The operating system Linux is widely established for servers of all range and is gaining acceptance also for the tasks of end users at desktop systems. The main arguments for this development are security and total cost of ownership. There is a great interest in office applications because there is a wide basis of users which enables the necessary pool of developers of Free Software.
Regarding to special tasks for instance managing a medical practice there is a much smaller set of users and thus the number of gifted programmers among this set of users is drastically smaller compared to everyday usage. However, in the last time Free Software also tried to address several different special fields and there are chances that also in those fields Free Software applications might possibly compete against proprietary products.
By all means this trend makes sense also by a commercial point of view. The need for support and maintenance in those special fields is much higher than in more general applications and requires special knowledge of competent experts. In this respect the pure costs of the software license does not play an important role which enables interesting business models for support.
The talk gives an overview about the current state of free software for medicine ranging from medical practice management up to microbiological research. Moreover it draws a sketch how all this software will be integrated into the Debian GNU/Linux distribution by the so called Debian-Med project. The reasons for the advantages of an unique integrating platform will be discussed and reasons were given why Debian GNU/Linux was chosen for this purpose.
Related talk: Debian Internal Projects
Here you can find the
MagicPoint source including the necessary
MagicPoint style of the talk.
There are the preformated slides in HTML.
Debian-MedFree Software in Health CareIntegrated software environment for all medical tasks based on Debian GNU/Linux |
(page 1) |
Overview |
(page 2) |
Motivation |
(page 3) |
Profile of target users→ Any solutions for those users? Yes and No |
(page 4) |
Status of free software for medicine |
(page 5) |
GnuMed |
(page 6) |
Torch (formerly known as FreePM) |
(page 7) |
Res Medicinae |
(page 8) |
Tk Family Practice |
(page 9) |
OIO - Open Infrastructure for Outcomes |
(page 10) |
More medical practice management |
(page 11) |
(page 12) |
Reasons for this variety? |
(page 13) |
What is Free Software1. Free Redistribution
The license of a Debian component may not restrict any party from
selling or giving away the software as a component of an aggregate
software distribution containing programs from several different
sources. The license may not require a royalty or other fee for such
sale.
2. Source Code
The program must include source code, and must allow distribution in
source code as well as compiled form.
3. Derived Works
The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow
them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the
original software.
4. Integrity of The Author's Source Code
The license may restrict source-code from being distributed in modified
form _only_ if the license allows the distribution of "patch files"
with the source code for the purpose of modifying the program at build
time. The license must explicitly permit distribution of software built
from modified source code. The license may require derived works to
carry a different name or version number from the original software.
(This is a compromise. The Debian group encourages all authors not to
restrict any files, source or binary, from being modified.)
5. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups
The license must not discriminate against any person or group of
persons.
|
(page 14) |
6. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor
The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in
a specific field of endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the
program from being used in a business, or from being used for genetic
research.
7. Distribution of License
The rights attached to the program must apply to all to whom the
program is redistributed without the need for execution of an
additional license by those parties.
8. License Must Not Be Specific to Debian
The rights attached to the program must not depend on the program's
being part of a Debian system. If the program is extracted from Debian
and used or distributed without Debian but otherwise within the terms
of the program's license, all parties to whom the program is
redistributed should have the same rights as those that are granted in
conjunction with the Debian system.
9. License Must Not Contaminate Other Software
The license must not place restrictions on other software that is
distributed along with the licensed software. For example, the license
must not insist that all other programs distributed on the same medium
must be free software.
Example Licenses
The "GPL", "BSD", and "Artistic" licenses are examples of licenses that
we consider "free".
|
(page 15) |
What is Debian? |
(page 16) |
Sorry. That was wrong. |
(page 17) |
What is Debian? (next try)The Debian Project is an association of individuals who have made common cause to create a free operating system. This operating system that we have created is calledDebian GNU/Linux,
or simply Debian for short.Moreover, work is in progress to provide Debian for other kernels, including in particular the Hurd and NetBSD. There have even been discussions of a possible port to Windows. |
(page 18) |
Web of trust |
(page 19) |
Differences to other distributions |
(page 20) |
What is Debian-Med? |
(page 21) |
History of Debian-MedThus the Debian developers who attended the conference had some Bordeaux wine at first ... |
(page 22) |
History of Debian-Med (continued)... and prepared a talk afterwards when somebody said the alarming words:There is a laptop open!That way the idea was born.The official start of the Debian-Med project was in January 2002. |
(page 23) |
Goals in detailExample: Dental Practice Authors now are in touch ...→ Goal of Debian-Med: Integration |
(page 24) |
Microbiology→ Goal of Debian-Med: Apply Debian standards of quality |
(page 25) |
Missing free software solutions→ Goal of Debian-Med: Supporting developers |
(page 26) |
Special fields→ Goal of Debian-Med: Indicate advantages of free software to programmers |
(page 27) |
Complex problems→ Goal of Debian-Med: Demanding solid packaging |
(page 28) |
Documentation→ Goal of Debian-Med: Packaging documentation and translations |
(page 29) |
(page 30) |
Why use Debian for medical care? |
(page 31) |
How does it work? |
(page 32) |
Role: Debian-Med userDebian-Med does not develop medical software.
It just smoothly packages third-party software for Debian.
|
(page 33) |
Summary: Goals of Debian-Med |
(page 34) |
Problems for implementationCertification |
(page 35) |
Problems for implementation (2)Changed guidelines by law |
(page 36) |
Future |
(page 37) |
Further InformationWritten by Andreas Tille,
presented by Aaron Ucko
|
(page 38) |