[Fwd: [cicdd] Fwd: [PDForum-listserv] the opensource community - some thoughts]

[<WDDM webmaster>]

This got to us (me) with a delay because of a typo in the WDDM list address below.

You see, people in Brazil are, and still sooner in the Open Source programmer
community have been, able to network in a way that is still elusive to WDDM. It
seems it can be done if there is enough will to do it. Apparently also enough
willingness to accommodate others is needed.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        [cicdd] Fwd: [PDForum-listserv] the opensource community -
some thoughts
Date:   Wed, 5 Jul 2006 08:48:27 +0200
From:   Antonio Rossin <rossin(at)tin.it>
Reply-To:       cicdd(at)yahoogroups.com
To:     geoerdeaen <gale1(at)vip.hr>, geoerdeaen(at)yahoo.com
CC:     cicdd(at)yahoogroups.com, wddm(at)worldwidedemoc.net

  >From: "Tanya Stergiou" <stergiou9(at)hotmail.com
<stergiou9%40hotmail.com>>
  >To: listserv(at)pdforum.org <listserv%40pdforum.org>
  >Date: Tue, 04 Jul 2006 12:57:51 -0400
  >Subject: [PDForum-listserv] the opensource community - some thoughts
  >Reply-To: tanya.stergiou(at)gmail.com <tanya.stergiou%40gmail.com>
  >List-Id: Participatory Development Forum Mailing List
<listserv.pdforum.org>
  >List-Subscribe: <http://webhandcentral.com/mailman/listinfo/listserv
<http://webhandcentral.com/mailman/listinfo/listserv>>,
  > <listserv-request(at)pdforum.org
<listserv-request%40pdforum.org>?subject=subscribe>
  >
  >
  >Hello All,
  >
  >As many of you might remember (about three years
  >ago) I was the PD Forum listserv administrator.
  >I really enjoyed working at the PD Forum because
  >I identified with the focus on community –
  >developing a virtual PD community of practise
  >for learning and sharing. The listserv, the
  >virtual resource centre, newsletters and
  >conferences are dynamic elements of the PD Forum
  >ecology, which bring together systems of
  >knowledge and information for collaborative
  >learning. With this said, we could always use
  >our resources more effectively (especially the
  >listserv), which still lacks the lively
  >exchange, which I have seen on other lists here
  >in Brazil, where I am currently living.
  >
  >I myself, am one who could and should contribute
  >much more to the PD Forum listerv than I do, so
  >why don't I? I think that the real meaning and
  >importance of community started to become much
  >clearer to me last year when I started to work
  >on projects in the area of digital culture,
  >which all happen to incorporate the use of open
  >source software. Microsoft, for example, is not
  >an open source software. Please don't get me
  >wrong, I am not criticising Bill Gates. In fact,
  >I feel that Bill and Melinda Gates must be
  >applauded for making efforts to find a vaccine
  >for AIDS and 20 infectious diseases in the
  >world, and for their many other important
  >initiatives around the globe however, the
  >article posted to the PD listserv about the
  >billionaire-to-billionaire transfer of wealth,
  >from Warren Buffet to Bill and Melinda Gates
  >provided me with this opportunity to reflect
  >upon other extremely important development
  >initiatives, the open source movement being one
  >of them.
  >
  >For those of you who are not familiar with open
  >source software - The basic idea behind open
  >source is very simple: When programmers can
  >read, redistribute, and modify the source code
  >for a piece of software, the software evolves.
  >People improve it, people adapt it, people fix
  >bugs. And this can happen at a speed that, if
  >one is used to the slow pace of conventional
  >software development, seems
  >astonishing.www.opensource.org
  >
  >The most important factor in open source
  >software is that it encourges people to work
  >together – in virtual communities – exchanging
  >knowledge to solve complex problems. This is not
  >a practice which Microsoft advocates – the
  >Microsoft source codes are closed and knowledge
  >is not shared. This might not seem like a big
  >deal, but it does inhibit a process of one
  >transforming from a receiver of technology to a
  >creator and innovator of technology. Moreover, I
  >am not merely focusing on the software, but more
  >importantly the philosophy which underpins open
  >source software as well as the living example it
  >provides us with - a practise of community,
  >which is continuously evolving, innovating and
  >creating new knowledge to overcome today's
  >challenges through sharing.
  >
  >The idea of community and the use of open source
  >software is becoming more and more widespread -
  >local governments, NGOs, academic institutions
  >and businesses across Brazil (but not everywhere
  >just yet) are adopting the use of open source
  >software, and in turn are appropriating
  >technology and finding innovative and autonomous
  >solutions to national development issues. As a
  >member of the PD Forum, I feel that it is of
  >fundamental importance for me to support such
  >initiatives - initiatives, which are 'open'
  >because knowledge and knowledge sharing are
  >necessary for the genuine participation of
  >people in their own development. Moreover, I am
  >revisiting my own community practises - why I
  >participate in communities and and why I don't.
  >If I don't live by a practise of sharing in
  >community, then how can I advocate it. As well,
  >I am taking a closer look at how other
  >communities collaborate to try and understand
  >the dynamics behind good community practises, as
  >it is virtual communities which continue to
  >communicate, learn together and pass on
  >knowledge to others long after, workshops,
  >courses, conferences, and projects end. The late
  >John Brown really understood the importance of
  >community well, unfortunately, years ago I
  >hadn't yet grasped its true significance to
  >development (how I would love to talk to him
  >today).
  >
  >If people are interested in finding out more
  >about the digital culture movement in Brazil,
  >you can check out this site
  >http://www.cultura.gov.br/programas_e_acoes/cultura_viva/index.php
<http://www.cultura.gov.br/programas_e_acoes/cultura_viva/index.php>
  >or send me an email.
  >
  >There is one last thing that i would like to
  >share - when Christa McMillin – left the PD
  >Forum and 'handed over the baton' to me, she
  >gave me a quote which I carry with me everywhere
  >I go. It says '' The most promising long-term
  >future for NGOs dedicated to change through the
  >power of third sector leverage is to become
  >nodes, hubs, enablers and supporters of civic
  >networks. Straddling countries,
  >regions,continents and the globe, electronically
  >linked people-to-people networks are set to take
  >the place of NGOs in shaping world development.
  >
  >Well, these are just some of my thoughts on community.
  >Take care,
  >
  >Tanya Stergiou