Dear Colleagues, The enthusiasm of those working with FOSS is encouraging, though that engagement doesn't per se make them any more able to make an informed judgement than those researching FOSS; indeed, it may make them less able to stand back and see the big picture.
FOSS has been an area plagued for too many years by talk of what it could do or might achieve. Then, some real evidence - three surveys and two cases drawn from three continents. This presents a very different picture: one of marginality and with no sign, unless factors change, that we are going to see the developmental potential of FOSS really delivered. You can read this message in two ways: either that FOSS will never deliver; or that the FOSS community needs to rethink its strategies. Or, of course, if you've devoted months or years to FOSS and don't like the message, you'll try to denigrate the writer, deny the data, and so forth. As much as anyone, I'm working to see ICTs deliver for development. My worry is that the FOSS community is not reality-checking itself. Too much talking to other believers; not enough standing back to see what is really being achieved. Richard Heeks Development Informatics Group University of Manchester, UK ------------ ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: <http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/>
