Category: Latest News

GITOC sub-committee open source user group – Aslam says Nhlanhla is probably very busy right now, but he will discuss it if he sees him in the coming month.

Registration as an NGO gives status to give input to gov entities and possibly request meeting with Nat Treasury – it is now part of the new collaborative online effort on our new Gihub organisation – please give input at https://github.com/opensourceza/saoss_constitution.

Suggestion to have an awards page on our website for SA companies that have promoted or furthered open source. These could be nominated in the discussion forums for discussion and agreement by members. Not discussed in November.

We discussed listing SA companies/individuals who are actively contributing to key open source projects, or who maintain their own such open source projects. We also discussed promoting open source projects which are actively supported so that SA companies or Gov could provide support. But we agreed that moderating and highlighting this on the website could be a lot of work, so it was agreed we create an organisation on Github where open collaboration will be easier. Github is designed for global collaboration and moderation of efforts. So https://github.com/opensourceza has been created. Right now it only has the Constitution draft on it (whoops I actually named this incorrectly) but we’re looking to crowd source suggested projects, contributors, etc all in this organisation.

Hi all, feedback from yesterday’s video meeting on the Signal channel, and thanks to Yogan Naidoo for joining the meeting and his excellent inputs:

1. GITOC sub-committee open source user group – Nhlanhla to update us.
2. Registration as an NGO gives status to give input to gov entities and possibly request meeting with Nat Treasury – please see requirements on our discussion forum at https://oss.gov.za/?topic=register-a-nonprofit-organisation-for-represent-this-effort, as well as the draft constitution. We need your inputs and support there. It need not be anything complicated.
3. Suggestion to have an awards page on our website for SA companies that have promoted or furthered open source. These could be nominated in the discussion forums for discussion and agreement by members.
4. Also suggested we create a presence on a site such as Github or Gitlab, with the ability for various SA companies, gov depts, state entities to have projects there where they can manage their code, collaboration, etc to further innovation in SA. Then we’d look at having a page on your website which points to the various projects if anyone else is wanting to collaborate, and gives us an idea of the quality of the code being produced. However we need to decide where to host as GitHub itself is not actually open source, although it hosts open source code. So, please discuss and give inputs at https://oss.gov.za/?topic=what-git-repo-to-use-for-hosting-open-source.

If you’ve forgotten your login to the discussion forums, I think there is a password reset, otherwise let me know, and I can try to do a reset for you. Please also complete your profiles there as it gives others an idea whether you are a Gov dept, a municipality, state entity, OSS company, etc.

Hi all, we did our August meeting now on Signal in a video meet. We again had no-one from within Government, and our last plan of action was to try establish some form of OSS user group under a GITOC SC. Deon Nel from SITA and TTT was consulted and he made himself available for discussion and advice on how he has the TTT running in a similar manner.

So priorities are:

1. GITOC user group if possible – if Nhlanhla can join the Sept video meeting and update us? Deon was happy to be contacted and discuss that with you.
2. Alternatively whether CSIR could form such an interest group from their side as they were still quite active with FOSS – do we have anyone from CSIR in this group (not veryone’s profile’s were completed on the OSS website)?
3. That we proceed to be registered as an NGO as per Karl’s suggestion, which gives an official status representation as far as government is concerns, and can earn us a seat at various forums where Gov interacts with citizens. We would do it as a non-financial institution to prevent having to appoint bookkeepers and an auditor.

Next meeting is 6 Sept at 15:00 as video meeting again here in the Signal group – you can join from mobile or desktop device, depending on where you have installed Signal.

Feedback from June’s monthly meeting:

1. Was another fairly quick meeting as there were only two of us…. but we waited 50 mins.
2. KARL/DANIE – Kubernetes as a MIOS cloud standard – Karl will discuss with Richard at SITA. Danie did speak to Richard about doing a Zoom instead, but needed to follow up again.
3. NHLANHLA – Aslam proposed previously establishing a FOSS special interest group for GITOC (Deon Nel, at SITA on GITOC TTT, already expressed willingness to discuss with Nhlanhla). Nhlanhla said he would take this up so pending his feedback. The feeling is such a group would help focus more interest and also help motivate some of the techies still in Gov (as right now they are under the radar on their own building their own solutions). The forum Nhlanhla is looking at though is not for the techies level of course.
4. KAREL/LLEWELLYN – consider doing some media PR about the successes of open source in your areas, mentioning how jobs are supported through it, data sovereignty, 100% local spend, etc.
5. We also discussed some other issues (carried over) that are not for action right now but we’ll keep them on as discussion points:
5.1 IT in schools – the fact that Delphi is still being taught, whilst Python is so popular and even presented by Microsoft says Karl. It is possibly something that can be taken up within the FOSS special interest group.

Next meeting is online (info in this group info) on first Tuesday of July.

Feedback from March’s monthly meeting:

1. Was another fairly quick meeting as there were only three of us. We discussed momentum on points and it was agreed we must not wait for a meeting to give feedback. Anyone who has their name in BOLD letters below for feedback, can now give feedback in this Signal group as soon as they have progress, as it is no longer a public open group.
2. KARL – Kubernetes as a MIOS cloud standard – Karl suggested an onlive VC with Richard at SITA. DANIE will check if Richard wants to do a Zoom or Jitsi session with the two of us.
3. ASLAM – Establishing a FOSS special interest group for GITOC – Aslam to speak to Nhlanhla (Deon Nel already expressed willingness to discuss with Nhlanhla, and Deon’s details were sent to Aslam) – pending feedback.
4. We also previously discussed some other issues (carried over) that are not for action right now but we’ll keep them on as discussion points:
4.1 Enterprise Architecture – MOHAMED raised importance of it determining direction and FOSS awareness legislation, MIOS, etc but often external parties are just contracted to complete it for Depts and Entities. Keu is on this Signal group and can be involved in this.
4.2 IT in schools – the fact that Delphi is still being taught, whilst Python is so popular and even presented by Microsoft says Karl. It is possibly something that can be taken up within the FOSS special interest group.

Feedback from February’s monthly meeting:

1. Was another fairly quick meeting as we agreed to not add lots more agenda points until we’ve moved on the existing one’s.
2. KARL – Kubernetes as a MIOS cloud standard – Karl will go see Richard at SITA in Feb. Danie will check if Richard wants to do a Zoom instead.
3. ASLAM – Establishing a FOSS special interest group for GITOC – Aslam to speak to Nhlanhla (Deon Nel already expressed willingness to discuss with Nhlanhla) – pending feedback.
4. DONE – Right to Repair – Danie conveyed to GITOC TTT and it will be added as an agenda point on their meeting.
5. We also discussed some other issues (carried over) that are not for action right now but we’ll keep them on as discussion points:
5.1 Enterprise Architecture – MOHAMED raised importance of it determining direction and FOSS awareness legislation, MIOS, etc but often external parties are just contracted to complete it for Depts and Entities. Keu is on this group and can be involved in this.
5.2 IT in schools – the fact that Delphi is still being taught, whilst Python is so popular and even presented by Microsoft says Karl. It is possibly something that can be taken up within the FOSS special interest group.