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Linux Comes To Afghanistan
gaurab writes "For the first time, 11 people were trained in Linux in Kabul. This training was supported by UNDP as a broader program to build capacity in use of computer technologies. The press release and some info is available at UNDP Afghanistan Website. It was reported on NewsForge today, and was picked up by the Washington Post few days ago. Some discussion also happend on the South Asia Mailing List."
Don't blaspheme. . .
and just ignore anonymous cowards.
esay isn't it.
Afghanistan is not a "former Soviet Country", really, although it was under a Soviet-backed government for a time. It never had the state-supported education and health-care infrastructure that developed in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and even North Korea. The American-backed guerilla campaign against the government began almost as soon as the communists took power (and six months before the Soviet invasion), and any efforts they might have made to reorganize the society were made difficult by the almost continual state of war after 1979. So it is really the last 25 years that they have been "falling behind", and things were not amazingly great before then.
"(Man) tries to live his own life as if he were telling a story. But you have to choose: live or tell." --Sartre
The UN actuall postivly encourage it. Via Netaid the UN setup a group of voulenteers who provide OSS based advice on people out in the field. Its worth looking over there just to see what you can offer
Rus
Cheap UK and US VPS
The UN is supporting Free/Open Source Software (not just Linux) through a variety of ways. Someone has already posted Netaid's site as a reply. Two others off the top of my head:
1) UNESCO's support of the Free Software portal. You can find it at:
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/portal_freesoft/
2) The UNDP's International Open Source Network found at:
http://www.iosn.net. This portal focuses on promoting Free/Open Source software to policy makers, government officials, etc. I believe there are other regional centers coming up as well.
There's a surprising amount of focus on Free/Open Source software in the UN, though most of it is only in the early stages.
Jon Katz wouldn't lie to us!
Developing countries (e.g. in Africa) are hardly ever mentioned as opportunities for growth in Linux usage.But they are, I think, some of Open Source's best opportunities.
Hardly anything is computerized there (in govt.) and when it is, huge and outdated mainframes are used. In many countries, the next few years are likely to see a massive expansion in govt. computer systems. Its up to the few of us Linux users in those coutries to tout to our govts. the benefits of open source and Linux in particular.
There should be a number of ways to do this, I can think of one that might be done while making a buck or two... Establishing companies that provide open source solutions to govts.and others.
All in all, I welcome this latest development in Afghanistan, and I hope that other low-tech. developing coutries will go in this directions as they computerize.