Salam, Maja
Begin forwarded message:
From: Partha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: December 10, 2004 4:05:49 PM CET
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Open Source Network: Terms of Reference for
Author for Primer: Free/Open Source Software - Open Standards
Duration: 6 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Background
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ The International Open Source Network (IOSN -
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ http://www.iosn.net) is a Centre of Excellence for Free / Open
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Source Software in the Asia-Pacific Region. IOSN is an
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ initiative of the UNDP's Asia-Pacific Information Development
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Programme (APDIP - http://www.apdip.net) and is supported by
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ International Development Research Centre (IDRC -
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ http://www.idrc.ca]. Via a small secretariat, the IOSN is tasked
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ specifically to facilitate and network Free / Open Source
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Software advocates and human resources in the region.
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Open standards are publicly available specifications for
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ achieving a specific task. By allowing anyone to use the
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ standard, they increase compatibility between various hardware
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ and software components since anyone with the technical know-how
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ and the necessary equipment to implement solutions can build
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ something that works together with those of other vendors[1].
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Vendors of proprietary software use proprietary standards or
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ formats to lock-in their customer. Once the customer has legal
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ applications that adhere to proprietary standards and legal data
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ in proprietary formats there is great inertia to shift to a new
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ vendor. It does not matter whether the new vendor promotes
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ proprietary or Free/ Open Source Software [FOSS]. Therefore it
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ could be said that proprietary standards breed unfair and
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ monopolistic business practices and are incongruous with the
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Free Market.
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ FOSS advocates believe that popular Open Standards are an
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ important stepping stone towards the accelerated adoption of
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Free/Open Source Software in developing countries. Vendors of
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ proprietary software have realised this and have adopted the
 strategy of ÃâÅembrace, extend and extinguish[2]Ãâï in an attempt to
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ halt the march of FOSS.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Free and Open Source Software - Open Standards
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Bruce Perens has identified the following 5 principles for Open
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Standards. Open Standards are available for all to read and
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ implement. Open Standards maximize end-user choice and they do
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ not lock the customer in to a particular vendor or group. Open
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Standards are free for all to implement, with no royalty or fee.
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Open Standards and the organizations that administer them do not
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ favor one implementor over another for any reason other than the
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ technical standards compliance of a vendor's implementation.
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Implementations of Open Standards may be extended, or offered in
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ subset form[3].
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Many public institutions like government agencies and civil
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ society organisations are obliged by new legislation to place
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ information in the public domain. Unfortunately, many of them
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ are using proprietary standards and formats that require members
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ of the public to purchase or pirate expensive proprietary
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ software.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Objectives
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To produce a primer on Open Standards that will:
ÂÂÂÂ 1. Introduce Free/Open Source Software and Open Standards and
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ explain the connection between the two.
ÂÂÂÂ 2. Provide a rationale for the use of Open Standards in
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Government/Development funded ICT interventions
ÂÂÂÂ 3. Profile open standards and formats such as HTML, XML, CSS, PNG,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ SVG RDF, SOAP, UNICODE, SQL, RSS etc.
ÂÂÂÂ 4. Compare open standards to proprietary equivalents and explain
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ benefits and disadvantages.
ÂÂÂÂ 5. Give an overview of standards setting bodies such as W3C and
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Unicode Consortium; enumerate membership requirements for these
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ bodies; describe the process of negotiating, setting and
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ adopting standards.
ÂÂÂÂ 6. Profile FOSS software and tools that can be used to create new
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ content or migrate existing content.
ÂÂÂÂ 7. Provide case studies where the use of standards have increased
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ interoperability, scaling up of projects and process efficiency.
ÂÂÂÂ 8. Provide sample tenders for ICT projects; review existing
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ policies endorsing open standards from this region.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Duties and Responsibilities of the Author
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Author will be required to carry out the following:
ÂÂÂÂ 1. Conduct background research on Open Standards and Formats and
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ particularly in the Asia-Pacific context.
ÂÂÂÂ 2. Review and analyse all existing Open Standards and Formats.
ÂÂÂÂ 3. Produce a first draft of the primer according to objectives as
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ described above.
ÂÂÂÂ 4. Provide drafts of the primer taking into account the feedback
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ provided by APDIP-IOSN according to the time-line below.
ÂÂÂÂ 5. Consolidate and compile feedback based on a select list of peer
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ reviewers approved by APDIP, and make the necessary revisions.
ÂÂÂÂ 6. Ensure that the publication material conforms to the UNDP Style
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Manual, December 2002 version as provided.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Time Frame
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The project will be undertaken based on the following timetable:
TimeÂÂÂÂÂÂ ÂÂÂÂ Output/ DeliverableÂÂÂÂÂÂ ÂÂÂÂ ÂÂÂÂÂÂ Responsibility
0th WeekÂÂÂÂÂ Contract signed â project kkick offÂÂÂÂÂ IOSN
2rd WeekÂÂÂÂÂ Annotated outline of the primerÂÂÂÂÂÂ Author
3th WeekÂÂÂÂÂ Feedback on primer outlineÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ IOSN
8th WeekÂÂÂÂÂ First draft of primerÂÂÂÂÂÂ ÂÂÂÂ ÂÂÂÂÂÂ Author
9th WeekÂÂÂÂÂ Internal feedback on the first draftÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ IOSN
12th WeekÂÂÂÂÂ Second draft of primer + response toÂÂÂÂÂ Author
ÂÂÂÂÂ ÂÂÂÂ the internal feedback
15th WeekÂÂÂÂÂ Peer and public feedback on the primerÂÂÂÂÂ IOSN
18th WeekÂÂÂÂÂ Third draftÂÂÂÂÂÂ ÂÂÂÂ ÂÂÂÂÂÂ ÂÂÂÂ Author
19th WeekÂÂÂÂÂ Feedback on the third draftÂÂÂÂÂÂ ÂÂÂÂ IOSN
22th WeekÂÂÂÂÂ Final draftÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ ÂÂÂÂ ÂÂÂÂÂÂ Author
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rights
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
All the copyright of research papers, materials, documents,
publications, and on-line resources collected and worked upon by the
Author belong UNDP-IOSN. UNDP-IOSN will license this body of work to the
general public under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
Therefore, the Author has full rights to use the content and findings
for any work of similar nature that s/he wishes to perform in the
future.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualifications and Experience
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ÂÂÂÂ 1. Substantial knowledge of Free and Open Source Software movement
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
ÂÂÂÂ 2. Prior experience in research and publishing of papers on FOSS
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ and Open Standards and Open Formats
ÂÂÂÂ 3. Good command of English-language communication and writing
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ skills.
ÂÂÂÂ 4. Good communication and interpersonal skills and experience in
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ working effectively in a multicultural environment.
ÂÂÂÂ 5. A team-player and self-starter, able to work with minimum
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ supervision, with sound judgement.
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Terms of Payments
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A lump sum amount of US$3,000 will be paid upon submission and
acceptance by APDIP, of the final pre-publication version of the Primer.
No further claims will be considered.
UNDP-APDIP, Kuala Lumpur, 10th Dec 2004
[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_standard
[2]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embrace,_extend_and_extinguish
[3]http://perens.com/OpenStandards/Definition.html
Thanks,
ÃÂÂÃÂïÃÂÂÃÂâÃÂÂÃÂï
--
Sunil Abraham, [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.mahiti.org
314/1, 7th Cross, Domlur Bangalore - 560 071 Karnataka, INDIA
Ph/Fax: +91 80 51150580. Mob: (60) 1-2205-3895
Maja van der Velden
http://www.globalagenda.org
_______________________________________________ General mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.arabeyes.org/mailman/listinfo/general
