FLOSS News

A two-part documentary, The Codebreakers was aired on BBC World TV during May 2006. It investigates how poor countries are using FOSS applications for development, and includes stories and interviews from around the world. A 40-minute version of The Codebreakers is now available for free download online.

This APDIP e-Note provides an overview of the benefits and challenges of some of the most used e-Health tools. Important lessons learned in e-Health in the Asia-Pacific region are highlighted through three case studies from Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. The APDIP e-Note also examines different approaches to e-Health, such as the use of free and open source software and the relationship between e-Health and the Millennium Development Goals. Finally, considerations for policy makers are discussed.

This APDIP e-Note describes a methodology to identify ‘killer’ applications and models of e-governance that may be suitable for deployment and wide-scale replication in telecentres throughout the Philippines. The same methodology can be used to guide other telecentres around the world.

The affordability of FOSS and its openness to modification and localization is contributing to the sustainbility of telecentres, and more broadly, to empowered communities and poverty reduction. This APDIP e-Note explores the benefits of using FOSS applications in telecentres with case studies from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Egypt and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) have become a hot topic in the field of Internet governance. As the number of non-English speakers on the Internet grows exponentially, the limitations of the Domain Name System have become evident to many.

Out Now: APDIP e-Note 7 - Open Technologies: Catalyst for Transformation

Out Now: APDIP e-Note 6 - ICT for Poverty Reduction: Necessary but Insufficient

This APDIP e-Note provides a brief introduction to the history of document standards, explores the different standards for electronic documents and details the development of OpenDocument Format for Office Applications (ODF). It also looks at how governments worldwide have started to adopt ODF in public administration.

This e-primer, with a foreword by Peter J. Quinn, introduces readers to what open standards are and why they are important. It explains the standard-setting processes and provides examples of open standards policies, initiatives and formats. It also addresses the challenges faced in implementing open standards.

APDIP led a policy dialogue on open standards at the Regional Conference on Open Standards in Bangkok, Thailand on 2 and 4 May 2006. 54 participants representing 13 countries from government, the private sector, academia and civil society openly discussed and share practices, and came to some common understanding and possible future collaborations.

The alliance works globally to educate policy makers, IT administrators and the public on the benefits and opportunities of the OpenDocument Format, to help ensure that government information, records and documents are accessible across platforms and applications, even as technologies change. The alliance was launched on 3 March 2006 with more than 35 initial members. The International Open Source Network (IOSN), an initiative of APDIP, joins this alliance.

Over 130 IT professionals of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from more than 27 countries gathered today at Sukabumi, Indonesia for a nine-day Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) conference and training camp called 'ASIA SOURCE II'. The key objective is to promote the use of FOSS for social and economic development and to build a network of FOSS practitioners and trainers with Asia.

The International Open Source Network (IOSN) has published five country reports on wiki.

Asia Source II aims to build the skills and networks of those in the region who are working in the non-governmental organization (NGO) and small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sectors. The event will bring together about professionals from the more technical to the more content-oriented to share knowledge and skills among “those who know technology” and “those who need technology”.

This national conference and exhibition organized by Partnerships for e-Prosperity for the Poor (Pe-PP) aims to bring together telecenter and rural development stakeholders.