Models for Support of the NGOs Work Through Open Source Software, Sofia, Bulgaria
A debate with the participation of Chalu Kim (eGenus, http://www.egenius.com) and Vladimir Petkov (eRider, http://www.eriders.net). Moderator: Petko Dourmana (Interspace Centre for Media Arts, http://www.i-space.org).
The debate will focus on discussing different models for technical support of NGOs - how they could use technologies in order to develop their activities and the opportunities Free and Open Source gives them. The debate will concern different models of technical support (a firm, a profiled organization or independent consultants), and financial and organizational challanges during the accomplishment of the technological projects. Participating in the debate will be representatives from NGOs, IT firms, technical experts and open code supporters in Bulgaria. The debate is part of Free and Open Source for NGOs in Bulgaria project. [link to the project website]
Chalu Kim began his career as a research engineer – starting with real-time coding of the Evans and Sutherland PS300 and mission rehearsal to nuclear imaging. For the next decade, Chalu Kim was responsible for developing new technology and took executive roles at companies such as IBM and a number of start-ups. In 2000, Chalu Kim founded eGenius [http://www.egenius.com], a technology cooperative to help organizations benefit from the use of technology, especially open-source. He is actively involved in Zope and Lenya and Squid and other open-source projects. Mr. Kim lives in New York with his wife and a house cat from Chinatown.
Vladimir Petkov lives and works in InterSpace MAC, Sofia. He is especially proud that he takes part in projects such as Cult.bg - Server for art and culture, Open Source software solutions for the Bulgarian NGOs, and *bpm - zone for hyperculture. Graduated administrator, now actively studying for a master's degree in virtual culture in University of Sofia.
Petko Dourmana is media artist and organizer of projects in the area of art and technology. He is co-founder and director of InterSpace New Media Centre (http://www.i-space.org). His artistic research and activities are mostly on the cutting edge of art and information technologies.
See also a log from a chat between Petko Dourmana and Chalu Kim here