[ubuntu-za] Open source software: Research Africa Qns

[Jan Groenewald]

Hi Deborah,

I am afraid we do not have the capacity to respond to this on such short notice.

I suggest you try the communtiy here:
http://ubuntu-za.org/Wiki_Home
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-za

regards,
Jan

On Mon, Mar 16, 2009 at 10:30:11AM +0200, Deborah-Fay Ndlovu wrote:
>    I hope my email finds you well
>    I got your contacts from Dr Sundin in Sweden who said you are an open
>    source evangelist and would be able to help me with questions below. I am
>    a journalist with Research Africa, a continental science
>    policy magazine based in Cape Town.
>    I am writing a feature on the use of open source software ( a method of
>    software distribution where a programmer creates a program and makes it
>    available for others to use without cost, as well as modify the source
>    code and redistribute the modifications to the software user/developer
>    community) and would like you help with responses for my questions below:
>     
>    Does your institution have a policy that addresses the use of open source
>    software? How many African institutions have open source software
>    policies. Please detail the reason for the creation of the policies?
>    If so, what do the policies entail?  What moves is your institution and
>    Africa institutions in general making to migrate to open source software?
>    Please state your experiences on how the migration process has been like?
>    Is the migration process workable? Please state reason for your answer
>    What are the benefits of open source software in comparison to closed
>    source software? What are the costs for both using  closed and open source
>    software?
>    What challenges is your institution and African institutions in general
>    facing in migrating to open source software and in using both  open source
>    and closed source software? Please state your reason for the response.
>    Is your institution  and are African institutions in general involved in
>    developing open source software, either for its specific needs or as
>    projects that would contribute to community development/ collaboration?
>    Please state the projects and how they have benefitted the users.
>    If your institution is not using open source software please state why you
>    are not doing so and the kind of software you are using. Please also state
>    the reasons for not using open source software for  African countries not
>    complying and the kind of software they are using? 
>    Sorry to rush you but my deadline is on Monday 16 March. If it will suit
>    you we can discuss the responses to these questions over the telephone to
>    save you time writing down the responses.
>    Your help is always appreciated
>    Kind Regards
>    Deborah
>    Journalist
>    Research Africa
>    +27 21 409 2912
>    Alternative email: deborahfayn at gmail.com
>    WWW.RESEARCH-AFRICA.NET

-- 
   .~. 
   /V\     Jan Groenewald
  /( )\    www.aims.ac.za
  ^^-^^