I was there for the presentation of this white paper. The momentum for this initiative is also coming from within government. Thanks to this document, and hopefully further papers, the use of open source within government organizations is not considered alien - instead its justified and encouraged on the merits that it offers better quality, choice and openness. I applaud Fr Peter for taking on the media and endorsing this initiative as its only thanks to high profile figures that other organizations might give it a second glance.
On Sun, Nov 21, 2010 at 7:08 PM, Daniel <[email protected]> wrote: > Nice words have been said lately about using open source but one asks: > when will the nice words will be translated into action? > > Fr Peter’s Perspective Open Source vision > > *You have already twice since the publication of the White Paper ‘Open > Source Vision – Nurturing the Proliferation of Open Source Software’ by the > Malta Information Technology Agency, deemed it a most important policy > document. Can you explain why?* > > Before the last election I had said that it was now Lawrence Gonzi’s turn > to propose an ideal of similar significance and in continuity with the two > ideals that had enabled George Borg Olivier (Independence) and Eddie Fenech > Adami (EU membership) to become national leaders. The ideal that seemed to > me to beckon Gonzi was finding a special niche in cyberspace that Malta > could appropriately fill. Moreover, it seemed clear to me that this niche > was that of a promotional centre of Open Source systems. > > The most explicit official endorsement that the idea received was in the PN > Electoral Programme, although somewhat oddly it appeared in the > international relations segment of the programme possibly because Michael > Frendo grasped its implications much more clearly than other ministers. > Ample scope was clearly left for it in the section on developing Malta as a > centre for IT excellence in Gonzi’s own vision 2015, and likewise in the > Smart Island dream. However, no such clearly stated and carefully > thought-out presentation of the idea had appeared until the current 33 page > document by MITA. > > Its title refers explicitly to Open Source software but this is only one of > a family of technologies that have in common a variety of features such as > being freely available and produced by voluntary community. The defining > characteristic of these digital productions is perhaps that they can be > appropriated by individuals or groups, in the sense that one can manipulate > them so that while one produces a version of the original derived from it > yet the user will have contributed something of his own to it. > > For obvious reasons the MITA vision dwells on the technological and > economic advantages of using Open Source software as compared with the other > more normally commercial types. However, I myself am enthusiastic in my > support of the project because of the moral and political implications of > the choice of this family of technologies since they are based on the > recognition that knowledge is the most important part of the Common Heritage > of Mankind, > > Its radical impact on the notions and legal provisions for intellectual > property in the age of cyberspace are much more consequential than > classified and managing the resources of the seabed as Common Heritage of > Mankind. > > *What does the White Paper actually propose?* > > Besides introductory and conclusive sections, the substantial part of the > document is divided into three chapters. The first discusses immediate aims. > It confirms the government’s Open Source software policy and related > directives for its use by government departments that became effective on > August 10 and it seeks to initiate a transition to the next phase of > encouraging Open Source also in the private sector. > > This proposal is based on the indisputably solid ground that the best way > for the government to promote the desired preference in choice of IT > technologies is by setting good example. The contribution which the > government can make towards what amounts to nothing short of a cultural > revolution through the education system is perhaps equally important. > > The White Paper envisages “the local educational system acting as a major > champion for nurturing concepts of openness in its wider sense both from a > citizen as well as a business standpoint”. > > Clearly for what MITA is proposing to be effective, there must be concerted > action by all ministries but in particular by the educational system that > also has an additional mission in the field of research. > > The second and third sections outline medium term and longer term > objectives that envisage the thorough transformation of our IT practices. > The ultimate aim of the operation is in the words of the report “ensuring a > nationwide Open Source Software Ecosystem”. > > The underlying principle is that technologies are not morally or > politically neutral. In fac, the adoption of Open Source Systems is probably > the greatest step in the direction of social justice and democratic equality > that can be taken at the dawn of the knowledge society. > > The report has a three-year timing framework for a list of nine initiatives > that are proposed although it hardly seems possible that what was planned > for 2010 can be achieved in the remaining month-and-a-half of this year. > These include development of business applications, creation of Open Source > permanent frameworks, consolidation of an Open Source Observatory and > Repository, collaboration with EU Vendors and Communities and so on. > > *How good do you think are the prospects for the ideal set out in the > White Paper to become reality?* > > The White Paper itself states that “the current limited degree of Open > Source software awareness among public administration and within education > limits the potential for increased acceleration for the adoption of Open > Source software considerably”. But it also states that “the transition > towards adopting, endorsing and enforcement of openness is not a trivial > task”. With proper commitment, however, the long-term benefits are huge. > > The White Paper invites submission of feedback by November 30 to > [email protected]. Unfortunately it does not seem to be part of our local > culture to produce prolific responses to requests for discussion of White > Paper proposals. It would be excellent if this case proved to be an > exception. > > I do not myself see much that is open to contestation, although the experts > might, and no doubt some who will sense threats to their commercial > interests will. > > The coherence of the support by the Prime Minister and Cabinet for the > vision could be as vital for the future of Malta as when it was decided to > apply for membership of the European Union. > > *Fr Peter Serracino Inglott was talking to Miriam Vincenti.* > > http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101121/opinion/open-source-vision > -- > > _______________________________________________ > MLUG-list mailing list > [email protected] > http://linux.org.mt/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list > >
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