As my first post on the blog I'd like to share with you a document of Aims and Objectives drawn up after a meeting with Rosemary, William and Maggie from Bolga NTC on their recent visit to UWE. This document was presented to the UWE Steering Committee and met with approval on 19th March. The visit is planned from 7th to 21st April. Please have a read - I would welcome any comments or suggestions you have and any additional input. I realise that the document covers a lot of things - not all of which will be achievable in the short time (2 weeks) available for my visit.
word document: http://www.zailrand.com/bolgaNTC/Liza%20McCarron%20Bolga%20Visit%20April%202008.doc
The PC audit in full is also available:
excel document: http://www.zailrand.com/bolgaNTC/Bolga%20NTC%20PC%20audit%20nov%202007.xls
As you will read in my Aims and Objectives document I would like to introduce the idea of Open Source software to Bolga NTC. I have been researching the use of Open Source in Africa and have found it is not always welcomed - people perceive that the "developed" world is a Microsoft world and feel in some ways they are being given second best through Open Source. Microsoft appear to be encouraging this (1). However, I feel it is important from a sustainability point of view that this option is introduced in a positive way - there are many examples of the positive implementation of OSS in Africa (2) The ultimate decision about which systems to use will remain with Bolga NTC. I would appreciate the input of other members of this group in the following:
- Recommending an Open Source OS - preferably one that has a "live" version (Currently I favour dsl 4.2.5 for it's small footprint, easy to use GUI and inclusion of an office suite)
- Additional Open Source/free office and multimedia software for use on either Linux or Windows platforms (OpenOffice is the obvious choice for an Office replacement on both platforms)
- A easy to use WYSIWIG Open Source/free html editor and website manager (I'm a bit out of touch with these as it's while since I did any proper websites and I still use a very old copy of Adobe GoLive)
- Any free Anti Virus, Internet Security and Anti Spyware programs that you can recommend (Free AVG and Zone Alarm along with firewall on router are the ones I tend to use although the Zone Alarm Free version won't be licensed for use In Bolga NTC. Has anyone tried Comodo?)
Lastly, I'm hoping to take out some bits and pieces (and not much other luggage!) scrounged from old equipment within our faculty and some of the things I have hoarded (!) at home over the years - basically this will consist of
- a couple of 10 - 20 Gb HDD
- CD-R drives
- maybe a DVD-R drive
- some spare network cards
- a couple of wireless cards
- a wireless access point (for testing)
- some PC100 and PC133 128Mb Ram (if anyone has any 256 or 512 sticks available that would be much more use!)
- some long Cat5 cables (or possibly a cable drum, some crimpers and ends)
- some network wall points
- vga cables
- USB A-B cables
- PS2 mice
- @ 100 CD-R disks
- Possibly an external drive for backups (am still trying to source this - most of ours are lacies and I don't want to take one of them as in my experience they have a nasty habit of head crashing)
If anyone could suggest or donate anything else that would be great (or tell me what not to take...). I will of course be weighing everything carefully before I go!
Hope you all have/ have had great easters without too much snow :)
Best Regards
Liza
(1) http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39231004,00.htm
(2) http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/reijswoudtopi.pdf
3 comments:
Liza,
All the best for the visit.
Informally, I agree the Open Source solution is the way to go - however, IMHO maybe it should wait til the requirements have been fully articulated before we get too enthusiastic about it.
I've got a Belkin USB WiFi dongle if that's any use.
Frank,
thanks for that - agree with what you say about Open Source and what I aim to do is introduce Open Office and show how it can be used as alt to Office. Will demo the dsl live cd - basically just to introduce as a concept.
Unlikely to have time now to collect dongle as am at home sorting out a few last minute things - if you can get it to Glenside this afternoon I have a friend who lives near to me who could drop it off.. (unless you live near to South Bristol and I could collect tommorrow?)
Have also revised list of stuff to take as original pile was at least 2x baggage allowance!!!
Oops sorry missed that deadline - hope you're having a good trip.
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