[Important] MCIT strategy

[Ahmed Mekkawy]

Hello everybody

The MCIT strategy was announced today. I would like everybody here to read it and give us feedback, as the community must have a say in this issue.

English:
http://www.mcit.gov.eg/Media_Center/Press_Room/Press_Releases/2967

Arabic:
http://www.mcit.gov.eg/Ar/Media_Center/Press_Room/Press_Releases/2967

Please note that the press release is worse than the strategy itself, but both are important.

Regards,

----
Ahmed Mekkawy
CTO | Founder
ahmed....@spirulasystems.com
linu...@spiru.la

Spirula Systems
www.SpirulaSystems.com

[Ahmed Koraiem]

Is that the 3rd consecutive strategy in 3 consecutive years? These guys are doing a marvelous job :/

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[Ahmed Koraiem]

Oh you meant the FOSS Strategy, that's well.

[Tarek Amr]

I will go through the bits and pieces that grabbed my attention in the press release and add my comments underneath them

"The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) showcased the FOSS strategy main features during Cairo ICT"

I can see here that in addition to the general interest in the ministry now, there supposed to be members who are aware of the topic enough to draft a strategy and present it in the ICT. 

Can we get the names of those who presented the strategy in the ICT? I will try to dig in the Strategy document for more names? Those can be our key contacts for now. 

"The Center has already started to design and implement FOSS training programs in the field of cloud computing and mobile applications in cooperation with the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC)".

Do We have something to offer here? Can OpenEgypt offer trainings to them? What topics should we focus on? What is the gap we need to cover here? Remember the the likes of IBM and Cisco will probably jump in wearing their FOSS hats to offer something here.

Now let me have a quick look at the Strategy Document.

 "2.2 Improve Efficiency and Transparency of the Public Sector"

This can serve as a gate to Open Source Software as well as Open Government Data. For example, CKAN is a FOSS software that is used by government to release their public data. We need to present that to them.

Section 5, "High-LevelAction Plan", is a good summary for what are their plans. Thus, let me list the following points/opportunities.

• They need to train governmental entities and the public as well. Accordingly, they will be looking for training partners. Open Egypt can work here as a consultant, or to offer trainings. I am eager to know your feedback about this.
• They will on one hand advocate FOSS to SME's, but on the other hand the government will also act as purchaser of FOSS. Can we prepare a list of companies working in developing and customizing FOSS in Egypt?
• We also need to have a list of key persons in the ministry and their roles within this strategy. 
• They said they will revise current ICT policies and related law articles relevant to FOSS adoption. What can be our input here? 

Finally, I can see that Open Egypt can act here as either consultant or service provider, however I personally prefer the former role more. We need to discuss that, bit, I think being a consultant or catalyst will make it easier to decentralize the work and not compete with existing SME's offering FOSS development and customization services.

--

Best Regards
Tarek Amr

http://tarekamr.appspot.com/

[Ahmed Mekkawy]

Tarek,

Before I reply to your points, I want to clarify that this strategy was made
by the help of OpenEgypt. Few of the founders were members in the committee
who made this strategy. And we'll be involved in the execution as well.
Whenever you see the community is mentioned, you can think of OpenEgypt.

IMHO, the press release is pretty poor. I encourage you to read the strategy
itself, which is downloadable from the same page of the press release, or
here's the link:
http://www.mcit.gov.eg/Upcont/Documents/FOSS_Strategy_EN_2014.pdf

Let me reply to your points inline:

On Monday 17 March 2014 01:24:02 Tarek Amr wrote:
> I will go through the bits and pieces that grabbed my attention in the
> press release and add my comments underneath them
>
> "The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) showcased
> the FOSS strategy main features during Cairo ICT"
> I can see here that in addition to the general interest in the ministry
> now, there supposed to be members who are aware of the topic enough to
> draft a strategy and present it in the ICT.
> Can we get the names of those who presented the strategy in the ICT? I will
> try to dig in the Strategy document for more names? Those can be our key
> contacts for now.

The CairoICT event was announced on this mailing list before it happened.
Anyway the presenter was Dr.Noha Adly (first deputy to the minister). The
presentation she made was about the highlights of the strategy. The slides
were available yesterday on the ministry website, but it's removed for some
reason. Anyway it's attached to this email.

>
> "The Center has already started to design and implement FOSS training
> programs in the field of cloud computing and mobile applications in
> cooperation with the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center
> (TIEC)".
> Do We have something to offer here? Can OpenEgypt offer trainings to them?
> What topics should we focus on? What is the gap we need to cover here?
> Remember the the likes of IBM and Cisco will probably jump in wearing their
> FOSS hats to offer something here.

OpenEgypt will be represented in SECC council which will supervise and
coordinate the execution of this strategy. This doesn't mean that we can
actually control everything, but at least we'll see and interact with what's
happening. Of course everyone will wear the FOSS hats, Microsoft already did.
let's see what we can do.

>
> Now let me have a quick look at the Strategy Document.
>
> "2.2 Improve Efficiency and Transparency of the Public Sector"
> This can serve as a gate to Open Source Software as well as Open Government
> Data. For example, CKAN is a FOSS software that is used by government to
> release their public data. We need to present that to them.
>
> Section 5, "High-LevelAction Plan", is a good summary for what are their
> plans. Thus, let me list the following points/opportunities.
>
>

> - They need to train governmental entities and the public as well.

> Accordingly, they will be looking for training partners. Open Egypt can
> work here as a consultant, or to offer trainings. I am eager to know your
> feedback about this.

I guess OpenEgypt can do the consultancy part, but offering training on
proffessional basis is something I didn't consider. If someone want to work on
this point, he's most welcomed.

> - They will on one hand advocate FOSS to SME's, but on the other hand

> the government will also act as purchaser of FOSS. Can we prepare a list
> of companies working in developing and customizing FOSS in Egypt?

We worked on this for more than one time, we got some list on our wiki, but I
can't say that it's the most complete one.

> - We also need to have a list of key persons in the ministry and their
> roles within this strategy.

I will be attending the first meeting for the execution isA, and will
communicate as much as I can isA.

> - They said they will revise current ICT policies and related law

> articles relevant to FOSS adoption. What can be our input here?

Our input here is really big. They won't be willing to change laws unless we
fight for it. On the other hand we will need professional legal help to point
out which laws need to be changed, and propose the required changes. We will
have access to legal departments in the ministry, but I highly prefer we got
our own.

>
>
> Finally, I can see that Open Egypt can act here as either consultant or
> service provider, however I personally prefer the former role more. We need
> to discuss that, bit, I think being a consultant or catalyst will make it
> easier to decentralize the work and not compete with existing SME's
> offering FOSS development and customization services.

Agreed, we need to stimulate the private sector more than competing with it.

[Ahmed ElHefnawy]

شكرا لاحمد مكاوي على البريد والرابط والمرفق الذي اسعدني الحظ برؤيته لاول مرة برغم اني كنت من مؤسسي المجموعة  واعتقد بصراحة ان الموضوع لا يمكن الوصول فيه برد من خلال البريد الاليكتروني وادعو  لاجتماع لمناقشة الامر واصدار رد مكتوب.

وارفض دعوة م. احمد حسين  السابقة التي لم تشمل مستندات بها كما فعل مهندس احمد مكاوي وبالتالي كان سيكون الاجتماع غير مجدي .

 

<FOSS_En_Cairo_ICT_2013.pptx>

[Ahmed Mekkawy]

د. أحمد،

للأسف أن النشر من طرف الوزارة كان مفاجئا لنا جميعا حتى أعضاء اللجنة لم يعلموا
بموعد النشر. الجميع بما فيهم الأعضاء المؤسسين أسعدهم الحظ لأول مرة برؤيته أيضا
باستثناء أعضاء اللجنة الوزاربة ، فلا تقلق لست وحدك فى هذه النقطة :)

بالنسبة لرفض الدعوات السابقة فهذا شىء مناقشته الأن غير مجدية، وان كنت أسجل
للمستقبل رأيى أن أى تصريح صحفى من الوزارة أو غيرها فى مجال اهتمامنا يجب أن
نحدد كيفية الرد عليه او حتى عدم الرد. انما رفض مناقشة أخذ أى رد فعل أصلا بحجة
عدم وضوح المعلومات تؤدى بأى مجتمع للموت البطىئ.

شكرا

On Monday 17 March 2014 11:17:17 Ahmed ElHefnawy wrote:
> شكرا لاحمد مكاوي على البريد والرابط والمرفق الذي اسعدني الحظ برؤيته لاول مرة
> برغم اني كنت من مؤسسي المجموعة واعتقد بصراحة ان الموضوع لا يمكن الوصول فيه
> برد من خلال البريد الاليكتروني وادعو لاجتماع لمناقشة الامر واصدار رد
> مكتوب. وارفض دعوة م. احمد حسين السابقة التي لم تشمل مستندات بها كما فعل
> مهندس احمد مكاوي وبالتالي كان سيكون الاجتماع غير مجدي .

--
Ahmed Mekkawy
CEO | Founder

[Ahmed ElHefnawy]

١. من حقي رفض دعوة م. أحمد حسين لعدم مناسبتها سواء من حيث التوقيت او المعلومات. نشاط بدون توفر معلومات فهو بصراحة مضيعة للوقت.  و هذه ليست حجة يا مكاوي. 

٢. عدم توفر اي تقارير من اعضاء اللجنة بسبب السرية مرفوض وبالذات في اوبن ايجيبت التي تقوم على قيم أهمها الشفافية

٣. حقيقة أنا بين نارين : نار اقتناعي باهمية البرمجيات المفتوحة المصدر و نار : سوء ادارة و عدم التزام و  .. و ..

مرة اخرى اتمني لكم التوفيق وقد كانت تجربتي مع اوبن ايجيبت  تؤكد مرة أخرى أن هناك أساسيات يجب أن نتعلمها قبل أن نمارس ..

 

[Ahmed Mekkawy]

د. أحمد،

ردى على النقاط اللى حضرتك أثرتها، مع انى باعيد كلامى انى شايف ان ده نقاش غير
مجدى للمجتمع:

1. من حق حضرتك ترفض اللى شايفه مضيعة للوقت، وكون انى اشوف ان اللى حضرتك بتعملة
مش حيوصلنا لحاجه ده حقى برضه :)
2. حضرتك عارف ان خروج اى حاجة من الوزارة كان حيسبب مشاكل كبيرة. حضرتك شخصيا
كنت عضو فى اللجنة وما سربتش النسخ المبدئية من الاستراتيجية للمجتمع، وبرضه حضرتك
اللى كنت بتطالبنا بده بعد ما سبت اللجنة.
3. أكيد فيه أخطاء كتير، وحضرتك بالفعل اعلنت انسجابك من OpenEgypt اكتر من مرة
وانا كنت باحاول اصلح وباحاول انى اخد الاعتراضات اللى عند حضرتك واحولها لاقتراحات
اللمجتمع يستفاد بيها.
4. كون ان حضرتك بتعلن انسحابك - مرة اخرى - بعد ما الشىء الوحيد اللى كان غير
معلن تم اعلانه، ده بيخلينى غير قادر على التفكير فى أى رد فعل بناء من ناحيتى.
5. انا ما زلت مصر على رأيى ان المناقشة ديه غير مجدية، واذا كنت حضرتك مصر عليها
يا ريت تبقى فى email thread تانى علشان ما يتمش التشويش على النقاش عن
الاستراتيجية,

أتمنى حضرتك ما تكونش اتضايقت منى. احترامى لحضرتك فوق أى اختلاف فى الرأى.

أحمد

[Shady Samir]

انا متلخبط ما بين البيان الصحفي ومقدمة الإستراتيجية ومحتواها. البيان والمقدمة فيهم كلام بيطمن الشركات المحتكرة وان الموضوع مش استبدال لبرامجهم والعملية هاتكون "هجين" بين كل الحلول. كلام مرتعش لا يصح انه يصدر في نفس سياق إستراتيجية قوية.

[Ahmed Mekkawy]

ده ر اجع لاختلاف اللى كاتب. الاستراتيجية حطت افكارها اللجنة اللى فيها OpenEgypt وصاغه فريق د.نجلاء رزق. كلمة الوزير والبيان الاعلامى كاتبه ناس من الوزارة. ال executive summery بعد ما د.نجلاء كتبته الوزارة زودت عليه باراجراف.

عايز اعرف رأيك ان الاختلاف ده نتيجته ايه.

---
Please execuse my brevity/typos. Sent from my mobile device.
---
Ahmed Mekkawy
CEO | Founder
www.SpirulaSystems.com

[Shady Samir]

الاختلاف ده مؤشر على الطريقة اللي الوزارة بتخطط تطبق بيها الاستراتيجية. زي بالظبط اول مناقصة خرجت بعد الوقفة كانت معنونة مناقصة توريد أجهزة وبرمجيات مفتوحة المصدر. وتفاصيلها كانت 300 جهاز لينوكس و2000 ويندوز. وده هو الهجين اللي بيتكلموا عنه.

[Ahmed Mekkawy]

المناقصة ديه كانت مفهومة ومقصودة. كان المقصود بيها ان مافيش شركات تتقدملها علشان يقولوا مافيش شركات اوبن سورس فى البلد.

وجود مقاومة - غير شريفة احيانا - ده حيحصل كده كده، وحتزيد شراسة مع الوقت. وأكيد النموذج "الهجين" اللى بتتكلم عنه من اهداف المقاومة ديه.

لكن فى نفس الوقت زى ما غربية قال فى الايميل التانى، النقط ديه انشائية بحتة وما تتضمنش نقط تنفيذية وغالبا تهدف لتطمين طرف.

خلينا نشوف اللى حيحصل.

---
Please execuse my brevity/typos. Sent from my mobile device.
---
Ahmed Mekkawy
CEO | Founder
www.SpirulaSystems.com