The digital Zoom-Event showed the future perspective of digitalisation, not only for universities and governments, but as an important factor of change for society on a global scale.
Thomas Hezel used the example of the Content Management System TYPO3 to show how community-based development and maintenance of a software project can create a very modern, scalable, and secure software solution, that everyone can use for free.
TYPO3 has the big advantage of built-in multi-language, multi-site, and scalability features that makes it a perfect choice, from a small website to a very complex digital solution for universities, governments, and other big organisations.
TYPO3 is supported by a world-wide community that is very helpful with support for beginner coders up to experienced coding masters. Since TYPO3 is Open Source, it is also not placing users from developing countries into the disadvantage of not being able to buy expensive licences.
Just download it and start out as a new member of the world-wide user community.
Mathias Bolt Lesniak took a broader approach towards the impact of Open Source software on different levels and in different areas, and took the participants on a vibrant journey.
First and foremost, the Open Source approach makes software better, because all the code is open and visible, so if there is a bug or something that could be done better, everyone can report it and suggest changes.
Open Source is also a principle that reduces dependencies on big companies or better developed countries. It is the big “enabler” in the modern world. Therefore, it strengthens real cooperation through the community approach and equalises the financial power of the users through the free availability.
If you invest the money that you usually spend for licenses into training of your users or into a better implementation of your final product, it will be more stable, more user friendly, more secure, and more suitable for what it is built for in the end.
Daniel Homorodean presented a real-life Open Source project, where the TYPO3 Community Expansion Committee trained IT personell in Rwanda, who have until today created more than 200 single webpages on two TYPO3 installations.
These newly trained coders are now building the Rwandan TYPO3 community, that will not only run and extend all the websites of the government of Rwanda, but that is also able to offer their services to others. Modern up-to-date web solutions by local people for their market.
This project will now be extended, not only to Africa, but the entire Global South. The community support from around the world will help built new businesses, operating on very modern up-to-date coding standards.
Hannes Köninger, from the University of Applied Sciences Kehl, gave final insights into developments in the public sector in Germany and the integration of Open Source software in this area, with a focus on public management. Being under financial pressure, the local governments in Germany still very often opt for proprietary software solutions, not taking into account that the money they spend on license fees could also be spent to make their digital services, not only more secure, but also much more user friendly.
Open Source and the TYPO3 Open Source community prospers from cooperation and communication. So if you have a project somewhere around the world or connections to IT departments of universities, governments, or any bigger organisation, get in contact with us and lets see how we can make web software solutions better and available for everybody!
TYPO3 Project Ambassador Mathias Bolt Lesniak on
mathias.bolt.lesniak@typo3.org
or TYPO3 Community Expansion Committee Leader Daniel Homorodean on
daniel.homorodean@typo3.org.
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