essay by bridges.org
Straight from the Source: Perspectives from the African Free and Open Source Software Movement
A bridges.org essay in collaboration with the Tactical Technology Collective (4 May 2004)
The article is presented in five sections, each of which investigates a pertinent theme: barriers to participation; market forces; avenues for free and open source software in Africa; African non-governmental organisations and FOSS; and developers' expectations about FOSS.
also see the discussion on SLASHDOT Extract from the summary overview:
Not a lot is known about free and open source software (FOSS) developers in Africa. Where do they work? What projects are they working on? Who are they working with? This essay begins to answer some of those questions. It goes on to document the specific opportunities and problems individual FOSS programmers face, and gives a sense of the context that shapes their work environment and the choices available to them in that environment.
It is undeniable that African "coders" encounter considerable obstacles to working in this field: in particular, they have difficulty getting online and face a number of barriers getting access to computers. Many feel cut off from the larger programming community; still others feel dismay at poor prospects for employment. Despite these impediments, there are a number of determined, resourceful and skilled developers in Africa who are committed to forging change -- aiming to create an environment that is conducive to the development of high-quality African free and open source software. in the places they work.
Among the commonly envisioned beneficiaries for the enthusiasm and passion of the free and open source software movement, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) stand out. They typically lack the kind of expertise in technology that might help them increase their impact in their sector, and need help from outside the organisation. Many hope that FOSS developers will be the ones to produce the applications and localise the solutions appropriate for NGOs Other obvious areas for the deployment of African FOSS solutions include small and medium size businesses (SMEs) and the education and health sectors. FOSS bears such promise because its low initial cost and high adaptability might present the right fit for these undercapitalised markets.
Which path programmers and NGOs will have to forge on their way to mutually satisfying collaboration is a source of genuine debate. In addition to painting a picture of what it is like to be a programmer in Africa, this essay chronicles the breadth and evolution of perspectives from both NGO representatives and software developers as they broach the topic of partnership and try to characterise the kinds of solutions that may lie ahead.