Slashdot Mirror
More On The Open Sourcing Of Iraq
popdookey writes "
The BBC's broadcast, The World,
has run a piece on the growing Linux movement in Iraq as was previously reported
here on Slashdot. 'In Iraq, a group of
computer users has started writing open source
computer code. They're Linux enthusiasts. The idea is to make low-cost,
home-grown software and is said to hold great promise for developing
countries. It could leapfrog Iraq into a more competitive future. The
World technology reporter Clark Boyd reports.'"
now bill gates gonna invade iraq too
Iraq is anti-US. They code Linux stuff in Iraq. Ergo, Linux is anti-US. Bomb Linux!
Sigs for Nerds. Sigs that Matter.
It's just nice seeing a linux article (featuring Iraqis ) that doesn't paint Linux users as terrorists. Don't let Didio interview them, she'll spin an article like "Iraqi Terrorists create KJihad which is what we knew all those Linux users were up to anyways. "
Nice blurb. Hope Iraq recovers just to face the same job market as over here. Sorry... Yes, someone already peed in my cornflakes.
-B
My favorite quote from the founder:
"I wanted to find people to share knowledge with; to learn from them; to speak with guys who share my thoughts."
He also talks about how the use of open-source software preventing the monopolization of the market by corporations, a big issue in all economic spheres in Iraq right now.
Sure it's idealistic and a long way off for most Iraqis, but it could be the seeds of important alternatives for the Iraqi people.
And finally a good sign: "Microsoft refused the be interviewed for this report."
There is a, IIRC, recently formed Linux user group in Iraq: http://www.iraqilinux.org/ IMHO it's a good change for open source to make an impact if Iraq's public services are going to have the opportunity to make a fresh start on handover.
You've probably noticed that people's noses get bigger as they get older. That's because old people are huge liars.
I have just got back from a conference in Slovenia at Cyberpipe which was full of Linux and open-source enthusiasts developing software that was situated locally.
And of course, there are also political and economic implications of Linux as it allows countries to avoid the costly licensing problems of Windows etc and also avoid the reliance on the US for closed technologies.
There were some extremely innovative lo-tech hi-tech solutions to problems. For example re-use of old 8080 PCs with Linux installed to control various devices - one in particular was a 12 bank screen for projecting images using old black and white monitors.
---- The Open Source Record Label : : LOCARECORDS.COM
First, SPA "License Inspectors" are sent in. All they find is Free Software. Undaunted, Bill Gates sends in his own lawyers...
Then it's a year later and the WMA's still haven't been found.
Actually its just the opposite that linux today [Wired news] reported few days back. Slow going for linux in Iraq
fifteen jugglers, five believers
Possibly the cryptoloop stuff, but remember that Linux is a global project.
That's why distributions like Debian distribute encryption-related stuff from servers outside the US.
tasks(723) drafts(105) languages(484) examples(29106)
This is definitely THE major "backdoor" into Windows market share. While in most developed coutries Linux must open it's way into an already large Windows user base which has economical resources to buy the licences, in developing countries it has the opportunity to get a fresh start PLUS a user base that will hardly be able to pay Windows licences!
As this applies not only to home users but also to governments in these conditions, this is a major victory. As these countries increasingly become the agricultural and industrial centers of our globalised economy, while the developed countries become information and knowledge producers, the need to interface may leed to:
1 - The adoption of open middleware standards
2 - The widespread use of Free Open Source software
Either way, Open Source gets something out of it! :)
Linux is the Free/Open Source UNIX-like operating system kernel that runs on many modern computer systems. Linux is available under the GNU General Public License, which means that users may freely copy, change, and distribute it, but must make source code available to recipients and may not impose any restrictions on further distribution. Linux does contain some security features that use encryption. As such, it is classified under ECCN 5D002. Because Linux is open source, it is eligible for export under License Exception TSU in accordance with 15 CFR 740.13(e).
On May 7, the President exercised his authority under the Wartime Supplemental Authorization Act of 2003 to suspend most of the provisions of the Iraq Sanctions Act of 1990. On June 27, 2003, the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) published an interim final rule (68 Fed. Reg. 38188) amending the Iraqi Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 575, to include a general license authorizing certain new transactions. The export of items controlled by the Department of Commerce was addressed in 31 CFR 575.533(b)(2):
The exportation from the United States or, if subject to U.S. jurisdiction, the exportation or rexportation from a third country to Iraq of any goods or technology (including technical data or other information) controlled by the Department of Commerce under the Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR chapter VII, subchapter C) for exportation to Iraq must be separately authorized by or pursuant to this part.
The term "controlled by the Department of Commerce" means subject to a license requirement under the Department of Commerce's Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Items subject to a license requirement under the EAR include items on the Commerce Control List that are listed in 15 CFR 746.3 as requiring a license for exportation or reexportation to Iraq.
Under Section 746.3 of the EAR, an export license is required to export or reexport to Iraq any item on the CCL containing a NS Column 1 in the Country Chart Column of the License Requirements section of an ECCN. Software classified under ECCN 5D002 is controlled for NS Column 1.
It is important to note that proprietary operating system software such as Microsoft Windows and Sun Solaris have been classified as mass-market encryption products and are eligible for export under ECCN 5D992. These products may be exported to Iraq without a license under the interim final rule (68 Fed. Reg. 38188) amending the Iraqi Sanctions Regulations.
Under the provisions of License Exception TSU, open source and the corresponding object code may be exported to all destinations except Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. Thus, open source and the corresponding object code are treated as if subject only to AT (anti-terrorism) controls. Items subject to AT controls may be exported to Iraq under the interim final rule (68 Fed. Reg. 38188) amending the Iraqi Sanctions Regulations.
Source: http://linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=7318
I don't know about everyone else, but I have two programs, xmms and mplayer. mplayer has never failed to play, absolutely perfectly, any video file I ever throw at it. Which is more than I can say for any windows video player. Likewise xmms does not fail to play any audio file I ever throw at it. If yours doesn't, maybe you didn't choose the right options at compile-time or maybe you are using a binary distro that didn't add those things in for you. Either compile them yourself from source or use a source based distro like gentoo or lunar linux. However I do have a friend who runs debian and his mplayer/xmms is as good as mine. Maybe you just don't have the codecs installed or something?
The GeekNights podcast is going strong. Listen!
Thing is, we're all assuming the average Iraqi, or even the average Iraqi government minister, *cares* about licensing issues. They don't. This is a country where you can buy pirated CDs with anything you want for next to nothing. If they decide to go with Microsoft products, they'll buy them for a fistful of dinars, install them, and use them for the next three generations with nary a thought of a visit from Redmond copyright police. If Iraq becomes the next bastion of software freedom and advances the cause of FOSS throughout the world, it will be because FOSS DOES THE JOB. Not because of pure idealism, or any longing to breathe free air after decades of tyranny. It's a good opportunity for FOSS advocates to break into an emerging market, but the focus needs to be on the capabilites, ease of use, great support, and security of future development -- not licensing platitudes.