Linux communities‘ voice versus mainstream discourse on information and communication technology
Rozi Bako, Sapientia University of Transilvania
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are gaining increasing role and space in shaping everyday life, both private and public. Although academic interest on ICT topics is growing, there is little attention dedicated to ICT communities of practice and their discourses.
In post-totalitarian Romania it is not trendy to confront the mainstream role modeling business sector. Corporations, especially the big ones are seen as good examples of how work should be organized, how accountability and transparency should shape the system of organized action1.
It is not trendy to blame Microsoft, globalization and high profile international corporations- at least not in mainstream media and public discourse. The tone of public protest covers political and social fields only; environmental discourse, free and open source software (FOSS) advocacy or youth subcultures are growing under the grass, in cyberspace or at NGO conferences.
We propose a critical analysis of the Romanian mainstream discourse on information and communication technologies. It’s tone is strongly shaped by „technocratic developmentalism“2 and more vocal as compared to the colourful palette of Linux communities. Something is growing and changing though: these underground voices will soon be unified through an NGO, Romanian Open Source Initiative (ROSI), which is going to organize a conference in spring 2007: Eliberatica. ROSI is dedicated to bridge the gaps between Linux communities in Romania.
This paper is aimed at confronting the two discourses: the mainstream ICT discourse, strongly backed up by the government and pulled by the business community3, and the Linux communities‘ voice, ready to unite in a chorus in spring 2007.
Our assumption is that Linux communities‘ discourse confronts the mainstream ICT discourse in several ways and tones: we plan to explore this variety.
Participant observation, key informant interviews and critical discourse analysis are the main tools to achieve this goal.
1 Heintz, M (2005) Etica muncii la romanii de azi (Romanians‘ Work Ethics Nowadys) Bucuresti:Curtea Veche
2 Bakó R (2007) Information Society Watch Romania Association for Progressive Communications
3 While I am working on this abstract, Bill Gates has a strategic business meeting with Romanian prime minister in Bucharest. Mainstream media reported the event with enthusiasm.