[plug] (Fwd) Re: Closure of Open Source WA

[Arie Hol]

------- Forwarded message follows -------
From:           	Arie Hol <arie99 at ozemail.com.au>
To:             	"Shaun Ratcliff" <sratcliff at mp.wa.gov.au>
Subject:        	Re: Closure of Open Source WA
Date sent:      	Fri, 29 Sep 2006 21:12:56 +0800



On 29 Sep 2006 at 18:36, Shaun Ratcliff wrote:

> Sure.
> 
> I was wondering in what capacity you dealt with OpenSource WA. Was it
> through a business or personal reason?
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Shaun

My only involvement with the Open Source WA centre in Bentley - is that I
have attended several seminars at the centre.

My involvement with open source software is primarily as a user, since
becoming aware of its existence and its potential while I was a mature
aged student at Murdoch University - where I achieved a bachelor degree 
in
Information Systems Development with a minor degree in Internet Computing
( graduated in April 2005).

As for any business involvement that I may have - it would be dependant 
on
me attaining suitable employment with a prospective employer who would be
likely to develop an interest in the deployment and use of any form of
open software.

I currently use open source software wherever possible, especially where 
I
prefer to keep up with the latest versions of software available. 

This motivation is especially vital as I am currently on a disability
pension with little prospect of returning to the work force, and
subsequently cannot afford the high costs involved with the use of
proprietary software and even more so - the cost of the up to date
hardware which is necessary to run the latest versions of proprietary
software.

Over the last five years I have been associated with the 'Perth Linux 
User
Group' (PLUG) and I am still a subscriber to their mailing list. 

On a more personal note - I fully support the open software paradigm and
believe that open source software has great potential for cost savings to
all levels of users, including private individuals, business and commerce
and also government departments and instrumentalities.

I am disappointed in the current government and its attitudes towards 
open
software and the prospect of losing the Open Source WA facility which can
serve a very important role in the promotion of open software and the 
cost
savings that can be achieved through the deployment and use of open
software systems.

Open software is supported by a global community of users and developers,
many of whom live right here in WA. 

If the government does not promote the use of open software then they are
not supporting the skills base that exists here in this great state. 

What then of the employment prospects of people like myself and the 
global community of users and developers in the open software community ?

In the past few years too many positions in the Information and 
Communications Technology  sector have been moved off-shore, with the
prospect of even more jobs being moved off-shore in the near future.

We also run the risk of losing opportunities for young people to become
trained and skilled in the basic levels of skills necessary to enter the
Information and Communications Technology sector.

TAFE are very keen on establishing training facilities off-shore for the
benefit of potential migrants to Australia, another blow against
Australian students seeking the same opportunities.

This off-shore approach has already become a practice of Challenger TAFE
in Fremantle, whereby they have been sending a co-ordinator overseas to
"train the trainer" in off-shore locations - a factor which :

1 - denies Australians of the positions as the trainers and 
2 - also eliminates the prospects of the students who want or need to
develop skills appropriate to the entry requirements for the Information
and Communications Technology sector. 

I agree that Australia needs to develop exports but we seem to be 
exporting jobs and skills, this surely must be seen as a retrograde step
which does not promote the needs of Australians.


Regards Arie
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Regards Arie
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 For the concert of life, nobody has a program.
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