When using proprietary software, your entire IT infrastructure depends on the decisions of marketing department of a private company. Furthermore, the image you give out is dependent on the behavior of the company. You like the products they sell, but maybe you have ethical problems with their business practices. On the other hand, when using transparent technology is part of a movement with strong ethical roots that are slowly but surely changing the way we look in the information society.
First and foremost, using free software, you are helping to build local IT market, which can deliver quality services with added value on products instead of just being a customer of multinational corporations. Local SMEs can offer installation and configuration support, training, Custom Development, etc. And if your company is big enough to have an IT department with the relevant training, you can have full internal control of the tools you are using.
Another interesting aspect of free software is its community focus: someone can help to improve and modify it if they have the necessary skills. This is particularly relevant to minority or marginalized languages ??systematically ignored by private software vendors because of their low market value. Also using free software brings you in contact with an international community where there is no distinction between donors and recipients: All to provide knowledge, and everyone can benefit from it.
There are many organizations that promote the use of free software and open standards. Linux User Groups (lugs), for example, provide support and training for inexperienced users, and can help you get some basic information about what free software can offer your organization. You can also hire the services of a local company to train your staff or provide specific services your IT department can not cover.
There is also a lot of organizations that work specifically with NGOs and help them take steps towards free software. TacticalTech sees free software as a way to provide all citizens with the knowledge to become active members of the Information Society. One of their most interesting projects is the NGO-in-a-box, a set of selected tools and materials in specific areas with a focus on low-resource groups. The box comes in several flavors: Security, BaseBox, Audio / Video and Open publishing. They also organize Source Events, workshops designed to strengthen organizations in the use of information and build connections between different groups.
Free software is a viable option for almost any type of organization, and it has many advantages that have been thoroughly exposed to elsewhere. In case of NGOs, all these advantages, but a few factors support the use of free software. It helps you maintain the trust sponsors, members and beneficiaries have in your organization because it tells them that you have nothing to hide and that you are not tied to the economic interests of a private company.
Meanwhile, the use of free software and open standards, strong ethical implications that are relevant to many NGOs. They help bridge the digital divide and promote local economies in developing countries. Using open standards, you are not forcing a particular product on your contacts, but instead you let them make their own choices.
As with any other product, everything comes down to one question: Who am I giving my money to? When using proprietary software, the benefits are for the few. When you use free software, the whole community wins.