VietNamNet - Open source software development in education and training is being plugged by the governmental general open source software scheme (OSS), the first of nine such projects planned.

The scheme will see all commercial software packages replaced with open source programmes by 2008 – a plan already two years behind schedule.

The government project has mapped out a scheme software application and development from between 2004-2008 to reduce expenditure for commercial software. The scheme itself is estimated at being worth $20 million.

It will dictate development of core OSS application software solutions to be developed this year under the auspices of four pilot projects, developed by Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City authorities, and the ministries of Public Security and National Defence.

The project will begin by conducting surveys of usage in Danang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other large urban centres, then running five pilot OSS programmes at four universities, four colleges and two vocational schools.

“We really need to initiate the project this year. Otherwise it will fall too far behind schedule,” said a ministry source.

The primary objective of the project is increased focus on OSS content in training provided at three information technology faculties; the Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Danang University, at a cost of VND15.3 billion ($900,000). The programme will also provide required software and increase study options at seven science and technology universities.

OSS project funding was approved last year at VND48.3bn ($3.03m). The Ministry of Education and Planning is waiting for funding from the state budget this year to begin implementing the programme at universities, colleges and vocational schools.

Funding will primarily develop learning infrastructure at three universities, supplying learning materials and reference books, equipping laboratories, and furnishing staff salaries. Further funding will be earmarked for a training centre supporting OSS technician training in Danang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Nguyen Trung Quynh, scheme management board director under the Ministry of Science and Technology, said the scheme is currently being held back by the usual array of difficulties in legal documentation to facilitate investment for a software project.

“There have been five sub-projects approved so far and this year will be the first year implementing the entire project along with activities to switch local enterprises on to OSS, especially in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City,” said Quynh.

“We have government agreement on OSS development, but we now need to encourage consensus among enterprises and the wider community,” added Quynh.

He explained that a clear investment schedule for public funds in information technology projects is yet to be compiled. The current mechanism caps consulting costs at around 3 per cent of total estimated expenditure, while software packages claim half.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the country has 200 universities and colleges with a total of 270 information technology faculties. Yet OSS training has taken root in just eight of these; including the Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City Universities of Technology, Institute of Information Technology, the National University Campuses in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, and Danang, and the Thai Nguyen University. Among them only the Hanoi University of Technology provides a second-year OSS course.

One of main reasons limiting use and development of OSS in Vietnam is that time taken for passive participation in OSS development, which focuses on translating data into Vietnamese language, excludes open source analysis.

The nation must put its head down on the scheme in order to save the massive expenditure it would require to purchase commercial software solutions. According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, the installation of Windows XP operating systems and Microsoft software bundles on the 740,000 PCs used in state agencies would cost an estimated $222 million.

(Source: VIR)