Re: [school-discuss] looking for open source technology to write about it.

[Christopher Whittum <cdwhittum@xxxxxxxxx>]

Title: Email Signagture

Charles, this unfortunate and expensive venture by the UN is that kind of thing that we're that leaves us shaking our heads, wondering "Why?". I am frankly appalled at how many bureaucracies on all levels steer away from open source in lieu of proprietary technology. This mentality wastes money and is shockingly shortsighted. On a more positive note, I think that writing about OGIS is an excellent suggestion and is now on the list (four items!). Regarding your observation about Micro$oft's acquisition of OSM, a lack of metric conversion shouldn't be a problem as, the way things are going, the only people in the world who will be using their products live in the US.

Chris

Christopher Whittum
M.Ed. Learning and Technology
Energize Education through Open Source
CDW Web Design

On 10/06/2015 08:14 AM, Charles Cossà wrote:

Chris, regarding open source and "developing countries": QGIS is high-quality open source mapping software that does just about everything that proprietary ESRI mapping software does. I am aware that the UN just purchased 2x ESRI licenses at $11k each for a government ministry here in the "developing country" where I"m currently working as a GIS developer. This is a huge waste when they (the UN) should be pushing open source alternatives -- especially when they are equal if not better. Other areas of the gov't here are certainly using open source and QGIS and GeoNode for their mapping needs, but cases like this are shocking. So, given the ubiquity of maps these days and the involvement of younger folks throughout, it might not be inappropriate to write about QGIS. The world bank is also pushing something call GeoNode. Together they give you a robust, albeit slightly advanced, alternative to expensive mapping software tools.Â

As a side note, I could be mistaken, but last time I was playing with OpenStreetMap I concluded that it wasn't possible to express distances in metric units ... and that OSM had been bought (?) by M$ (??) ... fleeting observations only.

Charles

On Tue, Oct 6, 2015 at 7:21 AM, Christopher Whittum <cdwhittum@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Thanks for the contribution, Marc. You make some good points. While working on my book, I was thinking of the Third World, more so than the United States. In this country, people can afford to spend (waste?) their money on proprietary technology. People in the Third World (mostly) don't have this luxury, which, considering the direction the U.S. seems to be headed with proprietary technology, will be to their advantage as the rest of the world turns to open source. I am not a software developer, so I do this as the next best thing. I feel that my hands are tied in regards to the development of open source, but the more people, especially young people, who become involved with it, the faster open source will grow.

Christopher Whittum
M.Ed. Learning and Technology
Energize Education through Open Source
CDW Web Design

On 10/06/2015 05:08 AM, Marc Stephan Nkouly wrote:

Yeah I think it will be a good ideas to talk about Pharo,

As for me the only thing i find unfortunate is the fact that all the open sources software projects i have seen up to now are made for people having knowledge in Programming.

An if there's one question that i always have in mind is : What does it take to become a developer and contributes to other projects because is obvious that you can't over forward if you can't find your way around and OS not to talk about an IDE, when i look at Pharo where they say :ÂÂ(think IDE and OS rolled into one).

Been based in Africa i am among those that believe Open source may be the answer to most of our problems here but the most difficulty that i have is to find materials that are organize by teachers to train enthusiast .

I instead have the impression that the materials that are used in schools are not available in the public domain.

Except if am not able to find them.

To put it simpler one thing i would have dream of would have been to have materials that could be use even on self pace to acquire some programming knowledge at least enough to get started and be able to contributes to other projects .

If i take Âexample of DIGITAL LITERACY or even COMPUTER LITERACY the most common materials that i have discovered is based on MS tools up to now i have never seen something on Linux or even Unix , not to talk about projects that could be used offline. to teach or even learn programming.

Hope to see some people do something in future like that as for me am whiling to also collaborate with any one interested.

ÂThanks

Marc Stephan Nkouly

Digital Literacy (Technology) Coach

bp: 5180 Nkwen
ÂBamenda
cameroon
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ÂMobile:
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On Tue, Oct 6, 2015 at 8:39 AM, Hilaire Fernandes <hilaire@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi Christopher,

What about writing on Pharo - http://pharo.org.
It is the open source technology used to write Dr. Geo software.
It quotes itself as "The immersive programming experience".

Hilaire

Le 05/10/2015 22:26, Christopher Whittum a ÃcritÂ:

Hello,

I know that this is primarily for people who need technical support or advice, but I need an idea. I have been writing a blog, Energize Education through Open Source (see the link in my signature line), initially to promote my book of the same name, but the blog has developed into a means through which I evaluate, write about and promote open source technology. If you check out the site, you can see what I've done and read some of my work. Currently I am in need of a topic about which to write. It can be software, hardware or both, so long as it is open source. The article may be used for promotional purposes by the developers of the product in question.Â

Thanks.

Chris

--

Christopher Whittum
M.Ed. Learning and Technology
Energize Education through Open Source
CDW Web Design

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Dr. Geo
http://drgeo.eu
http://google.com/+DrgeoEu