why building a Free and Open Source community is important

Hi all,

Free and Open Source software is not a market made of producers
competing with each others for passive consumers but a mix of following :

- Producer (software programmers) that need a specific software, create
it, use it (thus becoming consumers) and share it with other producer /
users
- Users (consumers) that start using software but feel compelled to give
back to the mix of producer / users by filling bug report, write
documents, answer questions in the forums, mailing list, because they
have received something
- Companies that want to use a specific project start taping in the mix
of producer/consumer and contribute financial and human resource to project
- There is competing software in Open Source, there's no One size fits
all, maybe that makes things more complicated, but it is how Free and
Open source software adapt itself to the need of consumer / producers.
There's nothing wrong in diversity only more choice

and on and on, Free and Open source Software is not only an alternative
to proprietary software product, it's a different mindset and will work
well only if both user and producer of the product (companies,
organizations, government, single computer scientist or a single family)
start using it and contribute to it. In Free and Open Source, software
stop being "just a tool" because everybody own the product. It become a
contract, a community, a family

You need to promote Free and Open Source Software ? Use it and say it.
On windows, use unikey, Open Office, Thunderbird and Firefox, say it,
say it is Free And Open source software, say you are member of the
family of Open source, don't hide, there's nothing wrong to do things
differently. To help you, get together, it help you understand you are
not a alone. If it does not work the first time or the second time try a
third time. You'll always find someone who is willing to meet you on the
same level. Helps yourself by helping others... Start by installing
firefox, then thunderbird, then open office, then dual boot the switch ...

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you,
then you win."

Mohandas Gandhi

Peace!

Giao Ton a écrit :
> Hi,
>
> An addition to Vinh's idea would be to encourage and to support the
> small/family IT businesses in Saigon to provide Linux and/or other Open
> Source software as an alternative (not necessarily exclusive but maybe
> co-operative) to MS products to other businesses, schools, universities
> and end-users, including Windows-users.
>
> Thanks for the email and replies!
>
>> From: Vern Weitzel <vern.weitzel@undp.org>
>> Reply-To: OSS <oss@isoc-vn.org>
>> To: gtt00@hotmail.com
>> Subject: [OSS] [Fwd: Re: Tao dung mot cong dong Linux va PMTD&MNM ben
>> vung o TP. HCM - 21 Thang Ba 2007]
>> Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:57:58 GMT
>>
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> Subject: Re: [OSS] Tao dung mot cong dong Linux va PMTD&MNM ben
>> vung o
>> TP. HCM - 21 Thang Ba 2007
>> Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 16:57:58 +0700
>> From: Vinh H.Nguyen <nguyenhuuvinh@gmail.com>
>> To: Kevin Miller Jr. <kevinmillerjr@gmail.com>
>> CC: vern.weitzel@undp.org
>> References: <200703182019.l2IKJhmR053468@venus.starserver.net>
>> <a7efbbc30703190442v63446c20r51bd01fb51649611@mail.gmail.com>
>>
>>
>>
>> Hey all,
>>
>> I think we still have one way to promote Linux in Vietnam.
>>
>> - Introduce Linux in the schools (junior high schools, senior high
>> schools,...).Because in these school, the pupils are using Windows. We
>> can introduce them about Linux, GNU, Open source,....And then, they'll
>> have basic concept about Linux, Open Source. We can deploy as an
>> experiment at Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Noi, Da Nang City, Can Tho City
>>
>> Thanks all.
>>
>> On 3/19/07, *Kevin Miller Jr.* <kevinmillerjr@gmail.com
>> <mailto:kevinmillerjr@gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>> Hey Vern:
>>
>> I like to wish you luck on getting the SaigonLUG active again.
>> About two years ago, another expat Linux guy and I tried to start up
>> SaigonLUG separately from HoLUG. We had two meetings, one at the
>> Temple Club and the other at the Education University in District
>> 5. Both meetings were successful but the general interest for
>> future meetings were low. Since then, I have met many Vietnamese
>> Linux users but none of them expressed interest in attending a LUG
>> meeting here. The same ole excuse that everybody uses only Windows
>> was used all the time among these guys.
>>
>> My friend Vinh recommended that we start a project to promote Linux
>> in Saigon. We did start working on one project recently but we
>> decided to pull it away from the SaigonLUG.
>>
>> I am not sure I can make the meeting but you should contact these
>> guys and ask them to attend. They have been promoting Linux among
>> there students for many years now:
>>
>> 1. Dr. Nguyen Thai - 0903971067
>> 2. Mr. Khoa (Dr. Thai's assistant) - 0908389554
>> 3. Nguyen Quang Le - 0908449470
>>
>> I will send them all a SMS later but I doubt they can attend the
>> 5:30 PM but maybe they can come later. I recommend maybe meeting at
>> a coffee shop later.
>>
>> Sorry for my delayed email but I know Vinh and I really want to
>> promote Linux in Saigon as well.
>>
>> --
>> Kevin Miller, Jr., MPA
>> Email: kevinmillerjr@gmail.com <mailto:kevinmillerjr@gmail.com>
>> Blog: http://www.SaigonNezumi.com
>> Yahoo 360: http://360.yahoo.com/amerasiankevin
>> Yahoo Messenger ID: AmerasianKevin
>> Skype: kevmille
>> Mobile: +84909109933
>> Location: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Viet Nam
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Best Regarding,
>> Vinh Nguyen
>> Microsoft Certified Professional
>> Software Developer
>> FPT Software Solutions - FSS HCM
>> Cellphone: 0908244683
>> Email: nguyenhuuvinh@gmail.com <mailto:nguyenhuuvinh@gmail.com> or
>> vinhlinuxdn@yahoo.com <mailto:vinhlinuxdn@yahoo.com>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Vern Weitzel (Mr.) AVSL <vern@coombs.anu.edu.au>
>> UN Volunteer Associate <vern.weitzel@undp.org>
>> UNAIDS <vern@unaids.org.vn>
>>
>> ANU/AVSL eMail Lists: http://coombs.anu.edu.au/~vern/forum.html
>> NGO Centre eMail Lists:
>> http://mailman.ngocentre.org.vn/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo
>>
>> postal address:
>> UNDP Viet Nam, One UN Plaza New York, NY 10017 USA
>> UNDP Viet Nam, Palais des Nations 1211 Geneva Switzerland
>> UNDP Viet Nam, GPO Box 618 Bangkok, 10501 Thailand
>> home/office address: apartment 504-505, block A4 Giang Vo,
>> Ba Dinh, Ha Noi [off Ngoc Khanh Street, opposite Van Phuc Compound]
>> tel: +84 4 846-1751 [at UNAIDS most mornings]
>> Blog: http://web.mac.com/vernweitzel/ Skype: vernweitzel
>>
>>
>>
>> --
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>
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--
David Tremblay

Information Technology for development analyst
Legal reform assistance project

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