Initiative Name: EACOSS
Implemented by: EACOSS
Funding model: Initial funding IICD (Grants), heading for self sustainability
Geographical area targeted: Initially Uganda, but later east Africa

About EACOSS
About three years ago, research done in Uganda on the use of Open source Software indicated that lack of skilled personnel was a major hindrance to the increasing need to adopt Open Source Software (OSS) in organizations and by individuals. As a result, the International Institute for communication and development (IICD), decided to work with some local partners to meet this need. The East African Center for Open Source Software (EACOSS) was born to train people on OSS and equip the market with qualified personnel.
The institute was registered in 2004 and began conducting courses in 2005. Practically, we have been on the ground for just about a year. The institute was seed funded by IICD, with initial funding of 140,000 Euros. However, the onus is now on the institute to generate funds to keep it running. So the training we are conducting is at a fee, so that we can meet our overheads. IICD partnered with Linux solutions and Uganda Martyrs University. The University brought in the academic strength, and Linux solutions brought in the knowledge of Open source industry locally.

Under what institutional environment do you operate? Who are the stakeholders?
EACOSS doesn’t have any specific government policy geared towards supporting its activities, neither does it have any government support so far. It is still operating under the auspices of IICD, which releases grants for various activities especially awareness activities. We are trying to interest government in what we do. It takes time to get any government interested in such projects but we believe that because what we are doing is for the good of the nation, government will come in some time. Currently, IICD heavily subsidizes the courses.
EACOSS is making an effort to target any potential computer user, be it a kid or an adult. However, right now, because of the stage at which we are and the resources we have, we have been concentrating a lot more on the professionals, and are just beginning to move into secondary schools. Hopefully in two years time, we shall be able to reach primary schools. But that will depend on the resources we shall have because it costs money. That is why we are concentrating on the professionals, because for them we do awareness and we get quick returns. They are able to pay for the courses and we get some money to use in promoting OSS in schools. Hopefully, in future we shall be able to get more and more students from universities, get more income then we can spread our outreach programs further.
EACOSS is currently existent in Uganda alone. However there is a plan to get partners in the other East African countries. In Burundi, something is already coming up. In Kenya, we are still talking to some people who are very keen and interested in what we are doing are ready to set up a similar facility affiliated to EACOSS.

Is the project having the economic impact it was set up to meet?
After one year in operation, the project has taken off in high gear, and although still a little insignificant compared to closed source software, individuals, organizations and the community are already feeling the impact.
“A lot of professionals who handle systems in organizations are already taking our courses, and implementing what they have learnt to reduce costs in their organizations. Under normal circumstances, organizations spend over $10000 on software. But now they spend $1000,” said James Bwire Lunghabo, a director at the school said.
In Uganda today, it is increasingly becoming common for organizations to place job advertisements requiring ICT staff that have Linux certification. It’s a manifestation of the fact that organizations can reduce costs by employing Linux certified personnel.
A lot of organizations are now approaching us for specialized training. On the continent, we are the most recognized training institute outside South Africa. We are trying to work with partners in other counties so that what we do can be replicated there. We want to come up with an African certification in open source which can be used anywhere in Africa and the world

What other value has OSS added to organizations?
Open source software has added value to products on the market. For example, there are organizations that wanted to do systems integration. They had taken up certain set ups. To improve, Open source came in handy for them. This especially applied to organizations that have various office branches round the country that are networked. We pushed them to another level where people in the upcountry branches can have access to files at head office and those at the head office can also have access the files in the branches. Such systems can be inscripted, and Open source does that every other day.

Has there been any social impact so far?
The project is bearing fruit socially especially among the student populations. Because of the open nature of the software, many students are beginning to realize the benefits of sharing. “ A number of people grow up with the perception that they must do things in isolation to avoid theft of their ideas. But with the awareness programs and courses we are running, students are increasingly realizing that they can achieve a lot more by sharing,” Lunghabo explained.

Already, students are asking for mailing lists on which they can share information. One has been set up by Makerere University where IT students subscribe, share knowledge and information. The professionals are also asking for one. “I believe that this philosophy of sharing will extend beyond software and IT, to other aspects of life.

Are there any other specific programs to spread the impact further?
We have started our first program that will run within schools, and this will be launched in very few weeks. It’s called the Salsa program. In here, we shall launch the A-level software award, where we shall get the best A-level students around the country bring them here, train them and hope that when they go back they can share this information with their schools. We shall also give them reading material, which they can teach to others in their schools. Also when they go to university, they can keep coming back, keep retraining, train other people, then we have a multiplier effect. We want this program to continue every year and they number will grow over the years depending on the funding.
The institute is looking at trying to spread its wings into other areas for as long as we can have capacity. Once we feel that the primary job of training and we get respect for our certification, then we can try out other things.

Has it had any impact in increasing the use of ICT in the country?
More specifically, the institute has promoted the use of ICT in Uganda, as more and more young people are now coming up with all sorts of programs, which would not have been possible if they were relying on closed software. Because of the open nature of the software, people are developing and modifying software to suit their local needs. Already there is the Luganda Browser. This means that people who are afraid of computers because they are not literate in English can now browse in their local language.

How has the public received OSS?
Generally, the response to OSS locally has improved tremendously in the last few years. “When I began advocating for it in 1999, it was impossible to convince even a kid. Today the situation has changed. We have even big companies using Linux, even though they don’t know it. Government is full of Linux, but they have no clue. There has been proof of concept and that has made it easier for the adoption to take place”

But why should any one opt for OSS as opposed to the closed software. Is it the costs?
The strength of OSS is not even in the cost, but in the open nature of the software. “When you get a problem with the system today, any body with the skills can adjust it. But if you get the same problem with a closed system, you would have to reinstall, or wait for technical support from the country of origin,” Lunghabo said.

“You might be told to wait for six months for the next release. Imagine waiting six months for the next release. Can you quantify the costs of such a problem to the organizations, over a scenario where the server is open and it can be fixed there and then?”

Secondly, OSS is more versatile than closed software. For example, with OSS you don’t have to worry about viruses in your system. If you receive a virus, you can still edit your document as the virus hides, you send it back and it will hit the person who sent it to you.
“Most of this software is a result of peer preview, which demands a lot from the initiators of the product. You have to make sure the software is thorough before you release it to the market. That ensures that any products released are high quality ”

The other advantage of OSS is that it can be shared, unlike others, which are closed of to the rest. For the others, its like saying you buy a car and you are not allowed to give lifts to anyone. The software is also cutting edge because it changes rapidly.

Would you say the OSS philosophy has addressed the problems for which EACOSS was started?
The open source philosophy may not yet have completely addressed the problem for which EACOSS was set up, but huge strides have been made in that direction. As a result of its philosophy, many companies have turned over their software to open source. Netscape was the first. Organizations are therefore beginning to appreciate the need to deal with the community. Microsoft is now also coming up with the shared source software, an imitation that is not exactly open, but it’s a victory on OSS already because who would have expected Microsoft to do so.
OSS has also done a lot to improve its quality from the time it used to flaky to where it is today. Lots of improvements have been done very fast. A lot of companies took interest in Linux and started investing money in research. So Linux has grown in usability.

What are the major challenges of implementing this project in Uganda?
To get to where Ugandans are appreciating OSS has been and is still a major challenge that starts with the simple appreciation of ICTs. Not many people in the country understand ICTs. Even those that understand it have only been exposed to other systems.
They had previously never heard of Linux or OSS for that matter. They cannot imagine a computer without windows because since they started using computers, it’s all they have used. Breaking that cycle is not an easy job. Being human, they may be averse to change, even if it is for the better.
The other challenge is the fear, uncertainty and doubt that are intentionally spread by the big companies affiliated to closed source. “I call it malice because these guys say all sorts of malicious things about OSS. They claim that OSS can’t run on the latest hardware. This makes people indifferent to OSS,” says Lunghabo.

Can the philosophy of OSS be applied in other areas? Do you know of any such projects?
The concept of open source, or sharing to produce public goods can help so many projects out there. The philosophy of pooling resources together to produce public good can help many out there. Many times people think that to do things they must have money. Imagine a project in the village to construct roads. There may be no money but you have people in that village who are good at cutting trees, others are good at wood curving, others are strong and can dig, and smelting. For the common good, why not pool their skills together and do the road. Here you will jealously guard the project because you know the sweat you went through.
EACOSS has pioneered in this endeavor, but we hope that other people, organizations and the community will realize that on top of the closed systems they are using, they should give open source a chance.