Re: Deer in the Headlights

On Wed, Aug 27, 2003 at 03:50:12PM -0500, Taran Rampersad wrote:
> I accidentally only replied to Alan - my apologies to the list. Please 
> see below.
	A couple of readers have, despite my plea, responded only to me.
	My claim: anything worth saying to me is worth saying to all of
	GOV-LIST<g>.  I am pleased that Taran agrees.

> >It's not just in the U.S., either. The Trinidad Guardian had an 
> >article about the Trinidad and Tobago's Ministry of Education's 
> >computerising of primary and secondary schools. They are in 'final 
> >negotiations' with Microsoft to provide 'discounted software' to these 
> >schools.
	[  excellent discussion snipped . . . ]

> >The Ministry of Education wanted software. They went to Microsoft, 
> >more than likely - not the reverse. There's no insight into this 
> >because (1) the TTLUG and other advocates lack the connections, (2) 
> >There's NO formal body in country - or in the Caribbean for that 
> >matter - who can tender a counterbid.
	See below.

> >A formal body is a catch 22, as many people know.
> >
> >Meanwhile, the government is putting things into place through an NICT 
> >that, because of the history of government here (and elsewhere), 
> >there's little room for us to maneuver.
> >
> >It's a worldwide thing. What a mess.
	I think all of us must agree with the above sentence.  And I was
	struck with the situation in Eritrea(again: I was there for eight
	months in 1997-98), which seems to parallel the situation in
	Trinidad-Tobago so far as I understand what Taran is 
	telling us.

	Upon my return from Eritrea, I started up an E-list, "Linux Without
	Borders"(the fine title is due to a suggestion by ESR), for an
	discussion of how to get Linux more prevalent in developing
	countries.  My idea was: the suits in the US can do what they want,
	but it is a shame for developing countries to be colonized by
	M$.  A substantial number of people joined, with a gratifyingly
	world wide membership distribution, and it was quite exciting
	for a while; we had flame wars, mostly about the assertions of
	a stubborn German working in Uganda . . .  but then things died
	away.  This E-list still exists, but gets about one post every
	six weeks.

	Based on my experience with linux-without-borders, I came to the
	conclusion that in order to accomplish things it wasn't simply 
	enough to have an E-list for "discussion"; what is needed is a 
	more direct focus on a specific problem.  Hence   linux-pe  ,
	which has been set up specifically as a forum for activists
	to exchange and stimulate efforts to get Linux into US governments
	at all levels.  I concentrate here on _US_, since most USAns
	understand local libraries, state Motor Vehicle Authorities, and
	Congress, in a way that makes efforts in e.g. Dallas comprehensible
	to people in e.g. Duluth.  But I may have been wrong.  Taran, if
	you and other T&T activists want to use linux-pe, I'm not going
	to stop you<g>!  What might be however a better suggestion is
	for you and your colleagues to get on linux-without-borders, and
	re-stimulate that E-list.

> >There is a problem with Microsoft, yes, but the problem isn't 
> >Microsoft here as far as I can tell. It's about reaching the people 
> >who make decisions.
	Yes indeed.  Words of Gold!  and the way to reach people who
	make decisions, at least in democratic countries, is to get together
	with people who feel the same way.  I have gone down into the
	halls of Congress here in Washington, and have talked with a
	variety of staff members of various Congress people.  They are
	unfailingly polite, as they are paid to be, but they don't pay
	attention and won't unless I can show up with three or four or
	five others, preferably from the Representative's jurisdiction.

I thank Taran for his contribution.  I'll have a bit more to say about this
in response to Don Marti's response, in another message.

Best wishes to all,

Alan

-- 
Alan McConnell :  http://patriot.net/users/alan
    "Where are the WMDs???"    "Hey, good buddy, try looking in Washington,
    D.C.  They are named Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft and Little Shrub."