The following article was from Russel Southwood'sBalancing Act email.
A LINUX TOOLKIT FOR NON TECHNICIANS IN COMMUNITY BASED TELECENTRES
As one of its objectives within the TELELAC II project, co-ordinated by
Fundaci�n Chasquinet www.chasquinet.org <http://www.chasquinet.org> and
sponsored by International Development Research Centre IDRC-CRDI
(www.idrc.ca <http://www.idrc.ca> ) and the Institute for Connectivity in
the Americas - ICA (www.icamericas.net <http://www.icamericas.net> ) from
Canada, it is focusing on the issue of technological sustainability and, one
of its finished products is the TC-Toolkit 2.0 which is a tool kit of open
source software for community based telecentres and for non technicians
that are in charge of telecentres.
The main components of the toolkit are:
- Introduction to technological sustainability: The reasons for why
a tool kit for open source software for community based telecentres is
necessary.
- More in-depth information about technological sustainability
based on the right to communicate, economic inequality and how community
based telecentres should use open source software to address these issues.
- A hands-on, step by step guide that is graphically illustrated and
easy to follow to the setting up of a telecentre with open source software:
computers, installation of the hardware, installation of the local area
network and installation of linux in a server. A linux manual and
frequently asked questions (FAQ) as a trouble-shooting guide.
- Tips for hardware and software maintenance and understanding basic
concepts.
- A section on FAQ: introduction and general information, processes
before installation, processes during installation, administration amongst
other topics.
- An interactive forum to deal with other queries and problems to
which you might not have found the answers in the FAQ section.
The toolkit is the result of a two year collaborative research process with
technical and non technical members of [EMAIL PROTECTED] network, on how
community based telecentres should use open source software as an
alternative when they do not have the resources to pay for commercial
software among other issues.
The toolkit was presented in the Third Regional Meeting of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
held in Sao Paulo Brazil May 26-29, 2004. The toolkit is in Spanish and the
Prefecture of Sao Paulo
http://www.prefeitura.sp.gov.br/sid/encontros/latino.htm is going to
translate it into Portuguese and enhance it by adding their own experiences.
The toolkit is available on CD but you can also find it at the following
address:
http://www.tele-centros.org/toolkit2.0.htm It would very much like to hear
your comments and please send them to the following email address
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Kiggundu Mukasa # Computer Network Consultancy###
KYM-NET LTD. # Intranets & Internet Solutions#
Plot 80 Kanjokya Street
P.O. Box 24284 Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256 77 972255
+256 71 221141
Fax: +256 31 262122
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