<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Arun M</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:colonel.m@gmail.com">colonel.m@gmail.com</a>></span><br>Date: 2010/8/19<br>
Subject: Re: [hipatia-socios] documento<br>To: La lista de los socios de ONG-hipatia <<a href="mailto:hipatia@listas.hipatia.net">hipatia@listas.hipatia.net</a>><br><br><br>Dear All,<div><br></div><div>I learn that there is some discussion in Hipatia on use of term public software.</div>
<div>I dont follow it due to linguistic barrier. But I thought i should give a quick update</div><div>of what is happening in India.�</div>
<div><br></div><div>I've been keeping away from free software scene in India for last one and a half year.</div><div>Partly the reason is I see a�bureaucratic-NGO take over of free software scene�</div><div>in India. Philosophy �and community does not stand much any more (Money Money Money!).</div>
<div><br></div><div>Couple of weeks back I got a call from a friend who works with Govt of Kerala. He</div><div>told me that chief�bureaucrat�in the govt�received�a letter from an NGO suggesting�</div><div>that term Free and Open Source Software in the govt policy document may be�</div>
<div>replace with 'Public Software'. Bureaucrat was in�favor of the suggestion. But I asked</div><div>minister's office to reject the suggestion as any change in policy needs ot be done</div><div>only in consultation with public. (We had several rounds of public open discussions</div>
<div>across the region to arrive at our policy- very open�transparent�process)�</div><div><br></div><div><div>�</div><div>Then I tried to understand what is public sector software. One document I found is attached to this letter.�</div>
<div>I feel that�intention here is not very good. Going through search results I got I found that it is just a single organisation, IT for Change,�which does not have any considerable experience or commitment on free�</div>
<div>software that tries to promote�this. Though it is good that they are trying to promote free software in�</div><div>government. To me their strategy looks�to be an effort to remove freedom from the discussion. Same�</div>
<div>old issue with Open Source, while Open Source�was coined in the interest of private business, here new�</div><div>name to enter into public projects- Accessing public fund, making friends with �!�</div><div><br></div>
<div>Interestingly this group which does not have any experience in free software obtained funding from EU and UNESCO !!!! Now you see right ? Who needs community, who needs freedom ! Free software movement, as it is getting�institutionalized�through�complacent NGO, is loosing revolutionary content. Only good thing is Richard has put it in a very strong foundation with GNU GPL.�</div>
<div><br></div><div>(I am loosing my interest in free software movement as a revolutionary movement. It has been taken over by NGOs and Financial interests.Doesnt mean that I dont contribute or support the idea). �</div>
<div>
<br></div><div>Couple of links:</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.itforchange.net/oss/83-ps.html" target="_blank">http://www.itforchange.net/oss/83-ps.html</a></div><div><a href="https://www.pubsoft.org/pubsoft.py/index" target="_blank">https://www.pubsoft.org/pubsoft.py/index</a></div>
<div><a href="http://public-software-centre.org/" target="_blank">http://public-software-centre.org/</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>May be the first use of public�software�:-</div><div><a href="http://publicsoftwarefoundation.org/index.php?wiki=Release2008-04-09" target="_blank">http://publicsoftwarefoundation.org/index.php?wiki=Release2008-04-09</a></div>
<div><a href="http://karlierobinson.blogspot.com/2010/02/public-software-rides-again-maybe.html" target="_blank">http://karlierobinson.blogspot.com/2010/02/public-software-rides-again-maybe.html</a></div><div><br></div><div>
�</div><div>
<br>
</div><div>--------</div><div>Kochi Declaration on Public Software</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We, the participants of the �International Conference on Public Sector Software and FOSS in</div><div>Education�, jointly organised by UNESCO and Government of Kerala, in Kochi, Kerala,</div>
<div>after detailed deliberations amongst various stakeholders from May 27 to 29, 2010</div><div>on the context, need and imperatives for software that is in alignment with the</div><div>spirit of the public sector, hereby make the following declaration:</div>
<div><br></div><div>�</div><div><br></div><div>We understand Public Software as software, used for serving the public interest, developed or procured through public funding, and publicly owned, permitting its free sharing, modification and distribution. Recognising the unique context of public software and its objectives of ensuring equity and social justice has implications for ensuring universal access to such software, and transparency and participation by the citizens in its design and use.</div>
<div><br></div><div>�</div><div><br></div><div>We define Public Sector for the purpose of this declaration broadly, as comprising of institutions working for public interest, which include governments, entities established by acts of parliament, academia and civil society institutions.</div>
<div><br></div><div>�</div><div><br></div><div>We recommend that:</div><div><br></div><div>As universal access to public services requires universal access to software, especially as more and more of such services are delivered through the use of ICTs, Public Software needs to be freely shareable amongst all members of society.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Public institutions uphold the principles of transparency, equity, public participation and accountability to larger society. Therefore, it is essential that Public Software be open to permit public overview, participation and audit.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Public Software must use open standards that ensure interoperability, and portability across multiple media.</div><div><br></div><div>Repositories for Public Software resources be established at national and sub-national levels, that support re-use of applications.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Digital learning material should not be procured on a royalty basis and any exception should need justification.</div><div><br></div><div>�</div><div><br></div><div>We believe that</div><div><br></div>
<div>Public Software requires 'strategic and substantive public ownership' for which ownership of source code is necessary but not sufficient. To this end, it must be ensured that the public agency commissioning a software development or procurement take up complete ownership of the software. This ownership should be real and not nominal providing the concerned public agency with full ability to share and modify the software as required, in perpetuity</div>
<div><br></div><div>This requires adequate and relevant capacity building of public functionaries, stakeholder participation in design and development, componentisation of the development process, as well as required user and program documentation</div>
<div><br></div><div>To realise strategic and substantive public ownership, aspects of documentation, content, connectivity, data security and citizen privacy should meet the test of public sector imperatives</div><div><br>
</div><div>�</div><div><br></div><div>We commit to take forward the experiences and learnings in Public Software, advocate and</div><div>support Indian states and South Asian countries to adopt Public Software principles.</div>
<div>We welcome the offer of Government of Kerala to support this effort, and we</div><div>acknowledge the role of UNESCO as facilitator in this process.</div><div>We urge governments and other public institutions in these</div>
<div>countries to adopt and promote Public Software</div><div>in the spirit of this Declaration.</div></div>
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<br></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Diego Saravia<br><a href="mailto:Diego.Saravia@gmail.com">Diego.Saravia@gmail.com</a><br>NO FUNCIONA-><a href="mailto:dsa@unsa.edu.ar">dsa@unsa.edu.ar</a><br>