AS I blogged previously, I’m all for open source, and long for the day when I can completely stop relying on Microsoft’s bloatware. Or maybe the day Microsoft finally comes out with products which aren’t bloatware — or hell freezes over, whichever comes first, heh.
The thing about Windows, however, is that the average consumer is already very comfortable with the interface. Contrary to what geeks may think, not everyone is a geek, heh, and yes, it may not sound logical, but having a pretty and user-friendly interface is a big deal for consumers.
Yeah, yeah, all you members of the Cult of Mac can stop shouting right now. We already know you have a pretty, user-friendly and powerful OS, heh 
Which is why it’s great to hear that the Department of Science and Technology-Advanced Science and Technology Institute has launched a homegrown version of Linux that looks more like Windows XP.
Check out INQUIRER.net reporter Alex Villafania’s Infotech article on the launch of Bayanihan Linux version 4.
Will this prove to be an important development for open source in the country?
Let’s hope so. It’s time to break the chains.
April 16th, 2007 at 2:22 am
The fact that there are initiatives from the public and private sectors promoting awareness on the use of open source software shows that we are headed in the right direction.
Bayanihan Linux is a nice distro and having used it for a while, it does make noobs like me feel more comfortable using linux.
I don’t use Ubuntu because after having read a few things about it on the net and trying it myself I came to a very personal decision. With so many linux-based operating systems out there, I would rather support the development of our very own operating system so we can become masters of our destiny than be someone else’s minion in his personal bid to become the world’s next Bill Gates. I let Microsoft do that to me once, I’m not letting Mark Shuttleworth do the same to me too. Incidentally, Mark has the same initials of a Redmond based company we all know. Ain’t that an irony.
Now I’m not about to defend the developers of Bayanihan Linux and speculate on why they do what they do by making this operating system. But I don’t think demeaning their work by calling it “pogi points” for the government is not constructive either. I don’t know them personally but looking at Bayanihan right now I’d say they have the Philippines’ best interests at heart.
We have got to stop thinking as consumers. Ever heard of the addiction marketing strategy? I’m inclined to think that the reason why Ubuntu is more popular here is just because we can get the CDs for free. Just when we are weaning ourselves off of our MS addiction we are walking down the road of yet another. So if by a small chance Bayanihan can help us avoid that then by all means let’s make our own. If we teach a man how to fish don’t we feed them for a lifetime. Isn’t this kinda like us catching our own fish.
Much of what I read about open source in the internet tells me that it takes a community to create an operating system based on linux. So if you are a Filipino and know and use linux are you not part of the community that created Bayanihan? If we did our share of promoting the use of linux in government agencies and not just rely on a small government agency to do the job doesn’t open source adoption in the government stand a better chance of succeeding? And considering the benefits of using open source in government such as reduced capital expenditures on proprietary software so that the funds could be allocated to something more meaningful like poverty reduction, health and education, isn’t this a worthwhile thing to do?
So why don’t you ask yourselves. What have you done for the country lately other than question the motives of people in government? At the very least, in my humble opinion, Bayanihan Linux is a step in the right direction.
April 13th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Yup and for your communication needs you can also utilize Google Apps for your Domain. This allows you to use the Gmail platform as your back-end email server for your own domain. Cool dibah.
March 30th, 2007 at 9:19 am
Maybe we can also ask Mark Shuttleworth why he wasnt smart enough to just adopt Fedora or Mandriva or anyone of the other distros that time that had a large community base instead of bankrolling the ubuntu project.
March 29th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Ubuntu and Fedora both have a far larger community (and hence both OS share a greater level of maturity) compared to our homegrown Bayanihan Linux.
Let me share a blogpost I’ve seen at Techno Pinoy (www.technopinoy.com):
The French Prefer Ubuntu (http://www.technopinoy.com/?p=305)
The French were smart enough to adopt Ubuntu rather than bankrolling a roll-your-own project. I wonder why we couldn’t do the same.
March 29th, 2007 at 10:39 am
I’ve actually installed and used it and believe me, it is better than Ubuntu in some ways… Proudly Philippine made pa! Congratulations to the team who made it… I really feel that it was not a waste of resources or an effort to earn pogi points to produce this.
March 28th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Now that’s the problem, why waste OUR taxes on pogi points? Why waste manpower to create something which other branches of government will not use?
DabaGNU, a Davao linux usergroup, and from the looks of things, Ubuntu is the prefered choice among them.
March 28th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
Having the same look is nice, but that’s just half of the pudding. Look-and-feel is not just about the “looks” of the GUI.
The obvious bane is that since it looks like Windows, people (being already closely familiar with Windows) will expect that it will have the same apps and functionality as Windows. What would you do if they start asking: “Where’s MSN Messenger?” for one? Or how about: “Why can’t I right-click on the Start menu?” (Most of my friends start Explorer this way). Sounds trivial to us geeks, but educating the common folk about the two OS’es differences and telling them that Linux is a different animal from Windows is easier said than done.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:45 am
hi rain, kozo, thanks for visiting.
those are interesting points you raised. would you say then the bayanihan project doesn’t actually address the needs and demands of filipino users, but is more symbolic or a way of winning “pogi points,” so to speak
what are the latest figures on ubuntu adoption in the philippines?
thanks.
cheers!
March 27th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
It always amazes me that Philippine creates its own look-and-feel? Why not try Ubuntu or other distro, change the default language to Filipino and presto a distro for Filipino. Why do they have to reinvent the wheel? or did they think Filipinos have a certain gui look-and-feel?
March 27th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
I’m skeptical about any form of adoption, or the slow progress Bayanihan Linux has gone through.
I’m all for homegrown output, but if this is just another government project that ‘has to be done’, and the goal to save up on funds and free oneself from proprietary software comes only as a second thought, who wouldn’t be skeptical.
March 27th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
Now if only DOST could get other government agencies to adopt it.