[GKD] NGOs and Free Software
Volunteering and Free Software Below is a list of ten reasons why volunteering organisations -- called non-government organisations (NGOs) in some countries -- need to take a close look and deploy Free Software: * If NGOs don't subscribe to the principles of sharing freely, reuse and waste-minimisation, then who will? * If NGOs take the easy way out and end up on the side of a global monopoly, then words and deeds don't match. * 'Freedom' is something NGOs always talk about, in whatever form. In the software world, this is already a reality. The possibility exists; are we ready to take a little extra trouble (the initial learning curve) in opting for it? * Because NGOs need quality, stable software. * Because NGOs are even more talent-rich, resource-poor than most in the Third World. * Because Free Software works out reasonably priced both in the short and long term. * Because Free Software creates local jobs and multiplies local skills. * Because Free Software is transparent enough for you to (i) learn it, if you have the technical background (ii) make custom changes in the manner you wish to, or pay others to do this for you (iii) enable both you and your staff to learn at a much more deeper, rather than superficial level. * Because Free Software is an ethical choice -- not one of convenience. * NGOs receive and disseminate much information. It helps to be able to access info (in digital format) without having to (i) break the law (ii) spend money to purchase applications to 'read' the information. Use of swatantra software enables that, as South India-based lawyer Mahesh Pai [EMAIL PROTECTED] points out. * Because free software empowers computer users and encourages them to cooperate, as Richard M Stallman notes. Copyleft 2004, Frederick Noronha --- Frederick Noronha (FN) Nr Convent Saligao 403511 Goa India Freelance JournalistP: 832-2409490 M: 9822122436 http://www.livejournal.com/users/goalinks http://fn.swiki.net http://www.ryze.com/go/fredericknoronha http://fn-floss.notlong.com --- Difficulties to send email across? Write to fredericknoronha at vsnl.net === Please avoid sending me Word or PowerPoint attachments See http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
[GKD] Software Localisation Developers Invite Your Input
Dear List Members, While GKD was in a focused discussion last month, there was a localization development sprint in Warsaw (20-22 Nov.). Here is the announcement that went out after the meeting, which invites input. Don Osborn Bisharat.net *** Announcing the LocalisationDev.org Wiki and Planet Localisation We Heartily Invite Your Participation and Contributions! http://localisationdev.org/ The first Localisation Developers Sprint took place in Warsaw, Poland from 20 to 22 November, 2004. The event brought together a diverse group of leaders and innovators in software and documentation localisation for the NGO sector to share experiences, compare projects and practices, and document the same. The Sprint was organised by Aspiration http://www.aspirationtech.org and Tactical Tech Collective http://www.tacticaltech.org. The goals of the Localisation Sprint were three-fold: * Individuals working in the localisation field rarely enjoy the opportunity to convene, grow relationships and collaborate on applied projects; the sprint provided a venue for enhancing the social network of localisation practitioners while focusing on concrete outcomes. * Participants mapped out the localisation landscape, from tools to guides to practices; many exciting projects and initiatives are underway around the globe, but few top-down views exists into the range of projects. * Participants laid the foundation and initial groundwork for curricula designed to educate developers, technical intermediaries and funders in the best practices and sustainable processes for localisation in a broad scope of technology and documentation contexts around the globe. The curricula will see their first use at Asia Source in January 2005 http://tacticaltech.org/asiasource/, an event bringing together NGO technology activists and intermediaries from Southeast Asia to discuss free and open source software deployment for civil society organisations in the region. All materials generated at the sprint are being published under Creative Commons license to encourage the broadest use, adoption and ongoing enhancement of those resources. We invite anyone interested in these topics to visit http://localisationdev.org/ to survey the work to this point and to add their own knowledge, experience and comments to the mix. In particular, we invite you to: * View the Wiki at http://wiki.localisationdev.org/ and add your knowledge. We've attempted to create pages aimed at different localisation audiences (including developers, eRiders, funders, and end users), but there is much to be done in completing and broadening these resources. A Wiki is a system of Web pages which allows easy editing/adding of content simply through your Web browser. * Visit Planet Localisation at http://planet.localisationdev.org/, check out the feeds and let us know of blogs we should be aggregating. A Planet is a Web page that includes the most recent entries of the blogs - online diaries - of people with a common interest (here, it's Localisation). * Join the loc-dev mailing list and participate in discussions about creating software that's adaptable for a broader range of locales. To join, send email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] or go to subscription page at http://lists.tacticaltech.org/mailman/listinfo/loc-dev We invite you to please forward this announcement to any appropriate lists, organisations and individuals. Thank you! The LocalisationDev Organisers Aspiration http://www.aspirationtech.org Tactical Tech Collective http://www.tacticaltech.org ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] How Can ICT Create New Business Partnerships?
Reposting from a friendI may not agree with all she says, but most of it makes a lot of sense to me. Shem J. Ochuodho, MSc (Eng), PhD, LLD (Hon) Chairman African Regional Centre for Computing (ARCC) www.arcc.or.ke -Original Message- From: Brightwater [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 4:57 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] How Can ICT Create New Business Partnerships? My responses to the questions posed are to be found immediately below each question. These responses against the following backdrop: That development is not just about poverty reduction but also about building a middle class from amongst the poor. Poverty in Kenya will not go down unless there is a shift in inequality between the poor and the rich. While it is possible to experience substantial economic growth, the wealth created can stay within the rich few leaving the poor to stay where they are as has happened in Kenya where the few rich now control the bulk of the wealth (incomes assets). Redistribution of wealth requires that we address all the Key Development Handles of education, health, micro-/micro finance, real time information (use of telephony etc), agri businesses, governance, environment and other livelihood activities. Only when we combine productive assets with social capital and provide these to the poor, will they be able to participate in the formal markets and improve their wealth and assets. Take for example agri-based economy on which Kenya's 80% of the population still depends and where the bulk of the poor are to be found. Unless this lot is moved from the poor pool to middle class through the development of agriculture and agri-based businesses, economic development will not reduce poverty. And what are the current main hurdles that prevent the poor from migrating to the middle class? Basically their inability to accumulate wealth or capital. To be able to do this the poor therefore need the following: Land, Credit, Technology, the latter two directly linked to ICT. To escape poverty, the poor must be linked to higher value added activities. To escape poverty, the poor must be linked to and participate in well working markets to improve their incomes. To escape poverty, the poor must overcome their capacity deficiencies through social capitalisation, which requires education, good public health, micro credit etc. ICT can and must therefore play a key role in all the development handles for the redistribution of wealth to take place. Without such redistribution of wealth there may be economic growth but with no reduction in poverty in Kenya. Now to the Key Questions: Key Questions: 1) Do you know of examples where ICT helped create win-win partnerships between an international corporation and local entrepreneurs? What factors made it successful? The software sector in India has grown by over 50% since the 1990s creating not only jobs but also acting as a magnet for international investment. India's global reputation for software engineering was recognised when MIT chose Bombay for its third Media Lab in 2001. The other two are in Dublin and Boston. 2) Are there examples of small companies using ICTs to thrive in local contexts, and to collaborate when international corporations demand large-scale production? Please give concrete examples. The closest I am aware of is in the case of corporate members in the UK Government's Policy Action Team on ICT Social Exclusion where rather than purchase commercial ICT support for example to develop a web site, companies sponsor young ICT providers to do the work. 3) How can ICTs be used to encourage corporate investment that creates productive partnerships with the poor in developing countries, and not just expanded consumerism? Technology firm CISCO provides equipment to internet cafes in poor areas, developing countries, and to schools and training centers. It is committed to establishing ICT Training Academies in 24 of the poorest nations. 4) What role can NGOs and universities play with regard to ICT and pro-poor business approaches? Should they partner with businesses to expand ICT-based products and services offered to poor communities? Should they take on a watch-dog role to monitor business practices? These are two separate entities whose roles in ICT will differ. Universities should partner with businesses in as far as carrying out research on integrated ICT set-ups goes. In our early stages of ICT capacity building they should ensure that ICT is used in all courses offered. NGO services would be better utilized as watch-dogs of the standards set by the ICT industry. NGOs have not proven themselves as the best in capacity building. In most cases the resources put under NGO management have not been properly, productively and efficiently used to build capacity. 5) What role should donor agencies play? Should they just focus on improving the ICT regulatory and enabling environment for
