No Tim. That was Tims' intepretation of what is open source. Frankly, PCDOM was being careful of building up its business model and its strategic alliances with organisations to ensure sustainability and accountability issues which are being built into its PCDOM PrimaCare Public License; one that is similar to OpenMRS's Public License. (Please see OpenMRS's license as guide if you are that interested at http://www.openmrs.org) Admittedly PCDOM is slower that OpenMRS efforts but really we didn't wanted to be "torched" like the past experiences of other open source projects promoted especially by individuals. Like I said PCDOM will make that available when they are ready, not by being harrassed by the so-called open source individuals. PCDOM, as a professional organisation, unlike individuals who promote a particular application which folds up and can go away, were advised to take sufficient steps in its licensing to ensure that it is indemnified for the freedom to make changes by others that compromise patient safety. Currently the law in Malaysia on patient safety does not recognise statements that does or does not provide warranty of the application (tool) used in patient care.
I will bring this issue to the attention of the PCDOM Committee at their next meeting for their action. Molly Tim Cook wrote: > Thanks for the clarification that Primacare is not open source. > > Regards, > Tim > > > On Sat, 2007-12-01 at 12:57 +1100, Tim Churches wrote: > >> Molly Cheah wrote: >> >>> Dear all, >>> In view of the type of posts to these lists and that I do not wish >>> >> to be >> >>> drawn to the same type of exchanges that led to the demise of OSHCA >>> >> from >> >>> 2003-2006, I would like to make the following statement. Besides, I >>> >> do >> >>> not have the time, interest and energy to do this, particularly for >>> >> the >> >>> next 2-3 weeks. >>> >>> I was given the mandate to resurrect OSHCA with the following >>> >> outcomes. >> >>> 1. To register OSHCA in a developing country. (Done) >>> 2. To organise OSHCA conference after registration (Done) >>> 3. To obtain funding to organise the OSHCA conference (Done) >>> 4. To take over oshca.org from Minouru Corporation for OSHCA (Done) >>> >>> I am a member of OSHCA in my personal capacity. Though I am the >>> President of PCDOM, PCDOM's membership (as Associate, NGO) is being >>> represented by PCDOM's Hon. Secretary. PCDOM's ownership of >>> >> PrimaCare >> >>> and therefore its policies, rights and freedom to manage and sustain >>> PrimaCare is governed by its constitution and its contract with the >>> Malaysian Government who funded the development of PrimaCare solely >>> >> for >> >>> the use of GPs in Malaysia. As an advocate of open source, I was >>> instrumental (not sole decision maker) in getting PCDOM to agree to >>> develop PrimaCare using an entire stack of open source software. I >>> >> was >> >>> invited to present PrimaCare at OSHCA2002 at LA. That was the start >>> >> of >> >>> my association with OSHCA. If one looks at any presentations of >>> PrimaCare anywhere and anytime, it was never mentioned that >>> >> PrimaCare >> >>> was released under GPL. In fact PrimaCare was never released except >>> >> to >> >>> GPs in Malaysia. My past verbal statements had always been that the >>> principles underlying the GPL can be applied to the manner we >>> >> currently >> >>> distribute PrimaCare to GPs. However, PCDOM has its legal commitment >>> >> to >> >>> the Malaysian Government, its community being the GPs in Malaysia >>> >> and no >> >>> one else. However, PCDOM is interested in making PrimaCare available >>> >> to >> >>> organisations outside Malaysia under an appropriate open source >>> >> license >> >>> (with Malaysian Govt approval). >>> >> Thank you for that clarification, Dr Cheah. I only wish you had >> deigned >> to respond several weeks ago, when these issues were first raised, >> rather than treat us all with what I can only regard as a truculent >> silence. >> >> Anyway, at least we are all now absolutely clear that PCDOM PrimaCare >> is >> not an open source application: it is not freely available under an >> open >> source license. Phew, that was like getting blood out of a stone, but >> mission accomplished! >> >> >>>> *Article 4 - Aims and Objectives* >>>> >>>> OSHCA is a non-profit organisation that provides the collaborative >>>> platform and forum to promote and facilitate Free/Open Source >>>> >> Software >> >>>> in Health Care. OSHCA's membership comprises a community of people, >>>> civil societies and professional bodies in health care and >>>> >> informatics >> >>>> industries that promotes the Free/Open Source Software Concepts in >>>> Health Care. OSHCA helps policy makers, commercial enterprises, and >>>> users take advantage of the benefits of Free/Open Source Software. >>>> >>>> *4.1 - Vision:* >>>> >>>> Free/Open Source Health Care Software will provide a viable and >>>> sustainable alternative in mainstream Information and Communication >>>> Technologies (ICT) for positive impact in health outcomes as >>>> >> adjunct >> >>>> to building a global knowledge society. >>>> >>>> *4.2 - **Mission:* >>>> >>>> *4.2.1 - *Promote to policy makers the concept of Free/Open Source >>>> Software in Health Care so as to adopt or give equal opportunity to >>>> Free/Open Source Solutions. >>>> >>>> *4.2.2 - *Provide leadership role in refining the Free/Open Source >>>> Software Concepts as applied to health care to ensure best >>>> >> practices >> >>>> and patient safety are not compromised. >>>> >>>> *4.2.3 - *Make recommendations on the development and use of Health >>>> Information Standards for data interchange and representation >>>> >> formalisms. >> >>>> *4.2.4 - *Provide Guidelines for Quality Control on Free/Open >>>> >> Source >> >>>> Health Care Software development. >>>> >>>> *4.2.5 - *Participate in and support Human Capacity Building, >>>> including contributing/participating in project proposals and >>>> >> project >> >>>> management to achieve developing country priorities. >>>> >>>> *4.2.6 - *Enable collaboration of members including, sharing >>>> >> technical >> >>>> knowledge in Free/Open Source Health Care Projects and providing >>>> Information Resources to Free/Open Source Health Care software >>>> developers. >>>> >>>> *4.2.7 - *Promote and help the formation of development consortia >>>> >> for >> >>>> health care related projects, including assisting in finding >>>> >> funding >> >>>> for projects to reach critical mass for a visible and lasting >>>> >> impact >> >>>> on health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). >>>> >>>> *4.2.8 - *Use collaboration with strategic organisations with >>>> compatible goals as a means of achieving the mission. >>>> >>>> >>>> 4.3 - Principles >>>> >>>> *4.3.1 - Promote a globally sustainable approach to building **ICT >>>> solutions for health care* >>>> Free/Open Source Software development encourages global >>>> >> collaboration. >> >>>> OSHCA will encourage approaches that seek active participation in >>>> Free/Open Source Software development in health care by users, >>>> developers, and policy makers from all parts of the world. >>>> >>>> >>>> *4.3.2 - Stay lightweight and flexible* >>>> >>>> *In the spirit of Free/Open Source where development is user and >>>> >> needs >> >>>> driven, facilitation needs to support highly desirable dynamism, >>>> adaptability, and flexibility. This approach seeks to facilitate >>>> natural processes that produce better quality, usability, >>>> >> longevity, >> >>>> maintainability and cost effectiveness.* >>>> >>>> >>>> *4.3.3 - Be open to diverse opinions and technologies* >>>> >>>> *OSHCA is inclusive of all health care-related Free/Open Source >>>> activities. In a Free/Open Source world, the success of an idea, >>>> standard, or product is measured by its practical use.* >>>> >>>> >>>> *4.3.4 - Ethical Deployment & Maintaining Standards* >>>> >>>> OSHCA's focus is the legal and ethical deployment of reliable and >>>> robust Free/Open Source systems in all areas of health care. This >>>> means taking a leadership role to ensure standards are maintained, >>>> >> and >> >>>> working with legislative and standards bodies to encourage the >>>> inclusion of Free/Open Source principles in their policies. >>>> >> Reading through those aims and objectives, I now very clearly perceive >> a >> mix of goals, specifically the difference between phrases such as >> these: >> >> a) "...promote and facilitate Free/Open Source Software in Health >> Care" >> b) "...promotes the Free/Open Source Software Concepts in Health >> Care." >> c) "OSHCA helps policy makers, commercial enterprises, and users take >> advantage of the benefits of Free/Open Source Software." >> >> and these: >> >> d) "Free/Open Source Health Care Software" >> e) "...Free/Open Source Health Care Software development" >> f) "Free/Open Source Software development in health care by users, >> developers, and policy makers from all parts of the world." >> >> I think there is room for, and a need for, an organisation which >> concentrates on the strategic goal of promoting the development and >> release of open source health care software, rather than on the more >> limited tactical goal of promoting the use of open source software in >> health care settings. >> >> Or can both these goals be accommodated within OSHCA? >> >> Tim Churches >> >> >> >> >>
