Developing online communities withLAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP)

– the IMIA OSNI and CHIRAD experiences

Peter J. MURRAYa, Karl ØYRIb

aCentre for Health Informatics Research and Development (CHIRAD), UK

b Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Norway

Peter J. Murray

Chair, IMIA OSWGChair, IMIA-NI OSNI WGMember, AMIA OSWG leadership teamUK rep. to IMIA

Karl Øyri

Co-chair and webspinner, IMIA-NI OSNI WGMember, IMIA OSWGPresident, Norwegian Medical Informatics Society

Øyri K & Murray PJ (2005) osni.info – using free/libre/open source softwareto build a virtual international community for open source

nursing informatics. IJMI (in press)

Murray PJ, Øyri K & Wright G (2005) osni.info – using open source toolsto build an international community of nurse informaticians.

Revista Cubana Informática Médica, vol.8 (No. 2 Año 5)http://www.cecam.sld.cu/rcim/revista_8/articulo_htm/osni_info.htm

Outline:

- premises underlying the paper

- what is FLOSS?

- LAMP architecture – an overview

- FLOSS Content Management Systems

- the OSNI and CHIRAD experiences

- it's not all a garden of roses, even if it is FLOSS – some issues

- questions and discussion

Premises underlying the paper

- health informatics organisations need to communicate/interact rapidly with their members

- this communication/interaction is increasingly electronic – resulting in de facto online communities

- health informatics organisations have a poor history in using the web and related technologies

- there is an increasing availability of easy-to-use tools (esp. FLOSS) to help build online communities

Reality has already overtaken the paper ...

- EFMI website rebuilt using Mambo FLOSS CMS

- APAMI website being rebuilt with Mambo

What is FLOSS? free/libre/open source software

This term combines the concepts of Free Software and Open Source as defined by the FSF and the OSI ...allows both groups to use the term to more easily discuss and cooperate on issues ... can be used as a compromise term palatable to adherents of either movement.

Has the extra advantage of being less anglocentric:

....”the F stands for Frei in German while the L stands for Libre in French and Spanish, Livre in Portuguese and Libero in Italian, showing that the concepts and their implementation are not exclusive to the english-speaking world".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLOSS

Free software (Free Software Foundation: )

Free software is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand

the concept, you should think of free as in free speech, not as in

free beer.

- so, is free spirit(s), but not free beer.

Free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy,

distribute, study, change and improve the software. More

precisely, it refers to four kinds of freedom, for the users of the

software ....

http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html

Open source software

Open source doesn't just mean access to the source code.

The distribution terms of open-source software must comply

with 10 criteria around:

free redistribution – source code access – no discrimination

against users or uses – licence issues

http://www.opensource.org/docs/definition.php

By FLOSS or 'open source', what I mean are:- includes free/libre/open source software- free software (as FSF definition)- open source software (as OSI definition)- GNU/Linux- and other relevant variants now and in the future.

Many terms – FLOSS, OSS/FS, etc. (in English)- many other countries/languages use 'libre' variants

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLOSS

LAMP architecture – an overview

L = Linux operating system

A = Apache web server

M = My SQL database server/management system

P = PHP scripting language (or Perl or Python)

- PHP-MySQL is cross-platform (ie will run on Windows as well as Linux)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LAMP

FLOSS Content Management Systems

Approx. 30 for developing websites/portals

inc. Postnuke, PHP-Nuke, Mambo, Drupal, XOOPS, Geeklog

www.opensourcecms.com

Also lists blog, wiki, groupware, e-learning, forums/BBs, image galleries, etc.

Plenty of choice – many similarities, but also important differences in functions, ease of use/installation, etc.

Fantastico control panel for ease of installation.

Advantages of FLOSS CMS

- levels of access, administration and moderation can be set for different users/members

- thus workload can be spread in input and maintenance, and in responsibility for areas of site/portal

- reduces reliance on one webspinner, plus fosters sense of community involvement for members

OSNI.INFO

- runs on PostNuke CMS

-modular structure - administration panel

- content areas include:

news items – give information, solicit input

web links – provide a resource base for members and others

documents – direct access, plus links to recommended materials

OSNI.INFO

- content areas include:

reviews of FLOSS software and FAQs being developed

discussion forums

access statistics

other modules can be added and customised

Issues around online communities such as OSNI.INFO

- trying to avoid 'gatekeepers' and encourage involvement

- number signed up as members shows a need is there, and being met

- but most members want to extract and few to input

- issues are not unique to this community

But it's not all a garden of roses, even if it is FLOSS – some issues

- collaborative work is facilitated – but not guaranteed

- colleagues often lack basic technical skills

- time!!!

- language and confidence in use

In conclusion, OSNI.INFO aims to ...

- facilitate communication/interaction and international e-links

- support activities in developing countries (active Cuban involvement in the group)

- use low-cost, freely available software, demonstrate its use/value, and help foster skills development

- we welcome your involvement.

www.osni.info

www.chirad.info/imiaoswg

peter@open-nurse.info

karloy@ulrik.uio.no