A Baseline Survey on Free and Open Source Software in the South … · 2005. 6. 29. · Lupeti Fihaki, Tuvalu Kisione Finau, Fiji Islands Monica Gabriel, Samoa Jeffrey Garae, Vanuatu

A Baseline Survey on Free and Open Source Software in the South Pacific: Knowledge, Awareness, and Usage - p. 1/22

A Baseline Survey on Free andOpen Source Software in theSouth Pacific: Knowledge,

Awareness, and Usage.

Marko SchützDept. of Math & CS, USP, Suva, Fiji

[email protected]

Natasha KhanICT Capacity Building at USP, USP, Suva, Fiji

[email protected]

Atish ChandDept. of Math & CS, USP, Suva, Fiji

[email protected]

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation

·FOSS benefits /requirements

·Questions andObjectives

·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Software• software is a medium• different representations: source code,

machine code• machine code: for execution on computer• source code: for humans to read, modify, ...

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Free/open source software• distinction based on rights:

proprietary softwareuse on one computer

free and open source softwarefree distribution, access to source code,modifiable, redistribution

• “Free as in freedom,not free as in free beer”

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


MotivationFOSS usage increasing world-wide.Benefits derived in diverse environments.Ranging:• from developing to developed countries• from poor, rural regions to rich city

administrations• from very small to very large organizations

(e.g. ICBC in China: 390,000 employees)• over diverse private sector corporations in

e.g. IT, banking, hotel franchise,toy retailers

• from primary to tertiary education

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


FOSS benefits / requirementsaccessibility

adequate procurement

assistance

auditing

awareness

capacity building

community

empower

enable learning

job creation

license cost

government needs

localization

reliability

local investment

security

vendor independence

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Questions and ObjectivesQuestion

“What are the obstacles for maximizingthe benefits derived from FOSS forthe region?”

Objectives• Knowledge and awareness

◦ heard of FOSS◦ understand its principles, principles of

proprietary software◦ able to classify popular packages

(Mozilla, Apache, Internet Explorer)◦ sources of knowledge

• ...

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Questions and ObjectivesObjectives cont.

• Usage◦ extent of usage◦ who uses it?◦ purpose of usage◦ reasons for using / not using

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Methodology• quantitative and qualitative• 467 structured interviews• distinguish organizations and individuals• participation from Fiji, Marshall Islands,

Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu,and Vanuatu

• no interest from Cook Islands, Kiribati,Nauru, Niue, and Tokelau

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


MethodologyInternet Sample Completed

Country Population users size interviews

Fiji Is. 851,820 55,000 300 159

Marshall Is. 54,313 1,400 40 30

Samoa 181,983 4,000 90 88

Solomon Is. 470,661 2,500 40 40

Tonga 103,058 2,900 80 77

Tuvalu 9,743 1,300 30 25

Vanuatu 213,364 7,500 40 48

Total 1,884,942 74,600 620 467

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Background• based on 387 interviews

(225 organizations, 162 individuals)• at least a degree

42.7% organizations, 56.0% individualshigher degrees → larger organizations

• above age 3531.1% organizations, 10.5% individuals

• one third small, one third medium, one thirdmicro + large organizations

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


BackgroundOrganization’s sector % of total

Government and Public Sector 30.5

Private Sector 51.6

Civil Society 4.2

Regional Organisation 7.5

Other 6.1

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Awareness• heard of FOSS

51.6% organizations, 59.3% individualsvaries with country, organization size

• want to know more57.8% organizations, 69.1% individuals

• understand basic FOSS principles24.4% organizations, 29.6% individualsbetter understanding in largerorganizations

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Awareness• understand FOSS license principles

< 2%• classify popular packages

frequently misclassified:Netscape, Java, Mozilla, Real Player,MySQL / PostgreSQL, Internet Explorer,Windows Media Player

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Usage• currently using proprietary software

91.1% organizations, n.a. to individuals• currently using FOSS

27.1% organizations, 34.0% individuals• used FOSS before, but not anymore

0.9% organizations, 4.9% individuals• FOSS usage varies

13.2% organizations in Tonga –45.8% individuals in Fiji

• 5.7% turnover ≤ F$30,000 –37.3% turnover > F$2 million

• 23.1% government and public sector –50.0% regional organizations

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Recommendationsproblem lack of financial incentive due to use

of unauthorized copies. High unforeseencost when laws or enforcement changes.

recommendations• small business training addresses

licensing (proprietary and FOSS)• industrial and professional organizations

educate about risks and alternatives• regional organizations inform on

proprietary and FOSS licensing• USP strengthens information and

education on FOSS and proprietary andFOSS licensing

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Recommendationsproblem general unawareness of FOSS and

its characteristics hinders maximal benefitgood sources Internet, magazines,

newspapers, work colleaguesrecommendations

• focus on good sources to increaseawareness

• IT workers form a common forum forsharing FOSS information

• authoritative FOSS personnel producecolumns on FOSS in PIC newspapers

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Recommendationsproblem stable, low-cost Internet access

conducive for participation in FOSS, helpspromoting and utilizing FOSS, butunavailable in PICs

recommendations• regional governments strive for cheap,

reliable and fast Internet accesscomparable to developed nations.

• PICs and ICT organizations support aregional FOSS repository distributed viaDVD/CD for those without reliableInternet access

• FOSS developers are granted privilegedInternet access

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Recommendationsproblem usage in government seems

sporadic, not part of strategy or vision.recommendations

• government officials are educated onFOSS

• regional governments develop ICTstrategy and (procurement) policiesconsidering advantages andcharacteristics of FOSS

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Recommendationsproblem difficulty migrating to FOSS due to

lack of training facilities and cost ofmigration

recommendations• promote functional comparison of

proprietary and FOSS applications, e.g.MS Office and OpenOffice, to assistmigration

• training of instructors to assist withmigration

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Recommendationsproblem teaching at USP is biased towards

proprietary software, internally andexternally distributed files use proprietaryformats, and there is little awareness ofFOSS in secondary education

recommendations• curricula at tertiary and secondary

schools include FOSS• CS and IS curricula at USP ensure

adequate treatment of FOSS• official policy encourages use of open

standards in file exchange (e.g. PDF,HTML, RTF, XML, CSV)

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Recommendationsrecommendations cont.

• provide cheap computers installed withrelevant light-weight FOSS systems andapplications to PICs primary andsecondary schools

• teacher training institutes, PIC Ministriesof Education, and teaching associationsprovide training to teachers andcurriculum developers on FOSS

• the USP BED program in ComputerStudies and other teaching qualificationprogrammes include FOSS education

·Software

·Free & open

·Motivation



·Methodology

·Background

·Awareness

·Usage

·Recommendations

·Thanks


Thanks• Abdul Nadeem Aziz,

Fiji Islands

• Mark Dennis, Solomon Islands

• Lupeti Fihaki, Tuvalu

• Kisione Finau, Fiji Islands

• Monica Gabriel, Samoa

• Jeffrey Garae, Vanuatu

• Mesui Halaufia, Tonga

• Maki Kato, Fjii Islands

• Dohsis Lokot, Marshall Islands

• Nola Mahe, Fiji Islands

• Christina Mitini,Solomon Islands

• Grinalee Mizutani,Marshall Islands

• Christian Omlin, Fiji Islands

• Tobias Pfeil, Germany

• Philip Pukefenua,Solomon Islands

• Steven Ratuva, Fiji Islands

• Vishal Sanjeeva Reddy,Fiji Islands

• Petra Schmuck, Fiji Islands

• Taniela Sila, Tonga

• Julia Solofa, Samoa

• Mataina Solofa, Samoa

• Adrian Vatuvoi, Tonga

• Edward Williams, Vanuatu

SoftwareFree/open source softwareMotivationFOSS benefits / requirementsQuestions and ObjectivesQuestions and ObjectivesMethodologyMethodologyBackgroundBackgroundAwarenessAwarenessUsageRecommendationsRecommendationsRecommendationsRecommendationsRecommendationsRecommendationsRecommendationsThanks

Documents

A Baseline Survey on Free and Open Source Software in the South … · 2005. 6. 29. · Lupeti Fihaki, Tuvalu Kisione Finau, Fiji Islands Monica Gabriel, Samoa Jeffrey Garae, Vanuatu