OpenICDL

ICDL and ECDL is managed by the ECDL Foundation, which is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping to raise the general level of computer skills in society and providing access for all to the Information Society.

• The scheme is known as ECDL in Europe (European Computer Driving Licence)
• The scheme is known as ICDL outside Europe (International Computer driving Licence)

Aside from the name, the curriculum is exactly the same (the two were aligned with the release of Syllabus 5 in 2008).

ICDL requires you to complete seven modules:

• Concepts of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
• Using the Computer and Managing Files
• Word Processing
• Spreadsheets
• Databases
• Presentation
• Web Browsing and Communication
  

Traditionally, most people have prepared for ICDL and taken the exams using Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, and Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft Outlook.

However, many organisations and individuals are now using Free and Open Source Software applications, often referred to as 'FOSS'.

OpenICDL is a project that mirrors the ICDL/ECDL scheme, but does not base any of the materials on closed-source proprietory (private) Microsoft products that cost money. Instead, OpenICDL follows exactly the same curriculum but uses FOSS, namely:

• Ubuntu Operating System - a free linux operating system that can be used instead of Microsoft Windows or Apple Mac OS
  
  
  
  
• Open Office - a free desktop office suite that replaces the need to use Microsoft Office
• Writer (a word processor similar to Microsoft Word)
• Calc (a spreadsheet similar to Microsoft Excel)
• Impress (a presentation application similar to Microsoft PowerPoint)
• Base (a database application similar to Microsoft Access)
  
  
• Firefox internet browser a free web browser (similar to Microsoft Internet Explorer)
  
  
  
  
• Gmail is a free email client (similar to Microsoft Outlook)