May 2009
1 post
free the teachers
and more importantly free our kids. The details of this initiative are quite shocking, but then again why am I not surprised by the Department of education http://www.education.gov.za/dynamic/dynamic.aspx?pageid=310&id=8553
April 2009
1 post
moving on
I have resigned from my position with the government of South Africa and have joined Sun Microsystems. I will be working on the global government strategy and communities team.
March 2009
3 posts
IP recommendations
I blogged about the joint seminar for capacity development on Intellectual property hosted by DST, WIPO and JICA earlier. We had the some of the top experts in the country as well as some international guests, and even an IP lawyer or two. Well what came out of the conference are the following recommendations and conclusions which have been sent on to the powers that be.
The Participants...
free filesystems?
Picked up on the article http://tinyurl.com/ajh32f by Brain Kahin thanks to simon, Brian is a Senior Fellow at the Computer & Communications Industry Association in Washington
It does raise the question for me about what we should be doing about propreitary file formats. After spending some time ensuring open standards for our documents, do we need to start paying attention to filesystems....
wolf in sheep's clothing
Busy preparing for Friday’s meeting on procurement. There are lots of good documents to refer to, so putting together a procurement guideline should not be too difficult. One challenge that we will not overcome through this process is Procurement dressed up as a partnership. We have seen many state agencies enter into deals where they initially receive software at no charge for a year or two...
February 2009
4 posts
FOSS CIO workshop
I am attending the SITA FOSS workshop for CIO’s.
it has been interesting so far,
PROGRAMME
2nd ANNUAL CIO WORKSHOP
DATE: 25 February 2009
Venue:
08:30 Registration and refreshments
09:30 Opening remarks
10:00 FOSS Implementation proposals
10:30 Government Wide Enterprise Architecture
11:00 PANEL DISCUSSION:
Migration experiences: Institutions in at different stages of migration were invited...
SARS and pdf
For those that may be interested in following up on this, the error I got is pasted below. Unfortunately, no xforms.
————————————————————————————————-
To view the full contents of this document, you need...
SARS and PDF Readers campaign
I received an email with a link to this news article
[ http://www.fsfeurope.org/news/2009/news-20090202-01 ] “Interoperability, competition and choice are primary benefits of Open Standards that translate into vendor-independence and better value for money for customers,” says FSFE president Georg Greve. “Although many versions of PDF offer all these benefits for formatted...
ccia IP report
Often independent computer industry associations are never that, so one often reads their reports with more then a healthy dose of scepticism. Having spent some time last week at an ip conference it was quite useful to find this report from the CCIA http://www.ccianet.org ( thanks thiru).
http://www.wipo.int/scp/en/meetings/session_13/pdf/ccia.pdf
CCIA Comments on the WIPO Report on the...
January 2009
9 posts
The DTI, Mr M. Netshitenzhe asks what is the community benefit for granting patents.
tshimanga, correcting pronunciation it is not “weep oh” but wipo
tshimanga kongolo of WIPO based in Geneva handing out chocolates
“the IP system is designed to ensure that if you are from southern africa that you stay poor” speakers comment
presenter from JICA confused about the difference between counterfeit and generic
” the only thing worse then being exploited by globalisation, is not being exploited by globalisation” point made about why we need IP laws, and play by the rules
Aslam is browsing the IEC website using firefox
using ping fm to update my status
IPR bill
The IPR bill has been signed into law, Andrew Rens blogs about it here http://aliquidnovi.org/?p=172 .
December 2008
2 posts
IGF - Procurement agreement
A positive outcome from the Internet Governance Forum that was held in Hyderabad from the 3rd to 6th of December is the agreement below. If you support the agreement I suggest that you sign-up, entities interested in supporting the agreement should send an e-mail to igf-dcos[at]keionline.org
http://www.keionline.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=216
Dynamic Coalition on Open...
open standards coalition
Just finished the open standards coalition sessiona at the IGF. this is the input that was presented at the workshop.
The following is a draft of a possible agreement on interoperability and open standards.
Agreement on Procurement and Support for Interoperability and Open Standards
3 December 2008 Version 1.1 Preamble The Contracting Parties,
Recalling the World Summit on the Information Society...
November 2008
4 posts
open document protocol
There is no doubt that the CONSEGI conference held earlier this year was a significant event and the outcomes and resolutions of the discussions held there are starting to have effect in a number of other forums. A modified version of the Brasilia Protocol was circulated and the only issue that countries that were considering signing this document had, is the time-frame that they can commit to....
Jakarta Declaration
The Jakarta Declaration was read out at the end of the conference by Betti Alisjahbana or the Indonesian FOSS ambassador as the minister nicknamed her. The Declaration was accepted by all present with no objections registered. ( the work of the members of the south-south coalition on the Consegi declaration must be acknowledged)
Jakarta Declaration
Asia-Africa Coalition
Asia-Africa Conference on...
Asia - Africa Conference on Open Source
I am attending the “Asia - Africa Conference on Open Source” http://www.aagos.ristek.go.id/ , in Jakarta, Indonesia. The event is being hosted by the State Ministry of Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia (RISTEK) Their flagship programme is IGOS ” Indonesia goes open source”. Jakarta is very humid and it has rained quite a lot since I arrived last night. We...
UDM's response on www.elections.org.za
Karl Fischer has been blogging about the IEC website and he has a response from the UDM about the issue.
kmf:
Dear Mr Fischer Recent media reports stated that the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) website is not coping with the number of South Africans trying find out if they are registered or where their closest registration point is. Problem one is connecting to the site: “I have...
October 2008
6 posts
Digital Apartheid - update
The human rights commision has sent the IEC a letter of allegation which they need to respond to by the 4th of November. The reference number I have been given is GP/2008/1043/LM for the complaint. Unfortunately, there is the perception that this is a complaint that has been lodged only by a few individuals, and no idea that this complaint represents the frustration of thousands. I think that you...
GOV websites
The chairperson of the GITO council has requested feedback on how other government websites are doing compared to the IEC website. I would like to ask everyone out there to help compile a list of SA government websites that you have had a problem accessing with a standards compliant web browser. Your input would be much appreciated. I can’t promise what action she will take, if any, but at...
OSS & opens std's workgroup meeting
On Friday the 24th we held the last open source and open standards work group meeting for the year. An important announcement I made at the meeting was that the workgroup has been upgraded to a standing committee. Workgroups are meant to be temporary, after more then 7 years it is clear that open source and open standards are here to stay. The agenda for the meeting was as follows:
1. Opening and...
ODF workshop
Well the ODF workshop is over and the slides are available on the website http://www.odfworkshop.com/agenda.html . There are a few presentations that are outstanding that will be available soon, audio should be available in a week or two.
I was surprised to find myself emotional about a conference but I was really glad to see all the people who had responded to our invitation and also the...
Ministers Opening Address - ODF workshop
The ODF workshop got off to a good start with the Ministers Opening address. Her speech was delivered on her behalf by the Director General Mavuso Msimang. As the Minister was unable to make it at the very last minute.
Speech by the Minister of Home Affairs at the 2nd International ODF conference
Hon NN Mapisa-Nqakula, RSA Minister of Home Affairs, 2nd International ODF Conference, 9 October...
September 2008
6 posts
ODF workshop update
This is the reminder we sent out to Government Policy Makers.
Just two weeks to go before the 2nd International ODF User Workshop — hosted by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs in collaboration with the ODF Alliance — kicks off on October 9 in Pretoria. ODF has come of age in 2008. Since the first ODF workshop in Berlin in October 2007, many governments have moved from policy...
open source for business
We are running a programme on open source for business at the insite exhibition http://www.insitex.co.za/
The Following Companies are there, - Novell - Sun Microsystems - i-Kno - Exponant - Custom Cut (Kolab) - Obsidian - RedHat - SITA - Translate.org.za - One Laptop per Child - The Freedom Toaster - Jumping Bean - TurboCash - Linux Holdings
As it is the week of Software freedom day we will...
Human Rights Commission acknowledgement
I received an acknowledgement letter from the Human Rights Commission.
———————————————————————————————————
12/1/3
03 Sep 2008
Dear Sir/Madam
YOUR COMPLAINT
South African Human...
2nd International ODF Workshop - South Africa
We will be hosting the the 2nd International ODF User Workshop in Pretoria, South Africa.
http://www.odfworkshop.org/
Hopefully, we will be able to deliver a workshop that can measure up to the very sucessful workshop that was held in Berlin last year. This year I would be keen to get better African participation.
3 tags
Brasilia Protocol - translated
Thanks to Jomar Silva ( http://homembit.com/ ) who blogs on ODF and document format issues in three languages, here is a translation of the document.
BRASÍLIA PROTOCOL
PUBLIC PROTOCOL OF INTENTION FOR ADOPTING OPEN DOCUMENT FORMATS
Art. 1 – In accordance with the recommendations proposed by the Federal Government through the reference document for interoperability standards, e-PING, and in order...
Digital Apartheid ??
After we were not able to get a satisfactory response from the IEC, we have gone ahead and laid a complaint with the Human Rights Commission. Below is the letter we sent last week regarding the site.
...
August 2008
4 posts
CONSEGI Declaration
This Afternoon members of the “Southern Coalition” signed the CONSEGI Declaration, our response to the rejection of our appeals. Another outcome of an amazing conference. Although only three countries officially present lodged appeals, there was the feeling that it represented the sentiment of all the countries that signed it. thus the use of the words “we” and...
The Brazilia Protocol
The Brasilia protocol was signed after the keynote speeches. This exercise lead by the state bank was a commitment by all to use and support the odf format. The representatives that signed were commiting 1 million desktops with more to come.
consegi 2008
I am attending consegi 2008, which has been an amasing experience. Free Software programmes are on a completey different dimension in Brazil which is now true for a lot of Latin America. The opening session had Two Ministers, head of the state bank and various senior goverment representatives and members from the free software community. The commitment to Free Software from all of government and...
July 2008
2 posts
Democracy in Action
This is the eror message you receive whan you access the IEC website using firefox and Linux. I wonder if this is something that one can take up with the Human Rights Commission.
——————————————————————————-
Welcome to the IEC web site! Our...
xml worksop presentations
The xml workshop presentations are available from the dst website . I have also uploaded some pictures from the workshop on flickr . I really enjoyed the workshop, we had three members of the oasis odf tc as well as steve pepper.
(from left to write: Bob Jolliffe. Patrick Durusau, Rob Weir, Steve Pepper and Aslam Raffee)
June 2008
3 posts
Firefox download record
I just pledged to help the firefox team in their bid for a guinnes world record.
http://www.spreadfirefox.com/en-US/worldrecord
they have a very nice map indicating how many people have pledged per country, unfortunately the continent has very low numbers
XML / ODF extravaganza
This email from Bob Jolliffe:
Well the web site is finally up and the draft program is in some sort of shape. Please circulate this within your networks, lugs etc. This is a great opportunity to rub shoulders and learn from the real XML masters. XML is 10 years old this year and we’ve organised the most star-studded XML workshop seen in South Africa in celebration. Please check out: ...
Rob Weir is coming
Just heard that Rob Weir is coming to our xml workshop, this workshop is looking very impressive from where I am sitting. I wonder who Microsoft will be sending.
May 2008
4 posts
ODF / XML experts confirmed
The xml workshop to be held at TUT is starting to take shape with both Patrick Durusau thanks to Sun Microsystems and Steve Pepper thanks to the Meraka Institute confirmed as speakers. With more experts promised from IBM and Microsoft this should be an event not to be missed.
round up
We are hoping to host an xml workshop from the 17th to the 20th of June at the Tshwane University of Technology, i have attended a few meetings in this regard. There will no charge for attending and we are hoping to get heavyweights like Steve Pepper, Patrick Durusau and Bob Jolliffe. So far we are on track and it looks like we will have an interesting workshop. Microsoft announced that they will...
SA appeals ISO decision
Our National Standards body has appealed against the OOXML DIS 29500 ballot vote in ISO / IEC, the story is covered by tectonic , Andy Updegrove, and Steve Pepper. It will be interesting to see how the ISO technical management board deals with this well constructed argument against the decision. If there are any other national bodies or SC’s that have appealed as well, I would like to hear...
round up for last week
I’m in Namibia this week attending the IST Africa conference and have had some connectivity issues so I have not been able to update this blog until now. On Wednesday I met with members from Sun, and we discussed sun’s support for our ODF implementation and the offer that Sun has made to government. The offer to the whole of government of Staroffice is covered in this article . I...
April 2008
9 posts
weekly round-up
my round-up of last weeks activities, on tuesday last week I attended the Government IT officers Council ( GITOC) and presented the minutes of the last OSS and open standards meeting. On Wednesday we met with our standards body to discuss ways in which they could assist in developing interoperability standards for government. On Thursday I met with Redhat representatives and they shared some...