[Linux-aus] Re: [Osia-discuss] Help with a political approach to Open Source please :)

[anthony hornby]

No,
a resource that shows the true nature of open source - when and why it
worked and when and why it didn't. Something credible and warts n' all -
not a "one-eyed" cynical exercise.

On a practical note ... for example where would you direct someone now
to demonstrate to a pollie that there were government departments
overseas that have adopted open document formats, and those departments
analysis of why this was the way to go, if you somehow got one
interested in finding out more?

Government departments have research assistants to find this stuff out,
sure, but it would be nice to point them directly to a resource of
relevant, credible stuff straight away. Information overload is the
problem for people trying to find resources in the wider world at the
moment - if we as a community are the experts in what is technically
credible and what isn't, why can't we put together a "peer-reviewed"
resource of this nature to help those who are having trouble separating
the wheat from the chaff. People submitting content could annotate the
resource to highlight the salient points and others in the community
could also be enabled to add their comments, perform a moderating
function etc.

I am just suggesting a means to help people navigate to those quality
papers and resources already out there - not paying an affiliated
organisation to conduct some "benchmarking and analysis" for us <grin>.

Bibliographies and directories have been used in the research community
for this purpose for many years - why not put something together for
open source resources that reflects an Australian flavour.

Anthony.

On Fri, 2005-10-07 at 10:00 +1000, James Purser wrote:
> On Fri, 2005-10-07 at 09:13 +0930, anthony hornby wrote:
> > Hi All,
> > to support initiatives like Pia's, I think we need to put together an
> > "Australian managers guide to open source" or the like - some sort of
> > directory, repository or online bibliography of the pick of the white
> > papers, case studies,government decisions re open source that are
> > driving change worldwide.
> > 
> > We need a repository of authoritative information that demonstrates all
> > of the points we are making so when we get their interest we can say
> > "and read more about it here" without asking busy people to wander all
> > around the web, online databases etc.
> > 
> > I am happy to look at helping find such a repository a place to live (eg
> > on the DarLUG server if need be) and provide LA members access to
> > contribute articles, links etc.
> > 
> > If something like this already exists then we need to promote it
> > more :-)
> > 
> > What do people think?
> > 
> > Regards Anthony.
> 
> Sort of like a "Get the Facts" campaign?
-- 
Mr Anthony Hornby RHCE BIT ALIATEC
Library Systems & Technology Coordinator
Charles Darwin University | CRICOS 300K
anthony.hornby at cdu.edu.au | office +61 8 89 466011

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