Re: some thoughts(itchy and scratchy)

[Arafat Medini <lumina at silverpen dot de>]

> 
> Yes it is. With no total cost of ownership incentive (a large number of
> the IT community use pirated software) and less emphasis on quality of
> service in businesses, reasons for Linux are much less that the
> supporting logic on the west.
> We really need to apply the itch theory here.

Businesses working with pirated software, really interesting! Does
schools and governemental instituations also work with priated software?

> I respectfully disagree. The problem is that not people who do not know
> of linux. The problem is that when I tell someone that there is
> something called linux, he tries to use it beside windows, compares
> them, and believes that linux is not ready to be called an alternative.
> With four or five of these people in a computer science class, it is
> quite possible that you lose the class for good.
> Now, please tell me why is linux good, assuming that I am an arab.

Also interesting, I would agree with you here, that's why I think now
Linux became an alternative we have a fully translated Arabic Linux
interface this was never the case before (gnome 2.6). With some work we
can make our own liveCD I am right now concidering on making a
minimallistic one which is only in Arabic, for kindergardens simple use
to test Linux etc...
And at least for the gnome apps I tried gnome 2.6 it is so sweet, it
looks better then MACosX.So the possibility of making ppl look amazed
now is not really virtual.

> > In one LUG it was mentioned in a funny way how finally gnome was totally
> > arabized, uhh after I worked so hard on it someone ignorant mentions it
> > as a gimmik without even asking of how this thing was done.
> 
> Attitude. Arabs are usually at the receiving end of technology, so no
> one thinks he can do something about it (or some other arab).
> In fact, I am still amazed by the number of arabic books that use the
> official microsoft arabic vocabulary (المفردات العربية الرسمية
> لميكروسوفت ).

Also interesting, and very logic indeed, this answers many open qs.

> > But back to the LUGs,I think we indeed need a super LUG and we need to
> > contact all the ppl out there, the situation looks catastrophic. Nadim
> > as you asked to assign some work I think we have to send to all the LUGs
> > a banner they have to show on their website, this is a minor first step
> > this is very minimal and it wuold be only a drop on a hot stone, and we
> > have to convince them that it is in THEIR interest to show this banner.
> > 
> 
> +1 for Arabeyes banner. Only, give me the banner.

Ok so let us work on this first; I am also on the boat, you and nadim.
Nadim please give us further instructions, where is the banner? How to
write an official mail? etc...

> 
> I still feel that the easiest places to grow through are the
> universities and the companies/government, simply because I don't know
> of an idea to break through the other communities.
> For a start on an idea, we need some propaganda that basically says
> (linux use is cute) or something like that. A better idea is to appeal
> to a real practical use.
> An example, some one looks at the kiosk mode in KDE and, with assurance
> of good arabic support in KDE, linux can be the preferred operating
> system for internet cafes (need maintainability and accountability).

Some 5 years ago when the first computers where in the town of my
parents, ppl were very excited about windows alone not mentioning the
games the word apps etc... So I am sure you can go to youth places and
also go through it, and this is only one example never narrow a search
try everything and even if only one altertanitve comes out you'll have
three instead of two places to go to.
 Youth sport clubs, or any other club, or places were young ppl meet
etc...

> > >"I hardly ever
> > >need to use Arabic on my computer"
> > 
> 
> To be fair, the only reason I personally activate arabic on my computer
> is to support the arabic language, through arabeyes and otherwise.

Attitude? a GUI is a graphical USER INTERFACE, when you drink milk you
instinctively want the package in Arabic, if the pack is in Chinese I am
sure you'll be very careful about the content of that pack.
Same thing goes for digital interfaces, normally it HAS to be in your
proper language, cz it's an interface like your TV like your Milk pack
like any other interface out there. But ppl got used to other
interfaces.
I am maybe the only one running now gnome totally in Arabic (as I
compiled 2.6) and despite the fact that it is my work, believe it or not
it is so addictive, it is plain sexy! really!
 So pls download gnome when it comes out next month and maybe you'll be
a believer ;)

> > He's simply a dumb looser. That's from the hacker standpoint.
> 
> I am afraid most of the people who we would like to win are not
> interested in the hacker standpoint.

Govs schools universities, what will these ppl ask for? an Arabic GUI I suppose.


> > 
> > Well I am very frustrated at the situation but it seems it is not really an Arabeyes
> > problem it is an Arabic problem, I'll not wonder anymore why the Arabs are in such a bad pos.
> 
> It is an Arabic problem. That doesn't mean we are not going to try to
> solve it anyway. It will not be solved overnight, though.

> true.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Muhammad Alkarouri
> yours

Arafat
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