Open Source: Chairperson Richard Boateng, PhD. Director of Research, ICITD, Southern University, USA...
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Transcript of Open Source: Chairperson Richard Boateng, PhD. Director of Research, ICITD, Southern University, USA...
Open Source:Open Source:
ChairpersonChairperson
Richard Boateng, PhD.Richard Boateng, PhD.Director of Research, ICITD, Southern University, USALecturer, University of Ghana Business School, Ghana
Website:Website:www.pearlrichards.org; www.icitd.comwww.pearlrichards.org; www.icitd.com
Email:Email:[email protected]@pearlrichards.org
- Solutions for Business- Solutions for Business
www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
UNDERSTANDING FOSS
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“Free/open source software (F/OSS) is software for which the human-readable source code is made available to the user of the software, who can then modify the code in order to fit the software to the users needs.
This is not ‘free’ as in ‘free beer’ but free in the form of expression and usage…
But support & services may not be free…
www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
THE FOSS CHALLENGE
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FOSS Community
ProprietaryCommercial
Software
Resource-poor
Resource-rich
Resource-exploiters
Software Development User Community
Restricted
Access
www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
ICTS, AFRICA & BUSINESS – WHY FOSS
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ICTs diffuse in path of least cost of adoption– Internal IT resource poverty
– Substituting global resources for local resources– Use of social networks and capital
Managerial Capabilities – IT-Business knowledge & Social-Business links
– Intimacy maximizes value from resources– Applications which require Low Tech skills and
knowledge
Post-adoption– ICT becomes a lesser concern ...gradually fades away– More business and social concerns/unintended consequences
www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
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Lesser cost at start-up and long-termRelatively low cost of ownership
Low Tech skill requirement Scalability – resource poor contexts;
language; culture Security – responsiveness; reduce piracy &
increase intellectual property Democratization & Development – more
business/job opportunities
ICTS, AFRICA & BUSINESS – WHY FOSS
www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
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LankahA car firm that enables Ghanaians to purchase used cars from Germany. The firm has no physical showroom or warehouse for the cars. Customers view the cars through the firm’s website and express their interest. Cars are shipped to Ghana after the customers make payment. The company sold 9 cars in 2004; 16 (2005) and 18 (2006). In 2009 (100 cars every two months). – Joomla Content Management SystemCompany FOSS ApplicationEwuraba, Gender Development Project for Africa (www.ewuraba.com)
Linux and Apache Servers, Joomla Content Management System, WAMP Server
B’ExotiQ Designs Convention People’s Party (CPP)
Joomla Content Management System and EXPOSE
Vivauniversity.wordpress.com Wordpress.com
International Conference on ICT for Africa (www.ictforafrica.org)
Joomla Content Management System and My Review Platform
African Journal of Information Systems (www.ajisonline.com)
Apache Servers, Open Journal Systems and Joomla Content Management System
FOSS IN GHANA – SUCCESS STORIES
www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
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Latest catalogue entries
Search functionality
Featured entries
Articles to support buying decisions
Advanced searchOnline catalogue
www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
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www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
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FOSS IN GHANA – SUCCESS STORIES
www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
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www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
Requires more effort... But has more possibilitiesGhana is opportune for business and research
How to Navigate FOSS DomainOpen Content Open Applications Open FunctionalitySelecting the Right ApplicationDoing Business with FOSS
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FOSS IN GHANA – SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESSES
www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
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FOSS IN GHANA – SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESSES
Open
www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
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FOSS IN GHANA – SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESSES
Open
Open
Open
www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
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FOSS IN GHANA – SELECT THE RIGHT APPLICATION
Select applications which have either a potential for growth or have reached maturity
www.icitd.com www.pearlrichards.org
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FOSS IN GHANA – SELECT THE RIGHT APPLICATION
Have a thorough understanding of what you or your users need