Open Technologist

Crowdsourcing Example – Ushahidi

Ushahidi ("testimony'' in Swahili") is a platform that users crowdsourcing to gather information during a time of crisis. Anybody can submit information during a crisis via mobile phone, email or the website which will then be mapped and a timeline provided. It was initially started to map reports about the violence in Kenya after the election in 2008. The platform which is open source is being built and will cater for plug-ins and extensions so that it can be customised for different needs...

Wikipedia For Schools

Wikipedia Selection is a free version of Wikipedia that consists of hand-checked articles from Wikipedia applicable to the UK National Curriculum but also useful to many others. The project is run by SOS Children UK in conjunction with the Wikimedia Foundation. Wikipedia Selection has been distributed to schools in South Africa by the Shuttleworth Foundation and by the Hole in the Wall project to rural Indian children. It is the same size as a 20 volume encyclopedia and articles were ranked by...

South African IEC Website Blocks Open Source Users

I decided to have a look at the South African Independent Electoral Commission's (IEC) website to see where you could register for the upcoming elections. Instead I was presented with the following message: It seems their website only allows Microsoft Windows and Internet Explorer users. So that means no Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Linux or Mac...

Symbian and Nokia Go Open Source

In June 2008 Nokia bought out its partners in Symbian (mobile operating system) for $410 million and have decided to forfeit the $300 million in licensing revenue by going open source. Nokia have started the non-profit Symbian Foundation with around 40 companies joining and plan to release Symbian for free in the first half of 2009. According to CEO Nigel Clifford they are hoping that the money that companies would normally spend on licences would now be spent to innovate on Symbian and is...

An Internet Censorship Solution – psiphon

Internet censorship is denying people with access to valuable information. A human rights software project known as psiphon, run by the Citizen Lab at the Munk Centre for International Studies, allows people in countries where the Internet is censored unrestricted access to the Internet. If you are in a country that censors the Internet, all you have to do is find somebody in a uncensored country to setup a server for you to access and you will have uncensored access. The server setup...

Tackling Poverty With Open Source Software – Blog Action Day

The theme for Blog Action Day is poverty and the Grameen Foundation is an organisation making use of technology to enable the poor to create a world without poverty. The Mifos Initiative program is using open source software to create a service model that increases access to technology for microfinance institutions, allowing them to reach the worlds poor. Microfinance is a program whereby poor people are granted small loans (less than $200) to start and sustain small business like the Villiage...

Fennec – Firefox Mobile For Windows

Open Source mobile web browser known under the code name "Fennec" from Mozilla will be available for Windows mobile in a couple of weeks. Mozilla developer Mark Finkle revealed that development for Windows Mobile version is heating up and and that a Linux version is in a alpha testing. You can install it on a Nokia N8x0 and assist with testing. There are no plans yet for a Blackberry version and there was work happening porting it to Symbian but there has been no indication on the...

Crowdsourcing Example – Facebook Crowdsourcing for Translations

Crowdsourcing is a term coined by Jeff Howe who described it as an open call by a company to a large group of individuals who are invited to partake in a task that would under traditional circumstances be performed by employees of the company. Facebook with its worldwide user-base has turned to crowdsourcing to translate Facebook into other languages such as German, French and Spanish amongst others. An application is used to translate bits of the site which is then voted upon by other users...

Fighting for Human Rights Using Technology

The Hub is a platform making use of technology such as video camera's and mobile phones to highlight human rights violations . The goal is to allow anybody around the world to share personal stories by drawing attention to violations and to mobilise action Videos, audio or photo's can be uploaded and shared with viewers who are encouraged to learn and get involved to make a difference. The Hub provides links to advocacy groups and campaigns so that a difference can be made and encourages...

Architecture for Humanity’s Open Architecture Network

Architecture for Humanity is a charitable organisation that aims to produce architectural solutions to aid humanitarian crisis and communities in need. The Open Architecture Network developed by  Architecture for Humanity, is an online community whose goal is to improve the living conditions of people living in informal settlements and assist those with shelter after a disaster. The network allows designers to: Share ideas, designs and plan Review designs by others Collaborate with all...