The Codebreakers (GB)
The famous digital divide is getting wider. The Codebreakers documentary aired on BBC World starting 10 May 2006 examines whether free/open source software (FOSS) might be the bridge? FOSS contains 'source code' that can be used, copied, studied, modified and redistributed without restriction. It has been around for over 20 years but most PC owners are not aware that the Internet search engines and many computer applications run on FOSS. The crew of the independent producers who made the film went to nearly a dozen countries around the world to see how the adoption of FOSS presents opportunities for industry and capacity development, software piracy reduction, and localization and customization for diverse cultural and development needs. Stories from The Codebreakers include computer and Internet access for school children in Africa, reaching the poor in Brazil, tortoise breeding programmes in the Galapagos, connecting villages in Spain, and disaster management in Sri Lanka. The documentary also includes interviews from key figures around the world.
This documentary is available under a Creative Commons license Attribution 2.5.
Director: BBC World
Category: documentary
Nationality: Great-Britain
Year: 2006
Version: English with French subtitles
Duration: 40 min
