In order to achieve its objectives, Blantyre FOSS Users Group will be involved in a number of activities. For example, the user group has an active online discussion forum for members to network and share knowledge on various technical issues concerning free and open source software. Members will also be doing peer-to-peer advanced training on free and open source software issues such as software development frameworks.
In addition to this, the Blantyre FOSS Users group will work hand in hand with the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) and FAIR Denmark ( http://www.fairdanmark.dk ), a Danish NGO, to establish NICE local library computer centres in the southern region of Malawi. The general public will be able to use computers and also learn how to use computers for free in the NICE local library computer centres. The computers will be running on the Linux operating system and other free and open source software. Free and open source software was chosen because of its low maintenance costs and liberal software licensing issues. Blantyre FOSS Users group was thus approached by NICE and FAIR Denmark to be part of this exciting project to have its members volunteer to train the general public in computer literacy and also to be maintaining the free and open source software powered computers in the NICE library computer centers. All this will be in the spirit of “software freedom and openness”.
