IN PROGRESS

Introduction

Out transition to FLOSS is under-way.

Started Projects

• CiviCRM - Moving to from proprietary contact system (hosted externally)
• dotProject - Moving to from Excel spreadsheets (hosted externally)

Ubuntu

Currently rolling out to pilot/new users (we are expanding right now).

How we deployed/customized

Each time we want to make a new LiveCD version, using Ubuntu Customization Kit (UCK)

• Run UCK and do simple language removal, tell it to prompt for manual customizations
• Copy over customize script and MIA-custom.deb
• Run customize script (which customize just the installed software and install MIA-custom.deb)
• MIA-custom.deb - Adds our customization, including specific fonts, customized gconf values, proxy values, Desktop icons, openoffice templates, smb.conf, etc. Installed manually in Ubuntu Customization Kit

More when I blog about MIA-custom.deb.

Issues / Bugs

• Virtual desktops cause users to "lose" applications
• Desktop becomes cluttered with network drives (can turn off in gconf)
• Need more space in Fast User Switcher Applet, users can easily try to click the applet instead of an X to close a program and then they will likely end up switching users

• Thunderbird drag and drop fails https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/thunderbird/+bug/151162

OpenOffice.org

We have deployed OpenOffice in parallel with MSO. Blogged (http://gquigs.blogspot.com/2009/06/going-to-openoffice-step-1-unfreezing.html)

How We Deployed (on Windows)

Used an extension to preload templates, had to manually set them to be the default though. Deployed 3.1.0.

Bugs holding us back

http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=75498 Spellcheck issues (to be investigated more) - on both Ubuntu and Windows, but might be different underlying cause

Suggestions (for OpenOffice)

• Preload landscape as a page style (workaround for windows, put it in your template)
• Let the mail merge use the default mail client (not do it directly)

Next Steps

• Survey partners on their office suites/ODF support possibilities. (IN PROGRESS)
• Update Templates

Future Projects

• Claims Management System for health insurance
• GIS system
• "Virtual Library"

General Case Study Guidelines

Summary (100 words approx.)

Challenge or situation (250 words approx.)

Solution (250 words approx.)

Benefits – with subheadings (400 words approx.)

Interview Questions

• What is the mission of your organisation?

Training community-based micro health insurance schemes in insurance domain knowledge.

• Can you give us a few examples of what you have done? Maybe you have some pictures you can share?

• Other Software

  • Did you also use other linux distros?
  • Did you also use proprietary software?
    • In this case, what feature do you think is missing in Ubuntu that forced you to choose proprietary software?

• Suggestions

  • What do you suggest should be done in Ubuntu to better match your needs?
  • What would you like to see improved in Ubuntu resources like documentation?

• Experiences

  • What is the biggest difficulty you encountered with Ubuntu?
  • and what do you think is the best trick you learned along the way?
  • What would you suggest to our readers that are interested in an initiative like yours?
  • How can interested readers help your organisation?

• Photos and stories

  • Collect few photos of the initiative
  • Ask if there's particular anecdotes, good or funny stories, best lessons that reporter would like to tell to the world.

Case Study Template

Name of reporter:

Name of NGO:

Location (city, country):

Web Links:

Other Software

Suggestions

Experiences

Photos and stories

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CategoryNGO