Applying Open Source Software in a Development Context: Expectations and Experiences. A Case Study of a University in Uganda

Abstract

Over recent years the issue of free and open source software (FOSS) for development in less developed countries (LDCs) has received increasing attention. In the beginning the benefits of FOSS for lower developed countries was only stressed by small groups of idealists like Richard Stallman. Now, however, it is moving into the hands of large international organizations like the World Bank, European Union and United Nations. At present FOSS is on the agendas of the donor organizations and international nongovernmental organizations but not on the agendas of the decision makers in LDCs. There are growing numbers of initiatives to promote FOSS for developing countries in general and Africa in particular. At the same time there are very few organizations considering and actually implementing FOSS. The article describes the experiences of adopting FOSS in a university in Uganda with the aim of evaluating the promises made by the donor organizations and the FOSS community. The article concludes with an agenda for improving the effectiveness of adopting FOSS in LDCs.