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Strategies & PoliciesStrategies & Policiesfor the implementation offor the implementation ofFree & and Open Source SoftwareFree & and Open Source Software

in Higher Education Institutionsin Higher Education InstitutionsPaul ScottPaul Scott

University of Western CapeUniversity of Western Cape

Prof. Dr. Frederik QuestierProf. Dr. Frederik QuestierVrije Universiteit BrusselVrije Universiteit Brussel

Presented atPresented atE-learning Africa 2010E-learning Africa 2010

Lusaka, ZambiaLusaka, Zambia

AttributionNon-commercial

License(except images)

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Who are we?Who are we?

Paul ScottPaul Scott

University of Western Cape, South AfricaUniversity of Western Cape, South Africa

Head of free software innovation unitHead of free software innovation unit

Architect and lead developer of ChisimbaArchitect and lead developer of Chisimba

Frederik QuestierFrederik Questier

Vrije Universiteit Brussel, BelgiumVrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium

Professor learning technologiesProfessor learning technologies

Research and Innovation Director ChamiloResearch and Innovation Director Chamilo

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OverviewOverview

Free & Open Source SoftwareFree & Open Source Software

What?What?

Why?Why?

Barriers?Barriers?

Strategies and policies for implementationStrategies and policies for implementation

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For a better worldFor a better world

"The most fundamental way of helping other people,"The most fundamental way of helping other people,

is to is to teachteach people how to do things better people how to do things better

or how to better their lives.or how to better their lives.

For people who use computers,For people who use computers,

this means this means sharingsharing the recipes you use on your computer, the recipes you use on your computer,

in other words the programs you run."in other words the programs you run."

Richard StallmanRichard Stallman

Free Software Foundation.Free Software Foundation.

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Free (Libre Open Source) SoftwareFree (Libre Open Source) SoftwareFLOSSFLOSS

The The freedomfreedom to to

run run the program for any purposethe program for any purpose

studystudy how the program works, how the program works,

and to adapt it to your needs

redistributeredistribute copies copies

improve the program,improve the program,

and and release your improvementsrelease your improvements to the public. to the public.

These freedoms require access to the source codeThese freedoms require access to the source code

Source code: if encrypt(password) == encryptedpassword, then login=1, end

Compiled code: 001001011101010011001100001111011000110001110001101

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The free software worldThe free software worldcharacteristicscharacteristics

FLOSS exists for all tasksFLOSS exists for all tasks

HugeHuge

e.g. 230K projects, 2M contributors @ sourceforge.nete.g. 230K projects, 2M contributors @ sourceforge.net

e.g. IBM > 1 billion $ per yeare.g. IBM > 1 billion $ per year

Several business modelsSeveral business models

Well organisedWell organised

User friendlyUser friendly ← written by users for users← written by users for users

Cross-platformCross-platform ← recompile source code← recompile source code

High development paceHigh development pace ← reuse of best modules← reuse of best modules

High qualityHigh quality ← peer review, reuse = survival of the fittest← peer review, reuse = survival of the fittest

High securityHigh security ← peer review, Unix origin, modular, encryption← peer review, Unix origin, modular, encryption

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Why FLOSS?Why FLOSS?

reduce (license) costsreduce (license) costs

reduce digital dividereduce digital divide

eliminate software piracyeliminate software piracy

easier license managementeasier license management

easy to localize and customizeeasy to localize and customize

better qualitybetter quality (peer review, intrinsic-motivated developers)(peer review, intrinsic-motivated developers)

increase securityincrease security (security by design vs security by obscurity)(security by design vs security by obscurity)

increase interoperability increase interoperability (open standards)(open standards)

reduce dependencies reduce dependencies from monopolies & foreign software companiesfrom monopolies & foreign software companies

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Bridging the digital divideBridging the digital divide

"Africa can bridge the digital divide"Africa can bridge the digital divide

by adopting open sourceby adopting open source

thus narrowing the effect of techno-colonialism"thus narrowing the effect of techno-colonialism"

““Need for technologyNeed for technology

that is controlled by local communitiesthat is controlled by local communities

and not by foreign companies,and not by foreign companies,

that is public propertythat is public property

and empowers people to be self-reliant”and empowers people to be self-reliant”

www.FOSSFA.netwww.FOSSFA.net

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Who believes softwareWho believes softwareis better Free and Open?is better Free and Open?

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Who is using FLOSS?Who is using FLOSS?

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Why are you not using FLOSS?Why are you not using FLOSS?

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Perceived barriers?Perceived barriers?

Following the herd?Following the herd?

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Perceived barriers?Perceived barriers?

pre-installation of closed softwarepre-installation of closed software

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Perceived barriers?Perceived barriers?

Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt aboutabout

features?features?

quality? (hobbyist quality? (hobbyist programmers?)programmers?)

sustainability?sustainability?

support?support?

requirement to participate requirement to participate in the community?in the community?

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Perceived barriers?Perceived barriers?

anti-competitive behaviouranti-competitive behaviour

monopoly abusemonopoly abuse

secret formatssecret formats

secret protocolssecret protocols

data and vendor lock-insdata and vendor lock-ins

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Perceived barriers?Perceived barriers?

LiabilityLiability

Who can we sue?Who can we sue?

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Perceived barriers?Perceived barriers?

transition costs?transition costs?

plethora of choiceplethora of choice

(e.g. >313 Linux distributions)(e.g. >313 Linux distributions)

limited in house expertise?limited in house expertise?

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Who can break the monopoly?Who can break the monopoly?

EducationEducation

““We teach MS because that is what companies use”We teach MS because that is what companies use”

CompaniesCompanies

““We cannot use FLOSS because our employees don't know it”We cannot use FLOSS because our employees don't know it”

EmployeesEmployees

Growing number starts using FLOSS at homeGrowing number starts using FLOSS at home

Not happy with inferior software at workNot happy with inferior software at work

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Institutional FLOSS taskforce / Institutional FLOSS taskforce / expertise / innovation centerexpertise / innovation center

Create awarenessCreate awareness

Involve all stakeholdersInvolve all stakeholders

including highest managementincluding highest management

Expertise & capacity buildingExpertise & capacity building

Resources for experimentation & innovationResources for experimentation & innovation

Provide support – sustainabilityProvide support – sustainability

DocumentationDocumentation

Training → certificationTraining → certification

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PoliciesPolicies

Purchasing policiesPurchasing policies

FLOSS, except if no good alternativeFLOSS, except if no good alternative

AskAsk

argumentationargumentation

which alternatives consideredwhich alternatives considered

Open standardsOpen standards

Open coursewareOpen courseware

Free & Open LicensesFree & Open Licenses

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Example proposalExample proposalFLOSS policyFLOSS policy

X wants to X wants to encourageencourage the use of Free Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) in the partner the use of Free Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) in the partner institutions.institutions.

X will only fund the X will only fund the implementation and trainingimplementation and training of FLOSS, unless proprietary software is of FLOSS, unless proprietary software is demonstrated to be significantly superior and necessary for the required tasks. Whenever X funds demonstrated to be significantly superior and necessary for the required tasks. Whenever X funds are to be used for proprietary software, reasons must be provided (including a list of FLOSS are to be used for proprietary software, reasons must be provided (including a list of FLOSS alternatives considered) and approved by X.alternatives considered) and approved by X.

In the case In the case hardwarehardware funded by X comes with proprietary software pre-installed, it must be funded by X comes with proprietary software pre-installed, it must be demonstrated that the maximum is done to convince the manufacturer or supplier to only deliver demonstrated that the maximum is done to convince the manufacturer or supplier to only deliver FLOSS. Suppliers that are willing to provide hardware with FLOSS are to be preferred above FLOSS. Suppliers that are willing to provide hardware with FLOSS are to be preferred above those that don't.those that don't.

Software developed with X funds must be published under a Software developed with X funds must be published under a FLOSS LicenseFLOSS License, where possible, in , where possible, in order to maximize its usefulness for other developing countries.order to maximize its usefulness for other developing countries.

X advises new development projects to include a X advises new development projects to include a work package around FLOSS awarenesswork package around FLOSS awareness creation, expertise building, policy definition, training, support and implementation.creation, expertise building, policy definition, training, support and implementation.

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How to handleHow to handlethe plethora of choice?the plethora of choice?

define requirementsdefine requirements

indicators of high quality & sustainabilityindicators of high quality & sustainability

mature, stable softwaremature, stable software

active communityactive community

availability of support & documentationavailability of support & documentation

need/possibility to change the code?need/possibility to change the code?

need/possibility to participate in the community?need/possibility to participate in the community?

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When to migrate?When to migrate?

Time transitionsTime transitions

at the end of existing contractsat the end of existing contracts

at hardware / software upgrade timesat hardware / software upgrade times

Consider migrating in phasesConsider migrating in phases

serversservers

desktop applicationsdesktop applications

→ → multi-platformmulti-platform

→ → web-basedweb-based

desktop OSdesktop OS

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Key success factorsKey success factorsfor migration & implementationfor migration & implementation

resources to experimentresources to experiment

an evidence-based choicean evidence-based choice

involvement of both technical and non-technical users in the involvement of both technical and non-technical users in the selection processselection process

choice for a new system which is in all aspects at least as choice for a new system which is in all aspects at least as good and easy as the previous onegood and easy as the previous one

reporting detailed migration plan to management and get reporting detailed migration plan to management and get their approval and supporttheir approval and support

in-house expertise with open source software and in-house expertise with open source software and communitiescommunities

contact with the developers and users communitycontact with the developers and users community

Constant communication with all stakeholdersConstant communication with all stakeholders

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Advantages of being aAdvantages of being acontributing community membercontributing community memberco-decide the direction of developmentco-decide the direction of development

create extensionscreate extensions

user requesteduser requested

research driven innovationresearch driven innovation

more contacts with other educational institutionsmore contacts with other educational institutions

programming projects for studentsprogramming projects for students

better knowledge of the systembetter knowledge of the system

better trouble solvingbetter trouble solving

possibilities for grantspossibilities for grants

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The open wayThe open way

avoid local customization withoutavoid local customization without

contributing backcontributing back

participating in the communityparticipating in the community

establish an 'open source culture' of re-use, establish an 'open source culture' of re-use, collaboration and sharingcollaboration and sharing

Provide FLOSS repositories / CDsProvide FLOSS repositories / CDs

share experiencesshare experiences

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Questions? Thanks!Questions? Thanks!

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AcknowledgementsAcknowledgementsContactContact

Thanks to VLIR-UOS for funding our E-learning Africa participationThanks to VLIR-UOS for funding our E-learning Africa participation

PicturesPictures

Doubt by Elenaa Marie (Flickr)Doubt by Elenaa Marie (Flickr)

Lockin, claustrofobia by Laororo (Flickr)Lockin, claustrofobia by Laororo (Flickr)

Pain Curve, creative commons by P. ScottPain Curve, creative commons by P. Scott

Liability, copyright by Proffman Poland (www.proffman.pl)Liability, copyright by Proffman Poland (www.proffman.pl)

Social networking, creative commons by F. QuestierSocial networking, creative commons by F. Questier

Contact:Contact:

pscott@uwc.ac.za pscott@uwc.ac.za http://www.paulscott.za.net http://www.paulscott.za.net

http://www.chisimba.comhttp://www.chisimba.com

fquestie@vub.ac.be fquestie@vub.ac.be http://questier.com http://questier.com

http://www.chamilo.orghttp://www.chamilo.org