Code Breakers
Code Breakers investigates how poor countries are using FOSS applications for development, and includes stories and interviews from around the world.
URL = http://www.apdip.net/news/fossdoc
It was aired on BBC World starting 10 May 2006
Description
The main component of the documentary is its featuring several FOSS initiatives, namely:
1. SchoolNet in Namibia, concerned in teaching children how to assemble computers and run and modify FOSS applications.
2. Brazil governmentâs efforts âto use FOSS in government procedures and support FOSS as a tool for society.â? So far, around 150 million dollars have been saved each year, which is used to invest in hardware in previously technologically impoverished areas.
3. Digital Doorway (Meraka Institute, Africa), which aims to provide âminimally invasive educationâ for the poor in Africa.
4. Computer Buses (Central India). This is a project wherein a bus containing 24 computers and teaching facility takes a round of rural communities to teach schoolchildren how to use computers using FOSS.
5. Sahana, FOSS Disaster Management Software (Sri Lanka). Aside from FOSSâs investment benefits, the software has been deemed as âsidestepping red tapeâ? in governmentâs providing relief and rehab assistance to disaster-affected communities, like in Sri Lanka in the wake of tsunami two years ago.
6. Agri Bazaar (MIMOS, Malaysia), for online trading of agricultural products.
7. Spainâs initiative to connect its depressed region Extremadura, wherein 100,000 computers were connected to the Internet using FOSS. It generated savings of about 20 million euros.