This discussion has prompted me to put together a blog post about the cost of free software. I've been meaning to do this for some time but Joel's rant was just so far off the mark that I felt it needed a response.
http://healthdevinfo.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-cost-of-free-software.html Enjoy! Kind regards, Mark On Fri, May 31, 2013 at 6:06 AM, Marcio Thome <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi everybody > > Yes, the debate is quite interesting but I guess it traces back to a basic > divide line: information systems are not equal to information systems > software. Period. It was already discussed in DHIS2 users forum. I would > focus the discussion about software alternatives in terms of costs for the > same functionalities. Are any candidates out there to compete with DHIS2? I > doubt very much. I am new to DHIS2 but with over 30 yrs experience > implementing HIS in Latin America and Africa using all sorts of databases > and canned software. Mistakes in choosing the right software and associated > costs can be detrimental to public health! And Bob is right about > quantitative and qualitative differences in custodianship of public/NGO > databases in health versus private sector. > > A recent example on cost savings > illustrates my point > : first users training to upscale DHIS2 in Brazil (NGO sector) starts next > Monday. Developing forms, setting up the server, getting basic reports and > charts, translating the end-users manual and 80% of screens to Brazilian > Portuguese took about two months for a team of three. Active and free > technical support was provided by DHIS2 community. The only costs incurred > were recurrent information systems costs I would have to pay anyway. But > excuse me if I am missing the point of this whole debate…J > > Cheers! > > > Marcio > > > 2013/5/31 Saptarshi Purkayastha <[email protected]> > >> This might be pointing to a larger debate I feel: >> >> About Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Vs Software deployment. Enough has >> been said by Salesforce on pricing benefits, and is a similar argument by >> Google docs against Microsoft Office. That DHIS2 is not available as SaaS >> could be critiqued by some, but freedom is one obvious argument against >> SaaS. >> Richard Stallman, in my opinion correctly pointed out that freedom is >> compromised through such SaaS - >> http://bostonreview.net/BR35.2/stallman.php >> >> We should do a TCO exercise, since we are the largest implementers of >> DHIS2. But anyone who wants to start a SaaS with DHIS2, should be the >> people really doing it. That would be good exercise to determine per-user >> cost of providing such a service. >> >> PS: I think this is useful to discuss on the users list, hence sending >> there... >> >> --- >> Regards, >> Saptarshi PURKAYASTHA >> >> My Tech Blog: http://sunnytalkstech.blogspot.com >> You Live by CHOICE, Not by CHANCE >> >> >> On 31 May 2013 10:39, Johan Sæbø <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Interesting, and we should work on the wording on our website. >>> >>> However, I read his point as nothing is really free, except magpi. In >>> his comparison with DHIS2 though, he's comparing apples and oranges. He >>> also fails to mention that you have to pay per reported form, and for extra >>> functionality. Not that he doesn't have a point about DHIS2, but he's >>> comparison is quite unfair. >>> >>> https://datadyne.zendesk.com/**entries/21093588-Cost-of-** >>> Magpi-formerly-EpiSurveyor-<https://datadyne.zendesk.com/entries/21093588-Cost-of-Magpi-formerly-EpiSurveyor-> >>> >>> Johan >>> >>> >>> On 31.05.2013 09:54, Ola Hodne Titlestad wrote: >>> >>>> Hi, >>>> >>>> Here is an interesting blog post on the cost of DHIS 2, and Free and >>>> Open Source Software in general: >>>> >>>> http://www.datadyne.org/2013/**05/global-dev-where-free-** >>>> means-expensive/<http://www.datadyne.org/2013/05/global-dev-where-free-means-expensive/> >>>> >>>> Not sure where he got the idea that a national, or any, HIS >>>> implementation can be free from, but I guess he has a point that it is >>>> important to be clear on what part is free. >>>> We can definitely be better at providing guidance on the >>>> implementation costing, although I don't think we have been trying to >>>> hide the fact that training thousands of users can be expensive. >>>> >>>> The freedom aspect of free software is of course not mentioned in his >>>> blog at all.... >>>> >>>> Ola >>>> ------ >>>> >>>> ------------------------------**---- >>>> Ola Hodne Titlestad (Mr) >>>> HISP >>>> Department of Informatics >>>> University of Oslo >>>> >>>> Mobile: +47 48069736 >>>> Home address: Eftasåsen 68, 0687 Oslo, Norway. Googlemaps link >>>> >>>> ______________________________**_________________ >>>> Mailing list: >>>> https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-**devs<https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs> >>>> Post to : [email protected] >>>> Unsubscribe : >>>> https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-**devs<https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs> >>>> More help : >>>> https://help.launchpad.net/**ListHelp<https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> ______________________________**_________________ >>> Mailing list: >>> https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-**devs<https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs> >>> Post to : [email protected] >>> Unsubscribe : >>> https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-**devs<https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs> >>> More help : >>> https://help.launchpad.net/**ListHelp<https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp> >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users >> Post to : [email protected] >> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users >> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp >> >> > > > -- > Márcio Thomé > > Superintendente Executivo - CONAPES > Coordenador > Departamento de Avaliação e Estatísticas > BEMFAM - Bem Estar Familiar no Brasil > Rua São Bento, 8. 6º andar. Centro. > Rio de Janeiro. 20090-010 > Tel.: 55-21-38612400 > Fax.: 55-21-38612469 > Skype: Marcio-Deav > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users > Post to : [email protected] > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp > > -- Mark Spohr, MD [email protected] +1 530 554 2230
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