Open Source Sofware in the Arab Region

Transcription

1 The Arab Support Center for Free & Open Source Software الركز العربي لدعم البرمجي ات الر ة والفتوحة الصدر Open Source Sofware in the Arab Region Today and the road ahead Te Tird International Symposium on Web Services April 21-22, 2010 Zayed University Dubai, UAE Walid Karam, PhD Ma3bar coordinator University of Balamand, Al-Kurah, Lebanon Tel/Fax ext. 3894

2 Outline Free Software Free Software and Education Free Software Tools International Campaigns & Initiatives Free Software in the Arab Region Our Mission Objectives, goals, and targets Ma3bar Partners Ma3bar Academic Partners Target Arab Regions Milestones & Action Plan

3 Free Software (software libre or libre software) can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with minimal restrictions only to ensure that further recipients can also do these things and that manufacturers of consumer-facing hardware allow user modifications to their hardware. Definition source:

4 Free Software (software libre or libre software) Free software is a matter of liberty, not price free as in free speech, not as in free beer freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software. freedom to control your own computers with proprietary software, the computer does what the software owner wants it to do, not what you want it to do is available gratis (free of charge) in most cases

5 Free Software (software libre or libre software) Users should have four essential freedoms (Richard Stallman) The freedom to run the program, for any purpose The freedom to study how the program works, and change it (Open Source) The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help others. The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others giving the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes.

6 Free Software & Education Education is a social mission - to teach students to be citizens of a strong, capable, independent, cooperating and free society. We should refuse to teach dependancy. Free software permits students to learn how software works We should teach moral education, in addition to basic facts and useful skills

7 Free Software Tools Operating Systems - GNU/Linux

8 Free Software Tools Office productivity suites

9 Free Software Tools Web Browsers

10 Free Software Tools Learning Management Systems

11 Free Software Tools Content Management Systems

12 Free Software Tools Library Systems Graphics Development

13 Free Software Tools DBMS Mathematics

14 Free Software Tools Web Services Apache CXF, Axis, WSIF, Apache Axis2, Crispy, SOAP UDDI, Gomba, Xins, etc.

15

16 Free Software Tools Others a very-very long list in various categories Finance, math, science, software development, databases, computer simulation, CAD, geography, media, computer security,...

17 International campaigns & initiatives The free software foundation a copyleft-based movement which aims to promote the universal freedom to distribute and modify computer software without restriction. The Free Software Pact Initiative a citizen initiative to coordinate a European scale campaign in favor of Free Software The GNU Operating System a complete, Unix-like operating system made entirely of free software ACTA - the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement an imminent threat to distribution & development of free software DefectiveByDesign.org an anti-drm campaign that is targeting large media companies, unhelpful manufacturers and DRM distributors (DRM = Digital Rights Management) Restrictions

18 International campaigns & initiatives EndSoftPatents.org an FSF supported campaign to eliminate software from the scope of patentability through legal and legislative action Campaign for OpenDocument for the standard, open, and royalty-free OpenDocument Format (ODF) PlayOgg.org: FSF's campaign to promote Ogg, a free alternative to patented formats like MP3 and AAC Coreboot the campaign for a free BIOS, Freedom at the lowest level Hardware devices support free software

19 High Priority Free Software Projects GNU PDF Gnash the free software Flash player Free software replacement for Skype Free software video editing software Free Google Earth Replacement gnewsense an all free software GNU/Linux operating system GNU Octave free software Matlab replacement Free replacement for OpenDWG libraries Free software to support the RARv3 archive format Free software drivers for network routers Free software replacement for Oracle Forms

20 Free Software Projects in the Arab World Miftaah word processing, editing, worksheets, presentations, communication, and multimedia. customized interface: Arabic / English / French Can be used directly from a USB key mobility Supervised by the UNESCO Office in Rabat and ICTDAR, & implemented by partner Arab Universities in Algeria, Morocco, Palestine Available for download from the ma3bar portal

21

22 Free Software Projects in the Arab World ArabicOpenCD A collection of Free/open source software in Arabic Includes Arabized Office utilities, Programming, Internet, graphics, and other Supported by KuwaitNET Available for download at القرص_المفتوح

23

24 Free Software in the Arab World The Arab Open Source Advancement Foundation AOSAF, Arab Eyes, Supporting & standardizing Arabic Arabic Open Source Operating System a fully Arabized Linux Operating System that addresses the needs of citizens in Arabic speaking countries, emphasizing History, language, culture, traditions, and philosophy Arabic Wikipedia: الصفحةـالرئيسية

25 Free Software in the Arab World The Egyptian GNU/Linux User Group Jordan Linux Users Group Kuwait Linux User Group Lebanese GNU/Linux Users Group Linux-Dubai

26 Free Software in the Arab World GNU Linux Maroc - Portail de la communauté marocaine Linux Users Group in Palestine ITA of Oman: The First Symposium on Free Source

27 Free Software in the Arab World Tunisian Open Source Software Unit Ministry of Communication Technologies Bahrain Open Source The Open Source Community of Lebanon Jordan Open Source Association Palestinian Open Source Community

28 Free Software in the Arab World Digital Free Software Association Tunis Linux-DZ Algeria QGLUG Qatar GNU/Linux Users Group

29 Our mission Ma3bar is the Arab Support Center for Free and Open Source Software. Since its inception by UNDPICTDAR, UNESCO, and the University of Balamand, the center strives to disseminate free and open source software as a philosophy and culture in academia and Arab societies. Ma3bar is committed to contributing to social and economic development in the Arab region by promoting the use and development of free software, and by developing and conducting training programs on such software, to ensure that more Arab communities have affordable access to information technologies.

30 Objectives, goals, & targets Conducting surveys Awareness raising Training Development Academia and curricula Ma3bar community

31 Conducting surveys understanding Arab community needs for ICT, and how free software would contribute to development in these communities understanding the level of awareness in various Arab societies, and identifying the type of awareness needed determining priorities for FOSS training identifying the most needed areas or topics that are required in each region establishing priorities for FOSS application and content development

32 A Survey conducted in Lebanon Do you know What free and Open source software is? (population: 70 university students) 28.79% 30.30% 40.91% Yes No Ive heard of it, but not so sure

33 A Survey conducted in Lebanon When you install software, you are often asked to agree to license terms and conditions. Do you read these terms and conditions? (population: 70 university students) 30.30% 15.15% Never Sometimes Always 54.55%

34 A Survey conducted in Lebanon Do you use unlicensed copies of software? (population: 70 university students) 3.03% 54.55% 42.42% Yes No No answer

35 A Survey conducted in Lebanon Would you consider using Free and Open Source software instead of proprietary software? (population: 70 university students) 39.39% 51.52% 9.09% Yes No Dont know. I need help in deciding

36 Awareness raising Purpose: to raise awareness on the potential and viability of open source solutions and applications as solid alternatives to proprietary software

37 Awareness raising in public and private educational institutions universities Colleges secondary primary schools schools scientific and research centers

38 Awareness raising in government agencies and the public sector central and local government departments Municipalities military police forces bodies

39 Awareness raising in non-government organizations in the society in general civil organizations Clubs communities special etc. in towns and villages interest groups

40 Training Purpose: to organize and coordinate training programs, courses, or sessions on FOSS

41 Training awareness courses Concepts Benefits ethical/legal FOSS Business Models

42 Training training courses on the use of known FOSS applications and content Operating systems (partnership with LPI) Productivity web tools applications business applications scientific applications content management

43 Training training courses on the analysis, design, modeling, and development of new FOSS add-on modules Packages Components Extensions plug-ins Applets Widgets.. even full-fledged systems

44 Application and Content Development to encourage the development of FOSS applications and content that relates to the needs of the Arab communities - Arabization - Arabic language processing - tools for local needs - Documentation

45 Other Objectives Academia and curricula: to encourage university, college, and primary/secondary school to adapt curricula to make use of FOSS Ma3bar community: to create, sustain and develop the community spirit within Arab Free Open Source developers and users within the Ma3bar context

46 Ma3bar partners Research centers Gov. agencies and the public sector Academic institutions (higher education) host Other institutions (regional, intl., financial, tech., etc.) Non-Government Organizations The private sector

47 Ma3bar structure Steering committee Advisory board coordinator Awareness raising committee Development committee training committee experts Portal group

48 Ma3bar Academic partners 27 institution of higher education in 11 Arab countries Over 100 registered and active portal members. Algeria: Universite Ferhat Abbas Egypt: Cairo University, German University in Cairo Jordan: University of Jordan, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Princess Sumaya University Kuwait: Gulf University for Science and Technology, Arab Open University

49 Ma3bar Academic partners Lebanon: American University of Beirut, American University of Science and Technology, Lebanese American University, Notre Dame University, Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik, University of Balamand, Beirut Arab University, Université Antonine Paletine: Arab American University in Jenine, Al-Najah National University, Al-Quds Open University, Birzeit University Qatar: Qatar University Sudan: Sudan University of Science and Technology Syria: University of Aleppo, Higher Institute for Applied Science and Technology Tunisia: University of Manouba, University Tunis El Manar United Arab Emirates: Zayed University

50 Target Arab Regions Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya Sudan, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen

51 Milestones Dec 08 MOU signed UNDP/ICTDAR, UNESCO, UOB Feb 09 Coordination Workshop UOB Mar 09 Steering Committee Feb-Jul 09 Portal development, memberships and groups Nov 09 Official launch Nov 09 Training workshop Apr+ 10 OpenOffice campaign Apr+ 10 School Instructors awareness campaign Jun 10 LPI TTT workshops A two-year action plan

52

53 In software, just like in education, if you give knowledge away freely, you will still have it for yourself to use

54 The Arab Support Center for Free & Open Source Software الركز العربي لدعم البرمجي ات الر ة والفتوحة الصدر Thank you Walid Karam, PhD ma3bar coordinator University of Balamand, Al-Kurah, Lebanon Tel/Fax ext. 3894