Open Source Software for Bulgarian NGOs

by Vladimir (Kaladan) Petkov

The Red House - Center of Culture and Debate and InterSpace - Media Art Center, Sofia

In the middle of the 12th month since the start of the project “Open Source Software for the Bulgarian NGOs,” we can say that this is a very successful project. As a main criterion for that, we take the execution of the main tasks we set for ourselves in the first year:

1. After detailed research and a series of tests, we collected and described a package of Open Source programs, which we united in one Linux distribution /ISLD 2.1/;
2. We created a teaching model for NGOs in Bulgaria and organized trainings for most of the organizations that wanted to participate in the project;
3. We installed Open Source software on the computers listed by the organizations, which sent participants in the trainings;
4. We organized various initiatives, which provoked public discussion on Open Source software, presenting to the Bulgarian society its advantages and the necessity for its use.

But project “Open Source Software for the Bulgarian NGOs” achieved something more - we proved that even in a passive or even negatively inclined social environment, with an openly adverse and corrupted local administration, the situation can be changed with a few, but focused initiatives and with a strong argumentative position. The project catalyzed the development of the Free Software Association Bulgaria and the Linux Society in Bulgaria, which by cooperating with Interspace and the Red House gained confidence and established a more active position in popularizing the values of Open Source software.

The social debate on using Open Source software also changed the position of the state administration. We have received an invitation for partnership from the Coordination Center for Information, Communication and Management Technologies because they are interested in developing a strategy for electronic government. Before the start of project ’Open Source Software for the Bulgarian NGOs’ this was impossible - mainly because of the very strong lobby of Microsoft in the state administration and because of the lack of knowledge of the possibility of using Open Source software in the administration and the educational system in the country.

Statistics for the first year:

Total Trained people: 76
Total PCs: 60
Total installations /including reinstalled/: 90
Distributed over 200 CD’s with: Knoppix, Linux OS and Open Source tools for Windows
Distributed over 50 manuals /140 pages manual for InterSpace Linux Distribution/
Total Trained Organizations: 22 /all applied from Sofia NGO’s/
Total RAM: 11734 MB
Total HDD: 1508 GB
Total CPU Mhz: 50897 Mhz

Organized events:

 Public presentation and promotion of the project
 Debate on the need for implementation of Open Source Software /OSS/ in the Public administration
 Openfest and Installfest
 Net User 2 International Conference with main focus on Open Source Software /OSS/

If you would like to learn more about Open Source in Bulgaria or InterSpace you may e-mail Kaladan at <vpetkov@i-space.org> or check out their website at http://i-space.org/.

 NET_USER_2 International Internet Conference by Kaladan Petkov http://www.netuser.cc/index_en.php

Date: 22-26 October 2003
Venue: Sofia City Art Gallery, InterSpace Media Art Center

Net_User_2 was the second edition of the international and interdisciplinary conference in Bulgaria, exploring the process of collaboration between new trends in art, technologies and business in the Internet. Net_User_2 building on the successful platform of the first event, is focusing on current issues of Internet activities like such as Open Source Technologies and Streaming Media in Art and Culture.

Net_User_2 presented how net artists, theoreticians, developers, designers, journalists, media networks, Internet companies and general web users combine the artistic and the commercial side of Internet projects. Net_User_2 explored the various points of view of the attendees from Bulgaria, Germany, Great Britain, Austria and the Netherlands. They discussed the aesthetic, social and economic issues of sundry questions provoked by the global network.

The project was organized by InterSpace Media Art Center, Sofia in collaboration with The Red House Centre for Culture and Debate, Sofia and Orbitel - Next Generation Telecommunication Company, Sofia. With the support of: British Council Bulgaria, Sofia City Art Gallery, Swiss Cultural Program in Bulgaria and Bootlab Berlin/DE. Net_User_2 conference in Sofia was held in the framework of exStream - two-year collaborative project between five European media organizations, which is supported by Culture 2000 Programme of the EU.

Background

In October 2001 InterSpace organized the first edition of the international conference Net User. As a pilot project the main aim of the event was to establish a platform that responds to current issues of Internet activities in both local and European context. In the conference 40 professionals took part from Bulgaria, Switzerland, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Finland and Yugoslavia. Net User 2001 provoked a great public interest and during the four-day program more than 400 people attended the event.

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