U.P. A.S.T.I.(g) for FOSS

The presentation on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) done by Mr. Patrick Reidenbach, our guest speaker last Friday, was quite intruiging. I am now convinced that the global trends will favor the eventual dominance of FOSS over proprietary software. The question in my mind was: so what's in it for Filipinos? Will its dominance be Pinoy-neutral, will we be worse-off or will we benefit? It appears that our own U.P. is betting on FOSS.

I've heard about Open Source before. I knew someone who was starting an internet cafe about 6 or 7 years ago. Knowing that I'm from U.P., he asked me how to go to the U.P. Advanced Science and Technology Institute ( U.P. ASTI) so he could get a free copy of certain Open Source software including OpenOffice. He said that one only has to bring blank CDs and the ASTI will allow you to copy the software for free. Before then, I thought copying software is always piracy. But this was all legal! My thought then was: U.P. ASTIiiiggg! If this spreads out, I thought, no more will Pinoys be accused of software piracy. Our software will be perfectly legit!

Later, I learned that this free software is called Bayanihan Linux OS. According to the ASTI website, Bayanihan Linux not only includes an operating system but it also comes with the Open Office productivity tools such as document editor, spreadsheet, presentation software, among others.

The U.P. ASTI continues to promote FOSS in the Philippines. In November 2007, the U.P. ASTI held the 1st Philippine Open Source Software Essentials Training. The training aimed to equip participants with the fundamentals of FOSS and keep them abreast with the recent developments. This was done in partnership with the Center for International Cooperation for Computerization (CICC) and the International Open Source Network (IOSN).

I hope FOSS succeeds in the Philippines. Why pay when you can get it (legally) for free? Most of the proprietary software we use are owned by foreigners anyway. Essentially, we are importing whenever we buy them. Also, not only would we save valuable foreign exchange, Pinoys would have a chance to grab a bigger slice in the global market for software services.

As Mr. Reidenbach explained, unlike in the case of proprietary software, the revenue from FOSS comes not from the sale of the software (Capex) but only from the maintenance services (Opex). Being in the form of services, it is more labor-intensive. Highly-skilled labor is where we're good at. More jobs! Premises considered, I think Pinoys will have a better fighting chance under a FOSS regime.

Source:
http://www.asti.dost.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=125&Itemid=27