[WSIS CS-Plenary] OpenOffice, Civil Society Structures and a new wiki..

[chris]

Hi Robert and all,

On Fri, 2004-02-20 at 23:47, Robert Guerra wrote: 
> let's not get into an open source debate. 

Quite right. This list is not the place for such a discussion. I won't
continue after this explanation. Sorry to those who already have so much
mail to read.

> it is important to recognize that not everyone is using open source.

That's the problem. When using Open Office or Mozilla is so easy, even
for a Windows user, then why not start using free software? (NB. Using
some free software is not the same as migrating to GNU/Linux.)

> The graphic in question could have also been saved in numerous other 
> formats as well as the open office equivalent so that we all can see it.

The graphic was done with Open Office Draw. This program saves only in
its own format, and so if you want to use the flowchart you need Open
Office. It also exports the flowcharts to 20 different graphics file
formats, but you can't modify these formats. I left the chart in Open
Office format for two reasons:
1. to offer the chart as copyleft. ie for anyone to make improvements,
providing they make the improved version copyleft too.
2. to stimulate CS people into installing and using Open Office instead
of MS Office.

> 70+ megs is needed to dowload open office, and in certain parts of the 
> world that's impossible. sigh!

Of course I was very aware of this. But for those who simply *cannot*
get a copy of Open Office, my offer to make a graphic file of the flow
chart or send a CD with OO was completely honest and still stands. I am
very conscious that in some parts of the world the bandwidth is so small
you cannot download OO. That's why I made the offer. 

But "cannot" means there is no cybercafé nearby where you can make a CD,
nor access at a university or via a friend's DSL/cable, nor any other
way of downloading it, that nobody you know has the OO installation file
and a CD burner, or your hard disk is completely full, etc. If there is
some way of getting Open Office, then why send an image file?

BTW The response has ranged from those who have downloaded and installed
OO to those who are not interested in using free software. 

Thanks to Thomas for making the pdf file available. It's also at
www.pangea.org/cnicol/wsis/WSIS_CS_structure.pdf,as is the original at
www.pangea.org/cnicol/wsis/WSIS_CS_structure.sxd

Regards,

Chris