<div dir="ltr">Some developments as FOSS begins to inch it way back into the ICT arena<br><br><h2 id="post-560">Uhuru means Freedom, Right?</h2>
<p>This week, it was <a href="http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Uhuru-secures-Microsoft-support-for-computers/-/1056/1871904/-/7i517tz/-/index.html">reported</a>,
that Kenya’s President, H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta agreed to a pact by the
Software Giant, Microsoft, through their Microsoft International, to
provide, among other things, 260,000 Computers for children in Kenyan
Schools.</p>
<p>In only 48hours, the news of this had spread like a wild fire, among Africa’s premier FOSS community - <a href="http://www.fossfa.net">FOSSFA</a>
Members Forum – and has elicited a continent wide bag of mixed
reactions. Coley Zephania did not mince his words “Microsoft has struck
the Head. FOSS is dead in Kenya!”, he urges a mode direct
approach, asking FOSSFA to make immediate plans to meet with the Kenyan
Government over this matter. Juma Lungo from Tanzania was more
optimistic, “I believe FOSS Kenya will forge its way. There is always an
opportunity window” .” Lets unite and support FOSS in Kenya”, is his
plea.</p>
<p>One of Kenya’s beacon for the success of FOSS is Strathmore
University, where FOSSFA Council Members John Matogo and Dr. Joseph
Sevilla have moved swiftly to announce a forum on the Presidential deal
with Microsoft – If you are in Nairobi, 18th June is the Date. Accra
based AITI-KACE Director, Dorothy Gordon is a woman who is as graceful
as the African gazelle, and her wisdom, echoed by Uganda’s James Wire,
was diplomatically clinical: Establish the facts, Seek out for Openness
on the entire deal, and then Use Kenya’s strong social
and traditional media to help alert the public on the long term effects
of this deal.</p>
<blockquote><p>Alex Gakuru, is home grown, and has been around FOSS for a
long time. He is a man of many words, but this time, he chose only 10
“I beg to differ. It is trauma, way beyond panic.”</p></blockquote>
<p>So on and on, the reactions come, from Malawi, Uganda, Togo and
Zimbabwe. One thing is for sure, everyone keeps wondering how best to
react to this.</p>
<p><b>Why does this bother FOSSFA Members?</b></p>
<p>Simple, because Uhuru means Freedom. Its a powerful name to have. Its
been a country’s slogan for decades, and its a word understood by
anyone in the East African Community. You see, Free and Open Source
Software is really about Freedom. Whereas Kenyans should be grateful
about the technology influx, they should be worried about the freedom
such a Vendor takes away, perhaps not now, but in the long run.</p>
<p>Microsoft will appear to (and indeed give) Free Computers, BUT these
computers will need to run Software! Microsoft may, for publicity’s
sake, even give the Software for free, but we sure know that this giant
has not made money over the years through philanthropy, they have sold
Software Licences, among other things.</p>
<p>And lets not forget that Microsoft Operating Systems are not “self
contained” – soon you will have to buy an Office Suite, Adobe,
Anti-Virus and other such tools. In effect, unless Microsoft can
guarantee life-time FREE COSTS upfront, for all software requirements,
there will be some kind of payment, sooner or later. But you see Free
Beer is one simplistic (yes – but in Africa, very vital) way of looking
at this.</p>
<blockquote><p>At FOSSFA, we think about this Freedom, not as Free Beer
(exclusively, or only) but as Free Speech. As such, we subscribe to
GNU’s popular definition of Free Software: <b>Free software is a matter of the users’ freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software.</b></p></blockquote>
<p>More precisely, it refers to four kinds of freedom, for the users of the software:</p>
<ul><li>The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).</li><li>The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your
needs (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.</li><li>The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).</li><li>The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to
the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3). Access to
the source code is a precondition for this.</li></ul>
<p>These are not just your run-of-the-mill freedoms, these are
fundamental to how we view Software. This is UHURU – in the world of
Software. These freedoms guarantee far much more than well packaged
goodies from Proprietary vendors. If Microsoft can guarantee these
freedoms, then, perhaps all is well. My experiences tell me otherwise.</p>
<p>You see, these computers, 260,000 of them, are not just going to help
Kenyan students get online, they are also going to be the first place
that innovation and other tech inventions are envisioned. Am glad the
President is quoted to have mentioned that “…his government is ready to
enter into partnerships that will facilitate the implementation of ICT
programmes in the country in a cost-effective manner” and that “…his
government will provide all the facilitation needed to roll out the
partnership in line with the existing laws and regulations”</p>
<p>We, at FOSSFA, mean well, as hundreds of FOSS Users in the world, such as the <a href="http://aful.org/communiques/univ-offers-me-windows">French</a> association, helping Students get back refunds over Microsoft Software sales, and telling you about the uncanny features of <a href="https://www.fsf.org/windows8">Windows 8</a>, and why it may not be a wise upgrade.</p>
<p>In March 2014, FOSSFA will hold its flagship African FOSS Conference – <a href="http://idlelo6.fossfa.net">IDLELO</a>
– in Nairobi, Kenya. We hope to have H. E. Uhuru Kenyatta, so that,
together with the Kenyan FOSS Community, and the wider African FOSS
Community, we can advocate for a Software environment that encourages
Freedom, afterall, Uhuru means Freedom.</p><p><br></p><p>From:</p><p><a href="http://bssennoga.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/uhuru-means-freedom-right/">http://bssennoga.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/uhuru-means-freedom-right/</a><br>
</p><br><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr">--<br>Ismail <br></div></div>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 5 June 2013 12:17, Ismail Settenda <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ismailmss@gmail.com" target="_blank">ismailmss@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<p>Meanwhile in Kenya;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Uhuru-secures-Microsoft-support-for-computers/-/1056/1871904/-/7i517tz/-/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Uhuru-secures-Microsoft-support-for-computers/-/1056/1871904/-/7i517tz/-/index.html</a> </p>
<div class="im HOEnZb">
<p>Regards</p>
<p>--<br>
Ismail</p>
<p>--<br>
Please excuse any errors or omissions as this has been sent on the xoom.</p>
</div><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5"><div class="gmail_quote">On Jun 4, 2013 3:39 PM, "Hamisi Jabe" <<a href="mailto:administrator@banana.co.tz" target="_blank">administrator@banana.co.tz</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution">
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
The free in free software is meant like free in<br>
freedom not like free in free beer...<br>
<br>
<br>
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