. Organisations get

a time slot to use these facilities, to learn."

 

Says Ahmed of VOICE, APC's newish member in Dhaka,

Bangladesh: "We get convinced about the need for FLOSS. The

quiestion is how to do it, and how to be acquainted.

Technically, we lack the knowledge."

 

Australia-based APC-member C20 did a survey on attitudes of

non-profit organisations towards FLOSS. This is currently

under processing. They also did work on FLOSS in higher

education for UNESCO in Paris.

 

BytesForAll's Readers list

[http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bytesforall_readers] has been

active in promoting FLOSS ideas and campaigns. Its members

have also played a role in networking GNU/Linux user-groups

across South Asia (there are 130+ in India itself). Besides,

the BytesForAll network has been actively trying to build

FLOSS bridges of friendship across the conflict-prone region

of South Asia.

 

One suggestion that came up was to promote the 'transfer of

knowledge' by making available technology magazines from the

North to readers in the South.

 

At APC's Asia-Pacific members' meet held in the coastal

Australian city of Sydney recently, some felt it was

important for APC's concerned members to focuss on the

challenges that block the wider implementation of FLOSS,and

also look close as to what APC as a group would manage.

 

From the Phillipines, FMA (the Foundation for Media

Alternatives) is offering individual trainings and sessions

with NGOs. They have finished working on a 'FLOSS and

education' paper. Recently, they also entered the world of

'websining' (linking FLOSS and creative workers). FMA's Al

Alegre says this is something "beyond our normal comfort

zone". This group also is part of Bukas, an "open platform"

made up of 17 likeminded organisatinos, to promote the ideals

of Free Software and Open Source.

 

From South Korea, Jinbonet's PatchA says: "We've been using

FLOSS in several activites. Number 1 among these is for our

hosting server operation, webmail, and blogs. Also, we have a

project to provide internet tool for setting up websitew.  We

have held a workshop on how to use FLOSS, (the popular

browser) Firefox and (email client) Thunderbird. In Korea

people familiar with (proprietorial software's) Microsoft

platform. FLOSS is a small community, but growing."

 

LOCALISATION TOO

 

Kong 'Da' Sidaroth of the Open Institute at Phnom Penh in

Cambodia says: "The FLOSS localisation project (in Cambodia)

started because of the idea that there is no computer

application available in Khmer. So students, government or

officials wanting to use a computer, have to first learn

English."

 

Sidaroth herself graduated in Computer Science and

Engineering in 2002, and has worked with non-profits. She

attended the Asia Source 2 camp held earlier in 2007 in

Indonesia. Source camps are an attempt at promoting links

between FLOSS and non-profit organisations.

 

Sidaroth works on a network for e-learning of knowledge

sharing to train institutions and conduct research on the

state of e-learning in Cambodia.

 

"(In the Cambodian localisation-of-software campaign) we

translated applications that people already use -- email,

internet, office. These software can also be used on a

(properietorial) Microsoft platform. But they are all Open

Source. People have started to shift to FLOSS (after tools in

local langauge came out there)," says she.

 

In Cambodia, they've also developed training material, and

provided training to trainers. Says Sidaroth: "We also work

on a FLOSS project in collaboration with the government. We

want the government to adopt FLOSS because of the economic

situation in the country."

 

MEMBERS INVOLVED

 

Chat Ramilo points out that some APC members and individuals

have been involved in FLOSS projects in the Asia-Pacific

region, such as the Asia Source Camps, and mapping of

contributors to FLOSS.

 

With the 'regionalising' of the IOSN (International Open

Source Network), whose agenda is to promote FLOSS in the

Asia-Pacific region, non-profit groups hope to work even more

actively with the SouthEastAsia+3 regional nodes set up in

the area.

 

In Pakistan, the OSRC (Open Source Resource Centre) has

launched an NGO (non-government organisation) toolkit,

according to Shahzad of BytesForAll.

 

Says Chat Ramilo: "Some (APC members) are beginning to look

at FLOSS and are interested. Others are plugged into networks

doing work into FOSS already. This time (the Asia Source 2

camp) had 40% women participation. We did quite a lot of work

in recommending as many women as we could."

 

APC member in the Philippines FMA has argued in another

context: "Because of its open and free nature, the use and

adoption of FOSS in the Philippines can have profound

benefits whether used in the public or private sector. In a

landmark research done by the European Commission, it was

found that adoption and use of FOSS can result in significant

political, economic and social benefits."

 

FMA believes that "by adopting policies that support or

advocate greater and more extensive use of F[L]OSS", the

Philippines can reap the benefits of: lower ICT costs;

interoperability of systems; vendor independence; better

security; decrease software piracy in the country;

development of a local ICT industry; increased competition;

reduced imports and conservation of foreign exchange; and

guaranteed access to information and knowledge.

 

As FMA puts it, the advantages of FLOSS can no longer be

seriously doubted. (ENDS)

--

Frederick Noronha  Journalist http://fn.goa-india.org

E: fred AT bytesforall.org or fredericknoronha AT gmail.com

P: +91-832-2409490 M: +91-9970157402

Yahoo: fredericknoronha Skype: fredericknoronha GTalk: fredericknoronha

784, Sonarbhat, Near Lourdes Convent, Saligao 403511 Goa India

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