OSS could be the answer for Africa: the Open Source (OSS) software system is cheaper and more adaptable than the more widely used proprietary systems. Bianca Wright argues that OSS could be the solution to Africa's increasing need for accessible and affordable ICT.

The Open Source (OSS) versus proprietary software debate has particular relevance in the African context. OSS could offer a partial solution to the growing Digital Divide that is opening between the continent and the rest of the world. With Open Source Software Freedom Day recently having been celebrated, the question remains, just how far has Africa come in embracing the OSS revolution?

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According to Bridges.org, an international non-profit corporation with origins in Washington DC and bases in Uganda and South Africa, ICT offers huge advantages in practically all spheres of life, but access and afford-ability is the problem.

Much of the cost of PCs, for example, is software; and proprietary software (or closed source) is expensive. In their research paper titled Alternative Routes in the Digital World: Open Source Software in Africa, Victor van Reijswoud and Corrado Topi note that while not all OSS is free, in most cases it is cheaper than proprietary software.

"The real price difference emerges from the fact that there is no licence fee structure. Where for proprietary software all the users need to pay a fee, in the OSS approach, someone buys the software, becomes the owner and can start to freely redistribute it to other users," they say.

It is for this reason that Open Source Software, with its lower cost and encouragement of innovation through adaptation, has been touted as the solution for developing countries such as those in Africa.

And the push for OSS is increasing. According to van Reijswoud and Topi, three concomitant effects are playing an important role in the growing diffusion of OSS.

First of all, an increasing number of people have a good, and in many cases deep, understanding of computers and software; this reduces difficulties in applying the more complicated OSS procedures. Second, the OS community has put a huge effort into simplifying and making OSS applications user-friendlier. Finally, the number of people who want or need to personalise the software is increasing.

Some countries have taken a more proactive approach to embracing OSS. In South Africa, government has led the way with its pro-OSS policy (www.oss.gov.za). Government support has been fostered through an understanding of the benefits of such initiatives. As the Open Source Software in Government Strategy document states: "Economic value includes contributions to greater efficiency, saving of foreign currency, possible savings on acquisition and opportunities to stimulate SMME development. In the social sphere, value flows from, for example, wider access to information, and provides an instrument for IT training."

The document states that in future, discrimination and prejudice will be avoided in software procurement procedures, making choices based on merit, thus giving OSS and proprietary software (PS) equal opportunities to be selected. "As OSS offers significant indirect advantages, opting for OSS will be preferable where the direct advantages and disadvantages of OSS and PS are equally strong, and where circumstances in the specific situation do not render such reference inappropriate."

Further, open standards will be a prerequisite for all software development, thus contributing to the ease with which OSS can be implemented and adapted. Already South Africa's Department of Communication has begun the move to OSS by adopting Linux as their operating system. The South African government plans to save R3bn a year (approx $338m), increase spending on software that stays in their country and increase programming skills inside the country, according to van Reijswoud and Topi. South Africa reports that its small-scale introductions have already saved them R10m ($1.1m).

The business community has also supported OSS adoption. The Shuttleworth Foundation launched its two-year Go Open Source (www.go-opensource.org) campaign, which ended in June 2006, in May 2004. According to project manager Hilton Theunissen, during the last two years Go Open Source distributed over 200,000 CDs of OSS to everyone ranging from home users, to companies and government departments.

Campaign founder Mark Shuttleworth says: "The Go Open Source campaign has inspired many in South Africa, and it has also set the benchmark for other countries in leading the adoption of free and open source software domestically. The free software movement continues to gather momentum, both in the most advanced software economies and in emerging markets such as China and Brazil. We hope our work has gone some distance in helping South Africa to establish itself as a world leader in free and open source technology."

Namibia has also opted for OSS software, but with a specific focus on access points such as community computer labs. According to a Bridges.org report titled Comparison Study of Free/Open Source and Proprietary Software in an African Context, Namibia has more FOSS (Free/Open Source Software) computer labs in schools than any other African country, yet the government is involved in a strategic public-private partnership with a multinational proprietary software vendor.

The SchoolNet (www.schoolnet.na) project has pioneered the "adoption of appropriate and affordable school computer technologies, the use of free and open source software solutions, creative common licensed educational content, and (unique in Africa) significantly discounted flat-rate 24/7 (wireless) internet service provision in partnership with local telecommunication agencies and solar-powered school computer laboratories." Over 300 schools have benefited from the SchoolNet project. Uganda on the other hand is lagging behind in terms of government's commitment to OSS. The Bridges.org study found that the Ugandan government has not developed a clear position on the issue of software choices, but is conducting a teacher-training programme that is based on proprietary software applications. "There are some strong supporters of FOSS in academia and among smaller ICT businesses, but the industry as a whole is dominated by proprietary software companies," the report said. Again the academic sector is driving the adoption of OSS in the country. Uganda Martyrs University (UMU), for example, runs its entire system on OSS (Linux operating system, web server, e-mail server). The East African Centre for Open Source Software (EACOSS) is the first specialised Free and Open Source Software training centre focusing on the East African region and offers specialised training in F/OSS as well as promoting the philosophy in the region.

It is clear that Africa is making use of OSS at present, but that widespread adoption is not yet commonplace. African governments need to follow South Africa's lead in driving the process and partner with business and non-profit organisations to use OSS as a tool for bridging the digital divide and assisting the small and medium-sized business community to access cost-effective reliable solutions that will enable growth and development.