View Full Version : Africa and open source
bryncoles
May 31st, 2010, 02:40 PM
Apparently, Africa is going open source over concerns about becoming over-dependent on Western technology companies (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8711264.stm). Some choice quotes:
"We have to develop and localise the applications so that they work in our own languages.
...
"And it's not necessarily going to be a major vendor who's going to invest in that kind of research and get it to happen."
and
"If all your systems are imported, it creates a new kind of dependency, because you're dependant on those companies to keep your country running."
kaldor
May 31st, 2010, 02:52 PM
Makes a lot of sense. Open source (mainly the free as in cost) is perfect for poorer countries. I know SA isn't totally poor, but it has its problems.
dragos240
May 31st, 2010, 03:07 PM
Makes a lot of sense. Open source (mainly the free as in cost) is perfect for poorer countries. I know SA isn't totally poor, but it has its problems.
Ah, but Africa isn't a country! It's a continent!
bryncoles
May 31st, 2010, 03:18 PM
Ah, but Africa isn't a country! It's a continent!
True dat! And according to the BBC report at least, it is each country within the continent that is going open-source, and banding together.
Earlier this month, the Idlelo conference, organised by the Free Software and Open Source Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA), brought together the continent's cleverest coding minds at Accra, in Ghana, to discuss new software opportunities in Africa.
The software behind the project [Haiti earthquake software] was produced by developers from Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Botswana and many others - including some people from outside the continent.
kaldor
May 31st, 2010, 03:33 PM
Oh, I misread it as South Africa, since I usually see that written down with things related to open source (such as South Africa's free software kiosks, etc)
Now it makes even more sense :)
del_diablo
May 31st, 2010, 03:36 PM
Ah, but Africa isn't a country! It's a continent!
+1, thats my reaction too
koenn
May 31st, 2010, 06:04 PM
Makes a lot of sense. Open source (mainly the free as in cost) is perfect for poorer countries.
The free as in cost may play a role, but I'd think that the free as in freedom(s) is far more important here : no vendor lock-in, the possibility to do their own development without having to start from scratch, ... a form of self-reliance that, in the long run, is going to be far more beneficial than saving a handful of money on license fees
ssj6akshat
May 31st, 2010, 06:19 PM
They probably listened to SABDFL.
juancarlospaco
May 31st, 2010, 06:19 PM
ah, but africa isn't a country! It's a continent!
epic
JDShu
May 31st, 2010, 06:45 PM
Guys, (s)he said SA (South Africa) chill out.
JDShu
May 31st, 2010, 06:52 PM
More on topic with the article, I think its great that countries in Africa are able to harness and train their talent through open source. Optimistic, I know, but perhaps this will stimulate economic development in Africa?
fatality_uk
May 31st, 2010, 07:32 PM
The free as in cost may play a role, but I'd think that the free as in freedom(s) is far more important here : no vendor lock-in, the possibility to do their own development without having to start from scratch, ... a form of self-reliance that, in the long run, is going to be far more beneficial than saving a handful of money on license fees
As koenn said, this aspect is the most desirable. Countries can get locked into a buy-upgrade-buy cycle with many of the larger vendors.
kaldor
May 31st, 2010, 08:07 PM
I think we should all have some sort of open source software in schools everywhere.
My province is nearly 100% Microsoft only. I lost 25% on a web design assignment 2 years ago because I made the site using gedit instead of MS Publisher. I achieved the same results, but I "was supposed to use MS Publisher". Not that there's anything wrong with MS Office, but I hate that we're learning products instead of skills. A local college course here offers "Basic Computer Science" which is learning to use MS Office 2007 and using IE to set up routers, etc.
Getting tired of everything MS-based. In the real world, not everything is based around MS products.
Though, I remember in junior high my tech teacher seemed to be into open source stuff. In grade 7 he wanted us to make a webpage and test it using Mozilla and IE6 and the webpage was to be done by Google searching and using only Mozilla's HTML editor. Skip ahead to high school where I lost 25% for not using Publisher to point and click.
Open stuff is not only cost effective, but it's also more skill-based which should better prepare students for future careers in computing. Learning Powerpoint and Excel is not going to help much.
Edit: About my South Africa/Africa mix up earlier; relax! I already posted it was a mix up in words. I even referred to it as South Africa. Read before you make fun next time. :)
The Real Dave
May 31st, 2010, 09:21 PM
I think we should all have some sort of open source software in schools everywhere.
My province is nearly 100% Microsoft only. I lost 25% on a web design assignment 2 years ago because I made the site using gedit instead of MS Publisher. I achieved the same results, but I "was supposed to use MS Publisher". Not that there's anything wrong with MS Office, but I hate that we're learning products instead of skills. A local college course here offers "Basic Computer Science" which is learning to use MS Office 2007 and using IE to set up routers, etc.
Getting tired of everything MS-based. In the real world, not everything is based around MS products.
Though, I remember in junior high my tech teacher seemed to be into open source stuff. In grade 7 he wanted us to make a webpage and test it using Mozilla and IE6 and the webpage was to be done by Google searching and using only Mozilla's HTML editor. Skip ahead to high school where I lost 25% for not using Publisher to point and click.
Open stuff is not only cost effective, but it's also more skill-based which should better prepare students for future careers in computing. Learning Powerpoint and Excel is not going to help much.
Edit: About my South Africa/Africa mix up earlier; relax! I already posted it was a mix up in words. I even referred to it as South Africa. Read before you make fun next time. :)
I know how you feel, one of my art projects last year was simply no graded just because I used GIMP rather than Photoshop. I've also had the Kompozer vs Dreamweaver debate, and was told by my art teacher to simply go out and buy some real software.
I pointed out to him that he was using one Dreamweaver key on 12 machines, and that maybe he should go buy some "real" software :)
kaldor
May 31st, 2010, 09:32 PM
I know how you feel, one of my art projects last year was simply no graded just because I used GIMP rather than Photoshop. I've also had the Kompozer vs Dreamweaver debate, and was told by my art teacher to simply go out and buy some real software.
I pointed out to him that he was using one Dreamweaver key on 12 machines, and that maybe he should go buy some "real" software :)
That's my point; learn how to use software, not a product. I wasn't specifically a photoshop course I assume, so there shouldn't have been a problem. Same with the website stuff.
comic_rage
June 1st, 2010, 03:23 AM
Makes a lot of sense. Open source (mainly the free as in cost) is perfect for poorer countries. I know SA isn't totally poor, but it has its problems.
Open source isn't "free" in cost. It will require re-training, development, and planning and executing the transition. In the long run, it will be cheaper, but it won't be without costs.
kaldor
June 1st, 2010, 04:25 AM
Open source isn't "free" in cost. It will require re-training, development, and planning and executing the transition. In the long run, it will be cheaper, but it won't be without costs.
In some cases, it really will be free. Entrepreneurs just starting up come to mind here.
comic_rage
June 1st, 2010, 04:47 AM
In some cases, it really will be free. Entrepreneurs just starting up come to mind here.
Entrepreneurs need some developing skills, or to pay others with those skills, to customize OSS to their specialized needs. They have to train employees to use it. It's not the same as making the switch from Windows to Linux on a single-user machine. In the latter case, it's a matter of downloading the disk, installing and a little self-training. For mission critical government and business systems, "learn as you go" is not really an option.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.2 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.