[CS Bureau] Derrick's project - status after Prepcom 2

[Tracey Naughton]

Georg

Your comments are appreciated. Please rest assured that the CSB has 
most certainly registered the choice of software as one of the factors 
in declining to use the collabratory tools that would indeed assist the 
work of the CSB.

As a supporter of Open Source, I am currently immersed in some research 
into telecentres in South Africa. Not one of the ten telecentres 
sampled has heard of Open Source. Many of them don't have phone lines, 
which takes the telephony out of the centre! This will NOT deter the 
research team from  promoting Open Source, but here there are harsh 
realities that compel a responsible introduction. For the 60% of 
unemployed people here, the chance to touch a computer for the first 
time at a telecentre, and then to learn how to use it, in the same way 
they are used in potential workplaces, is often the first life line in 
a life. Maybe they will be able, after a basic computer literacy course 
on pre-loaded terminals at a telecentre - and I mean basic - be able to 
apply for a job, or a place in a tertiary institution. Telecentre 
learners are in a pre-aware state about the variety of operating and 
software options, and their respective political orientation. To train 
them in a new environment would be to make learners more vulnerable 
than they already are.

The Computer Society of South Africa is conducting a staged 
introduction, and migration to Open Source, in its organisation. This 
is a solid foundation for the transfer of knowledge about Open Source. 
People have to have an awareness period before making a transition. It 
isn't a brave new world. But there is staged re-orientation going on 
out here. Also, and very importantly, just because people don't know 
how to use a computer does not mean that there will be an inability to 
discern between software philosophies when that registers on the radar 
screen of finding out more.

Meanwhile, back at the CSB, we want to use tools that are functional 
for everyone, and we want them now, but there are some barriers. The 
main ones are that the tool does not translate and that people who have 
to dial up at a cyber cafe experience another layer of problems joining 
a meeting. OF COURSE, Francis leads the way in advancing Open Source, 
but at the CSB, it's preaching to the converted. There is a principled 
agreement that there must be choice and freedom of access. The 
political dimensions are also understood.

I think this is great feedback for Derrick. He's an academic. He's 
doing focused exploring on our behalf, and the concerns we have 
expressed are valid feedback. He has an opportunity to engineer the 
tool further to address our concerns. Paramount among them, for the 
CSB, is language.

I have heard the question of software raised with Derrick publicly 
before. I believe the tool works with both systems. It would be very 
good to have some feedback.

Regards

Tracey



Tracey Naughton
NYAKA
Communication for Development Consultant
201 Somerset hall
239 Oxford Road
Illovo     2196
South Africa

landline & fax:	+27 (0) 11 880 5030
cell / mobile:	+27 (0) 82 821 1771
email:		tracey at traceynaughton.com
skype:		tracey_naughton