Fsf-friends August 2002

fsf-friends@gnu.org.in

27 participants
35 discussions

Query on scripts to study servers ...
by Frederick Noronha 26 Aug '02

26 Aug '02

Could someone help me with this task? I need some scripts that would help me to search for the type of servers a particular host is running. (One could use netcraft.com to find that out, but it would be rather time-consuming.) On the other hand, scripts which could automate this task would help me to collect the info and dump those in a file. How difficult would this task be? Do let me know... FN PS: If someone could give me cost estimate for writing the script, I'd be grateful...

5 4

LinuxInIndia#5
by Frederick Noronha 26 Aug '02

26 Aug '02

GNU _ _____ _____ http://linuxinindia.pitas.com | | (_) |_ _| |_ _| | |_ | | _ _ __ _ ___ __ | | _ __ | | _ __ __| (_) ___ | | | | '_ \| | | \ \/ / | | | '_ \ | | | '_ \ / _` | |/ _ \ | |____| | | | | |_| |> < _| |_| | | |_| |_| | | | (_| | | (_) | |______|_|_| |_|\__,_/_/\_\_____|_| |_|_____|_| |_|\__,_|_|\__,_| CopyLeft2002 GNU/GPL v2 OR LATER * ISSUE005 * AUGUST 25, 2002 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Co-edited by Frederick Noronha and Parag Mehta <pm at linuxindia dot org> * Issue released on the eleventh birthday of Linux, Aug 25, 2002 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ In this issue o Indianising GNU/Linux o The Penguin goes to school (Delhi, Goa, etc) o NevyOS, the debate rages o Project Elx o Seeking developers for Simputer apps o Elx Linux o FSF-India is one year young o Community site for GNU/Linuxers o Indians working in GNU/Linux o Special focus on.... o Persian GNU/Linux o From the land of the Samba +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Archives at: http://www.freelists.org/archives/linuxinindia +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SOME INITIATIVES TO INDIANISE GNU/LINUX: We learn from G Karunakar <karunakar(a)freedomink.org> that support for Indian languages is coming in slowly, but there are several efforts going towards this end on the GNU/Linux front. For instance: * IndLinux project www.indlinux.org / www.sourceforge.net/projects/indlinux A volunteer group working at the desktop level (KDE/GNOME), using Unicode, but ISCII will also be supported by providing convertor tools, Current focus on Opentype fonts development, translations for GNOME 2.0 . * IndiX http://rohini.ncst.ernet.in/indix/ A modified X server to support Indian languages using opentype fonts. Uses Unicode * IITM indlinux http://www.tenet.res.in/Donlab/Indlinux/ Have modified X & console in kernel to support indian languages. Use ISCII encoding only. * Linux Localisation Initiative ( LLI ) - lli.linux-bangalore.net A volunteer group working on translating LDP documentation (starting with HOWTOs) to indian languages. * Indic-computing project. indic-computing.sourceforge.net Aim is to create a resource center for all indian language issues in computing. * Language Technology Resource center (LTRC), IIIT Hyderabad. - http://www.iiit.net/ltrc/index.html Have developed language dictionaries, plugin for viewing ISCII, and font convertors. Also doing a machine based translation tool (Anusaaraka). Most of their work is release under GNU GPL. Projects listed at # 2, 3 and 6 are sponsored by government. Rest are volunteer based, looking for funds. Karunakar is himself involved with the IndLinux project. The active people (in the indian language area) at the Media Lab Asia are Venky Hariharan <venky(a)medialabasia.org> who is one of the founders of IndLinux project, and Tapan Parikh <tap2k(a)yahoo.com>. Both are actively working towards Indian-language computing, through Indic-computing project (indic-computing.sourceforge.net), and are also planning to hold a small, informal and preliminary workshop for Indian language computing in Bangalore in September. If you feel you'd like to share your ideas with them, please get in touch. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PERL MODULE FOR INDIAN LANGUAGES: M K Saravanan <mksarav(a)comp.nus.edu.sg> drew the attention of the Indian Linux Users Group in Chennai <ilugc(a)aero.iitm.ernet.in> to this perl module to handle Indian language I/O Check http://acharya.iitm.ac.in/perl_enhance.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ MALAYALAM GNU/LINUX PROJECT: Baiju M <malayalamlinux(a)yahoo.com> is one of those who is planning to work with the Malayalam GNU/Linux project (being undertaken by the KBIP and the Free Software Foundation-India, as he recently mentioned, in passing. Could someone offer an update on how that's going? All the best to you guys... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ HANDLING TELUGU: AkRti is a framework to facilitate easier development of applications that can handle the Indian language Telugu. The modular architecture decouples the input method, the underlying syllable based representation and the on screen display/print. http://sourceforge.net/projects/akrti/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ INDIAN HOLY BOOKS: Explores indian holy books that are in sanskrit & translate them in english beside this project will also speak sanskrit shaloks which user will select it is useful for the peoples working on indian culture... http://sourceforge.net/projects/ved/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PATCH FOR LOCAL LANGUAGES: This is K Ratheesh's <rathee(a)lantana.tenet. res.in> comment on Indianizing GNU/Linux (this point was made some time back when he was a student at the IIT-Madras... email contacts might have changed): "I am working on enabling Linux console for local languages. As the current PSF format doesn't support variable width fonts, I have made a patch in the console driver so that it will load a user defined multi-glyph mapping table so that multiple glyphs can be displayed for a single character code. All editing operations will also be taken care of. "Further, for Indian languages, there are various consonant/vowel modifiers which result in complex character clusters. So I have extended the patch to load user defined context sensitive parse rules for glyphs / character codes as well. Again, all editing operations will behave according to the parse rule specifications. "Even though the patch has been developed keeping Indian languages in mind, I feel it will be applicable to many other languages (for eg. Chinese) which require wider fonts on console or user defined parsing at I/O level. "Currently I have developed the patch for Kernel versions 2.2.14 and and am in the process of making it for 2.2.16 and 2.2.17. I request people to try out this patch and give comments and suggestions to me. "Those who want to try out this patch can send mail to me in the address rathee(a)lantana.iitm.ernet.in or to indlinux- iitm(a)lantana.iitm.ernet.in The package , containing the patch , some documentation ,utilities and sample files will come around 100 KB. Try also www.ratheeshkvadhyar.com ratheesh(a)rediffmail.com +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ COMPUTER VIA ONE BUTTON: Arun Mehta of New Delhi <mehta(a)vsnl.com> informs of the site http://indataportal.com/software/hawking.htm Check out the Hawkings project there. You will find links to both, the executable and the source code. Do also go to http://www.radiophony.com/html_files/hawking.html Says he: "Your suggestions on how to make using the computer a little more convenient with just one button would also be welcome -- perhaps you will consider joining the mailing list radiophony(a)yahoogroups.com, where this is being discussed?" (Join via radiophony-subscribe(a)yahoogroups.com) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ FINALLY, GNU/LINUX BECOMES A DEFAULT OS: This interesting story comes from Raman.P <raamanp(a)yahoo.co.in> via the Chennai ILUG group. Raman is with the Railway Hospital, Chennai: "Recently we ordered five PCs from M/s HCL Infosystems through DGS&D, Govt of India rate contract (the Directorate Supply of Supply and Distribution, the body which undertakes purchasing for the government sector). We didn't order any OS or other softwares as we use GNU/Linux. To our surprise we received the box with preinstalled Debian Linux. It seems HCL has a policy of not sending out any machine without OS. Hence, if no OS is ordered then Debian is loaded. Well at last GNU/Linux is the default operating system." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ GNU/LINUX IN SCHOOLS: Delhi and Goa, two regions trying to get GNU/Linux into the classroom, are exchanging their own 'distros' and software... to see how they could share experiences. Contact Pankaj <pankaj(a)sarai.net> or Tom Fernandes <anyaddress(a)gmx.net> for details +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SOME FIGURES FROM GOA SCHOOLS COMPUTERS PROJECT: Ashley Delaney <delaneyashley(a)softhome.net> reports that the second shipment of once-used computers to Goa (the first to use GNU/Linux) saw Goa Sudharopo send in some 380 PCs. Some 40 were Macs, and 70 had licensed Windows OS on them. Some 123 had hard disks, while the rest had none or were non-working PCs. These wer edistributed to over 107 schools across Goa. For the 123 or so PCs, a customized distribution of GNU/Linux was loaded by LUG volunteers, based on Redhat 7.2. "It was made keeping in mind, the low hardware specs of the machines, the hard disk space and programs needed," says Delaney (21). "As a result, over a period of three weeks of brainstorming. they came up with a customized version of RH which fitted on 1 CD, was capable of running even on a pentium 100 with 32 MB ram with 1.2 GB of hard disk space. The total installation did not exceed 800 MB with SWAP space. It has Gnome and Windowmaker and excluded all the other desktops including icewm, and KDE.... "As a result, 20 schools all over Goa, are now running on this LTSP Linux solution, and over approx 30 schools with the standalone Linux on their donated systems," says Delaney. But he adds: "However, the main source of backlash has been lack of support and help." This mail, with other background, was recently shared on the fsug-calicut mailing list... for others to learn from the experiences. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ AND... SOMETHING FROM DELHI. Check the Delhi issue... The archives are at: http://www.mail-archive.com/school%40linux-delhi.org/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ GNU/LINUX IN GERMAN SCHOOLS: Winfried Truemper <me(a)wt.xpilot.org> informs counterparts in India that there is a project about GNU/Linux in German schools running for several years now. You may want to contact info(a)pingos.schulnetz.org for exchange of experiences. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NEW VERSION OF GLUE: Ajith Kumar <ajith(a)nsc.ernet.in> announces a new version of GLUE -- the GNU Linux Utilities for Education. This came on July 30, 2002. You can browse the CD and install packages from it. Compilers for logo, basic, pascal etc are include. Lot of tutorials on various topics. Graphics Programming on GNU/Linux for the Turbo C fellows. The new version includes an installation script and does the following: (i) Converts the GNU/Linux installed machine to a Terminal Server. Installation and configuration of LTS is done by the script. If the terminal video cards are autodetected by XFree86-4, they just boot from the ether-boot floppy created. This has been tested on Redhat 7.1 & 7.3. (ii) Installs and configures IceWM, a fast, flexible window manager ideal for terminal servers, and puts a menu tailored for school use. (iii) Installs other RPM & TGZ packages from CD Anybody interested in getting a copy may contact the Free Software User Group Calicut <fsug(a)rediffmail.com> or <ajith(a)nsc.ernet.in> or Rajeesh P., Calicut, (Ph. 355415) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ COMMENTS ON THE NEVYOS: Rajesh <rk(a)coralindia.com> has this to say about the NevyOS featured in an earlier issue of GNU/LinuxInIndia: Downloaded NevyOS, have planned to put it on a Ricoh Touch Screen Device, lying with me since long. Hope it will work. (It has a 486 processor.) Another one, which I dunno if I can change the OS, is running on MIPS. Device called ePOD, one of the slickest Tablets I have seen yet. Been using since over 1 year now with a 802.11b Dlink card. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ MORE ON THE NEVYOS PLAN: Mayuresh Kathe <mayuresh(a)mac.com> explains issues arising out of the open source licensing of NevyOS. Says he: "We are contemplating going Open Source with NevyOS. Reason: 1. Its time Unix took a break from X. NevyOS is best poised to do that. 2. Its time we gave MS a run for its money on the desktop too. Again, NevyOS is best poised to do that (because, currently there are over 10 developers world wide developing killer apps for NevyOS, they would like to go open source too). But, at the same time what could be the alternatives for generating revenues if I have to atleast gain back on the investment? Could someone be charged if he is deploying NevyOS on a hardware platform of his design? If yes, what sort of a license will we have to put NevyOS under? Any brain storms on how we can enforce such licenses worldwide?" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PEOJECT ELX: DesktopLinux.com founder and executive editor Rick Lehrbaum interviews Abhi Datt, Chief Software Architect and founder of Project ELX, a new project to create a uniquely easy-to-use Linux distribution. Abhi Datt describes his vision for Project ELX, lists the main features of the ELX Linux distribition, provides an update on the status of ELX, and shares his thoughts on how Linux can succeed on the desktop and elsewhere. http://www.desktoplinux.com/articles/AT6850645834.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PEOPLE TO DEVELOP SIMPUTER APPS: Samyeer <sam(a)ncoretech.com> offers tips on what to do if you're a developer willing to develop Simputer <www.simputer.org> apps. Says he: "You can use GTK+ on the Simputer. If you are looking to get started then download the App Framework that is available at http://www.ncoretech.com/simputer/simputer/download.html and you can link in your GTK+ applications too.... We are looking for people/companies who will develop applications for the Simputer. Any help towards that would be really appreciated." Don't miss your date with what could possibly be computing making history in India. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SOME SITES/LISTS: Some GNU/Linux mailing-lists and sites in India: ilugd(a)wpaa.org ILUG-Delhi fsf-friends(a)gnu.org.in FreeSoftwareForum-India (Discussion list) linux-india-general(a)lists.sourceforge.net LinuxIndiaGeneral http://www.ilug-cal.org Indian Linux User's Group-Kolkata +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ONE YEAR YOUNG: July 20, 2002 was the first anniversary of the inauguration of FSF India in Trivandrum, as Rajkumar S <raj2569(a)yahoo.com> notes. Happy burday mates! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ COMMUNITY SITE FROM GNU/LINUXERS: Himanshu <himanshu_s(a)myrealbox.com> announces he has launched a new site, http://www.thefreespeech.org which is basically a community web site for GNU/Linuxers. Its main aim is "to initiate, collaborate and contribute" to the GNU/Linux cause. The site itself, is home to the ILUG-BOM's novel "Project Resource Centre" idea, which will help ease the collaboration between students undertaking GNU/Linux projects and self appointed "mentors". "I guess, in the future it will also be home to dead projects, or very small projects / scripts, which have not been (or are to small to be) hosted at Sourceforge," he adds. Neat idea! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ INDIANS WORKING ON GNU/LINUX WORLDWIDE: Thanks to Ravi Shekhar S <ravi__at__india__dot__com> for an interesting compiliation on Indiaians working on GNU/Linux worldwide. Below are his descriptions; looking forward to the additional list he'll be sending: * Ambarish Malpani of Valicert inc.,( http://valicert.com/ ) --- he's the guy who ported Apache to windows NT and he's also the key contributor to the Apache project. * Karthik Ram ( http://karthikram.org/ ) --- he is an ecologist by profession but a great enthusiast of open source and he is famous for his award winning ecology search engine ( http://ecocrawler.org/ ) * Manish Singh (YOSH) ( http://yosh.org/ ) --- he is the official release manager of gimp ( http://gimp.org/ ) he is one of the developers of script-fu and net-fu. He is considered as one of the masters in the gimp foundation (others are "xach" (http://xach.com), "Larry Ewing" (http://www.isc.tamu.edu/~lewing/) etc.) even off the gimp world, this guy is one of the most respected guys in university of Berkeley. * Mukund S (http://mukund.info/) --- a guy from Auroville( a township in pondicherry) He's now starting a new company called TESSNA (http://tessna.com/) he is yet another gimp developer and he also worked for Ximian, linux.com. His buddies include Garrett LeSage (http://linuxart.com/), tigert (http://tigert.gimp.org/), Jimmac (http://jimmac.musichall.cz/), Miguel de Icaza ( http://primates.ximian.com/~miguel/ ) He is also one of those Gtkhtml hackers. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ WROX INDIA: Wrox India's (www.wrox.com)'s Programmer to Programmer site is http://p2p.wrox.com/ Search and Read Libraries of our Books Online at www.wroxbase.com +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ LIBYAHOO2: Check Philip's <philip(a)konark.ncst.ernet.in> work on http://libyahoo2.sourceforge.net/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ OPEN SOURCE/FREE SOFTWARE IN E-GOVERNANCE: Pamela Street of the World Bank <pstreet(a)worldbank.org> informs about a new conference, which indicates the growing interest in Open Source/Free Software. It's called 'Open Source: A Case for e-Government' and will be held in Washington, DC Oct. 17 - 18, 2002 The conference will draw participants from local, national and international organizations from both the public and private sector. The goals of the conference include: the presentation of best practices; raising awareness sharing of experiences among policy makers, donors users/consumers; universities, and industry specialists in Open Source, e-Government and related fields. Speaking and demonstration proposals are invited. More details from the conference website http://www.egovos.org +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SPECIAL FOCUS ON... Sayamindu Dasgupta (17-1/2) a self-defined "Crazy GNU/Linux-er". Website http://www.peacefulaction.org/sayamindu ON HOW HE GOT INVOLVED WITH GNU/LINUX: Well, to be honest, I was bored with the same old Windows, and so, looking for an alternative OS. I could not afford a Mac, and so, I went to the local computer bookstore, and bought a book on Linux. That book had 3 CDs with it and one of them was Debian GNU/Linux 2.1. I decided to try that out, and popped the CD into my cdrom drive, and rebooted. But once the installation started, I could make neither head, nor tail out of that, and aborted the installation. Then after a few months I decided to try out Caldera OpenLinux 2.3. That worked brilliantly and I was in love with Linux within a few days. AGE AND 'OTHER PERSONAL STUFFS': 17 and half. Occupation -- student at South Point High School at Kolkata. Career plans -- to study physics (will try to go abroad for undergrad.) Present activities related to GNU/Linux: * Co-author : PCTel HSP Micromodem configuration miniHOWTO for the Linux Documentation Project <en.tldp.org> * Maintainer: PCTel HSP Micromodem GNU/Linux compatibility database <pctelcompdb.sourceforge.net> * Working on EricaOS - a web based Operating system designed mainly for web tv users (it will be running on top of a GNU/Linux server) * Writing the manual of KFstab - a KDE application which allows easy editing of the /etc/fstab file through a graphical interface. * Editor of the Linux - Support section of the Open Directory Project (dmoz.org) * One of the most active members of iLUG-Cal (Kolkata LUG) * Working in the LOST project <lost.sourceforge.net> * Started work on a set of modules for drupal (drupal.org) that would let Linux User's Groups use the drupal syetem as their website (the modules will provide support for meeting management, minutes management, GNU/Linux cd-rom burning and distribution network management, mailing list management etc. along with the usual features of drupal) * Also done some work with regard to Bangla on GNU/Linux. * Authored a few articles on GNU/Linux (www.peacefulaction.org/sayamindu/docs.php) * Founder member/admin of http://www.peacefulaction.org which deals with GNU/Linux along with social and environmental issues. Future plans related to GNU/Linux: A website which would enable users to enlist, rate and write about compatibility of branded computers with GNU/Linux. Will be a mix of dmoz.org and pctelcompdb.sourceforge.net . If possible this will also certify, on basis of user ratings compatibility of branded PCs. Says he: "I also have plans to initialise an effort to translate the Gnome and KDE interface to Bangla, and some work has already started in this direction." Also plan to do something regarding desktop GNU/Linux (not sure what though). Write some more documents for the GNU/Linux newbie and on GNU/Linux advocacy Non GNU/Linux Activities: Is a member of the Mensa International (mensa.org). Code in PHP (done some work for projectpi.sourceforge.net). Also work for the Open Internet encyclopedia (open-site.org). Do some amateur astronomy ("don't get much time nowadays... also obsessed with physics"). Worked on a set of motion related graph generation system with php ("just for fun"). Is also obsessed with Richard Feynman. Phew! What a list at achievements... that too at 17-1/2! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PERSIAN LINUX. Roozbeh Pournader <roozbeh(a)sharif.edu> informs in a posting to Pakistan's PLUC: "About Persian Linux, we don't have much information published on our website (almost everything is in our mind), but it may be worth looking: <http://www.farsiweb.info>. Actually it is the Arabs that have a good community and are advancing with a good pace. Their website is at: <http://www.arabeyes.org/>. For general information about Linux and Unicode, one should see: <http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/unicode.html>. I believe we are able to help anyone who wants to create and organize a Urdu Linux project for a start. We are already familiar with many internationalization groups, and can make sure the wheel won't be reinvented. Feel free to find someone with enough time as hand as an organizer, and introduce him/her to me." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ FROM THE LAND OF THE SAMBA: Guilherme Lemos <guilherme(a)conectiva.com.br> from Brazil recently wrote in to say that he works for Conectiva (the GNU/Linux distro from the land of the Samba). His company also works on the magazine 'Revista do Linux'. Lemos is currently writing an article about GNU/Linux in India for the next edition. He's looking for info on GNU/Linux's deployment in India. If you could offer him some pointers, write to him at the above address. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ * FOOTNOTE: Frederick Noronha <fred at bytesforall dot org> is a Goa-based freelance journalist, who writes on IT-for-development and GNU/Linux themes regularly, and is cofounder of BytesForAll <www.bytesforall.org>. In the past year, he worked on a print media fellowship to study India's contribution to GNU/Linux, from www.sarai.net (Sarai-New Delhi) Parag Mehta <pm at linuxindia dot org> is webmaster for Linux India, listadmin for Ilug-bom, Country Manager of India for Linux Counters (do get counted as a GNU/Linux user!). Visit his personal site at: http://pmehta.org ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1 0

Indianisation of GNU/Linux
by Frederick Noronha 24 Aug '02

24 Aug '02

I was fishing around for some information on the possible Indianisation of GNU/Linux. As Ms Mita puts it, Edward Cherlin's info (via the Simputer mailing list on yahoogroups) appears to be mind-boggling. What do others on this list think of it? Any feedback? FN On Fri, 16 Aug 2002, Mita wrote: > Dear Edward, > What an excellent and valuable input! Thank you! By the way, you don't > sound like a generalist at all, more like a specialist! > Checked out both the sites you recommend; one was rather technical, but > the sil.org site is really great. > So did you go to the presentation of the Simputer there in California? > Did anybody on this list go? Please do tell us first hand how it was! > Did the simputer live up to all your expectations? > Cheers > Mita > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Edward Cherlin [mailto:cherlin@pacbell.net] > Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2002 9:29 PM > To: simputer(a)yahoogroups.com > Subject: Re: [simputer] [OFFTOPIC] Request for some inputs for an > article > > On Tuesday 13 August 2002 02:06 am, Frederick Noronha wrote: > > Dear friends, > > > > I am thinking of doing a piece on the challenges posed by plans for > > Indianisation of GNU/Linux. > > > > If you could give me some additional insights into the following > > issues (in a language that a simple reader would follow), I'd be > > very grateful. If you could send me the replies in a day or two, > > I'd be even more grateful. > > > > For my side, I will circulate the article among all before the > > Bangalor meeting. Thanks again. Frederick > > You're welcome. Where will this be published? > > > PS: Issues I need information on: > > > > What is your reading of: > > > > * Demand for Indian-language computers > > Although I have met a few engineers from India who speak only > English, the answer is that the demand for Indian-language computers > equals the demand for computers in India, plus a bit for places like > the UK, Pakistan and Bangla Desh that do significant business with > India or have significant Indian minorities. You can find current > sales and installed base numbers on the Net. If you need help with > this, e-mail me offline. > > > * Main languages which could be tackled at this stage > > By next year, the Pango project should support all nine official > Indic scripts, so the answer is "All of them." > > > * Which languages would pose greater difficulties > > Languages that are traditionally not written, or are written in > non-standard variants of the standard scripts. Talk to Peter > Constable at SIL.org about this. > > > * Applications that are needed to be run in Indian languages > > Everything. Don't take "No" for an answer. On Linux, you can > volunteer to Indicize any application. In the future, when font > management and rendering are standardized, all applications will run > in Indian languages for input and output without further ado, and > anyone will be able to create a localization file to customize the > user interface. Volunteers are also needed to translate documentation. > > > * Lack of support in other OSs > > Indic and other South Asian scripts are the final challenge to > computer vendors for full I18n support. Progress is slow at Microsoft > and Apple. Linux should pass them by the end of the year, or early in > 2003. > > > * Technical challenges in supporting Indian languages > > The principal problem is rendering conjuncts without proper rendering > engines and properly encoded fonts. Users want to type a sequence of > characters, and not concern themselves with the details of rendering. > This requires fonts with appropriate tables giving the possible > character sequences and the glyphs for rendering each, and an engine > that knows to read the tables. > > Apple and Microsoft are not willing simply to support typing, > display, and printing. They will not release language and writing > system support until they have complete locales built, preferably > including a dictionary and spelling checker. Linux is under no such > constraints. > > > X > > The Free Standards Group together with Li18nux.org are proposing to > rationalize and simplify I18n support under X, including a common > rendering engine, shared font paths, and other standards that will > greatly simplify the business of supporting all writing systems and > all languages. > > > Toolkits > > Dozens. Write to me off-list and tell me what tasks you want tools > for. > > Fonts? Check out pfaedit. > Keyboards? Unix keyboard files can be prepared in any text editor. > Rendering? Pango, Graphite > Software localization? IBM ICU, GTK, various languages... > Multilingual editing? Yudit and emacs both support several Indic > scripts, and could be extended with only moderate effort on the part > of a few experts. I have not tested vim, the other Unix Unicode > editor. Most other Unix applications accept some Indic input. > > Mandrake Linux includes Bengali, Gujarati, Gurmukhi, Hindi > Devanagari, and Tamil out of the box. That leaves Oriya, Malayalam, > Telugu, and Kannada still to be done, along with the Indic-derived > Lao, Sinhala, Myanmar, and Khmer. Tibetan and Thai are moderately > well supported. > > > Fonts? > > There are two projects to create a complete rendering engine: Pango > (Pango.org, Li18nux.org) and Graphite (sil.org). They also have plans > for complete sets of Unicode fonts (including not just the Unicode > characters, but also all of the non-character glyphs for rendering > Indic scripts. > > > Voice synthesis and recognition? > > IBM and several other companies have projects to support 40 or more > languages each. I can put you in contact with a voice engineer in > Silicon Valley, and you of course have access to the voice engineers > involved in the Simputer design. > > > Any right-to-left languages? > > Arabic and Hebrew are officially supported on Windows, Mac, and Unix. > Other languages in the same scripts (Urdu, Pashto, Farsi/Dari, etc.; > Yiddish, Ladino, etc.) can be typed but do not have full support. > Syriac (once used to write Malayalam) is included in Unicode but not > well supported. Thaana, used for Dhivehi in the Republic of Maldives, > is similarly encoded but not well supported. I can provide more > details, or put you in contact with experts on any of these. > > > What other challenges do Indian languages pose? > > That's it. We have them all in hand. Well, dictionaries and spelling > checkers, of course. Word-breaking doesn't operate the same way in > Indic scripts as in the Latin alphabet. Fine typography, which you > don't find in consumer or office applications in any language. And > the sheer number. There are more than 800 languages spoken in India. > > > * Projects that are currently underway, and which are interesting, > > in your opinion. > > As I said, Pango, Graphite, Li18nux, Free Standards. Mandrake Linux > emphasizes multilingual support, and welcomes offers of help. And of > course Simputer.

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Forwarded: Free software for radio?
by Frederick Noronha 23 Aug '02

23 Aug '02

Pls reply to Robert Michel <Robert.Michel(a)post.rwth-aachen.de> FN ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Slave Alokesh, Fred & Georg, thanks for sending radio news from India. The news"local communities, non-profit organizations and educational institutions (Universities) for educational, cultural and economic development " request the question, what is necessary for build a low budget radiostation? The most important element becomes Software. Why not writing "free software" under GNU GPL for making radio ? Some weeks ago I found the vision from Patrick, swiss, and started to support him: HTTP://ross.sf.net Ross should be a toolbox, able to make a radio with one laptop only to running a big radio-network with satellite and internetlinks. Why "free software" - there are already 3-5 commercial solutions? - these are very expensive and keep the costumers in dependency to these software-houses. In analog times, everybody was able to replace a player "out of order", nowadays you have wait for support on telephone. - cheap solutions used by non-profit organizations are good enought for playing music, not for journalistic work - licence restricted software make it impossible for new people to learn using it at home. - analog radio times was good for blind people, software based radiostations are not usable today for them. - ....... ============== Can you help me ? ============== I'm looking for developer worldwide. People with radio experiences to saying me what regional culture of radio-studios they know, what software should be, programmer (C++), and later translator to make the software international. Which mailing-lists, websites, radio active people do you know? Do you have some more informations about these new stations in India? When will this start? Thanks for your attations - a better mail for sending to mailinglist we will write next weeks. The ross-team are already 6 people with more or less time for this. (Swiss, Germany, Austrian) Would be nice to find people for ross in India, too. Greetings form Aachen, Germany Robert

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[INFO] FLOSS Project Report
by Raj Singh 22 Aug '02

22 Aug '02

Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) : Survey and Study FLOSS FINAL REPORT (http://www.infonomics.nl/FLOSS/report/index.htm) International Institute of Infonomics University of Maastricht, The Netherlands Berlecon Research GmbH Berlin, Germany June 2002 Final Report * Part 0: Executive Summary Overview of the FLOSS project * Part I: Use of Open Source Software in Firms and Public Institutions * Part II: Firms Open Source Activities: Motivations and Policy Implications * Part II B: Open Source Software in the Public Sector: Policy within the European Union * Part III: Basics of Open Source Software Markets and Business Models * Part IV: Survey of Developers * Part V: Source Code Survey * Raw data from Source Code Survey Overview of the FLOSS project This project remedies the lack of information on Free/Libre/Open Source Software (1) starting at the very beginning: by conducting surveys to generate a unique base of primary data on Free/Open Source Software usage and development; identifying indicators to measure value creation and dissemination in the OS/FS arena; identifying business models based on these indicators; identifying the impact of and recommending changes in government policy and regulatory environments with regards to OS/FS; finally, the development of a base for extending these to the broader economic measurement of non-monetary and trans-monetary activity in the information society, beyond the domain of OS/FS. The specific features of this project are: 1. The collation of a base of hard data (until now no such data exist) on the importance and role of OS/F software in today s economies and an impact assessment for policy and decision-making. 2. The development of indicators for the measurement of value creation within the OS/F software communities, especially in order to identify the distribution patterns of contribution within OS/F software communities and projects. 3. The measurement of contributions and identification of dependence on such contributions as are provided by user organisations OS/F software, including government/international institutions, on the developer community and on project development at large. 4. The evaluation and identification of business models and best practices in the OS/F software community, especially the transition to and from commercial software operations. (1) Throughout this report and project documents the terms Free Software and Open Source Software are used interchangeably, except where a specific distinction between the terms is explicitly made. This page is part of the FLOSS study (http://www.infonomics.nl/FLOSS/). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Re: [Fsf-friends] i18n and T16n
by baiju m 18 Aug '02

18 Aug '02

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i18n and T16n
by Frederick Noronha 18 Aug '02

18 Aug '02

I was working late night on this piece of Indianization of GNU/Linux, when an unsual thought struck... If internationalization can be reduced to i18n can Thiruvananthapuram become T16n? (There are 16 alphabets between T and n in the city's name.) Guess you'll excuse me for this unusual posting today. Just a bit bored with myself ;-) FN PS: If the idea clicks, do remember who suggested it first....

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NEWS-INDIA: Kerala to get Centre's help to push e-governance
by Frederick Noronha 16 Aug '02

16 Aug '02

Kerala to get centre's help to push e-governance By Sanu George, Indo-Asian News Service Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 16 (IANS) The centre will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) this week with the Kerala government, offering it all assistance in promoting e-governance. The state is viewing this as a reward for its consistency in networking government affairs and putting them online. State IT minister P.K. Kunjalikutty said federal Communication and IT Minister Pramod Mahajan would be here Sunday to sign the MoU that would facilitate technical and financial help from the centre. "We are really proud because this is the first time any state government has been asked to sign an MoU with the centre in this field. This is going to boost our efforts to promote private investment in the IT sector," Kunjalikutty said. Mahajan will during his visit also inaugurate a 600,000 square foot building at Thiruvananthapuram's Technopark, which currently houses 60 companies. The major push for e-governance in Kerala had come during a crippling 32-day strike by government employees from February. Apart from providing Rs.1.2 billion for projects to improve efficiency in various departments, the budget earmarked Rs.150 million to set up a single point access for those seeking services like welfare benefits and revenue certificates. Plans for the MoU came in the wake of a study by the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) ranking Kochi as the second most preferred destination in the country for the setting up of business process outsourcing or IT-enabled companies (ITES). The government is currently working on a state-of-the-art 400,000 square-foot building in Kochi to house such companies. "The building would be ready for occupation by the end of next year," said IT Secretary Aruna Sunderarajan. Another encouraging development for the IT industry in Kerala has been the rare political consensus on pushing the sector and ironing out the creases. "We had a problem in one of the Technopark companies here. Because of the wholehearted support of the opposition, the issue has been sorted out without any problems. This is a good sign for all potential investors," said Kunjalikutty. --Indo-Asian News Service

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Simputer... changes a viewpoint
by Frederick Noronha 16 Aug '02

16 Aug '02

Permit me to forward a posting from the Solaris mailing-list in Delhi. Perhaps GNU/Linux enthusiasts could also look at ways in which we could enhance our involvement in this GNU/Linux-based project. FN ---------- Forwarded message ---------- http://www.bayarea.com/mld/siliconvalley/business/columnists/mike_langberg/ 3866243.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp From the San Jose Mercury News. At LinuxWorld in San Francisco a number of interesting projects were presented yesterday including Open Knowledge Network, the Brazilian volkscomputers, and the following one--the Simputer. Langberg is a critical enthusiast when it comes to consumer items. He's not a development expert. A good opening line to keep local high tech folks reading this piece! Steve Posted on Wed, Aug. 14, 2002 Simple computer helps close digital divide By Mike Langberg Mercury News I've always been a digital-divide cynic, suspecting all the talk about transforming the lives of poor people through Internet access to be self-serving narcissism from Silicon Valley technologists seeking a justification for making themselves rich. Vinay L. Deshpande has changed my mind. Deshpande, a Stanford-educated software entrepreneur in Bangalore, India, is the driving force behind the Simputer, a handheld device that resembles a Palm personal digital assistant. The Simputer (www.simputer.org), which costs from $175 to $375 depending on features, is designed for impoverished rural villages in India and other under-developed parts of the world. This isn't a cure for hunger or disease, but Deshpande makes a convincing argument for how the Simputer could make life better for people living far from the technology fast lane. If you're struggling to feed your family on an income equal to a few dollars a day, you don't need access to Amazon.com or eBay. What you do need are the latest commodity prices for your crops if you're a farmer, or accurate weather reports if you fish from a small boat, or a reliable way to gather medical data if you're a rural health worker. These are things the sturdy Simputer can do at a far lower cost than temperamental and fragile laptop computers. Deshpande, who spoke Wednesday at the LinuxWorld trade show in San Francisco, got the idea for the Simputer at a family wedding near Mumbai in November 1998, where he met the owner of a small community bank. The banker had a problem: He operates what is called a ``pygmy deposit scheme,'' where independent agents travel to isolated villages to collect deposits and make payments as small as one rupee, or about two cents. The agents give paper receipts, and sometimes cheat the bank by turning in altered copies of the deposit slips listing smaller amounts. Catching such cheaters often takes days or weeks. The banker wanted a handheld device costing no more than $200 with an attached receipt printer that agents could use to collect deposit data, downloading the information by phone to the bank's computers at the end of the day. This device wouldn't eliminate theft by the agents, but they'd have a hard time disappearing with more than one day's worth of funds. Deshpande, 55, assembled a team of academics from the Indian Institute of Science and engineers from his company, Encore Software (www.ncoretech.com), both based in Bangalore. The group quickly realized any device created for the banker could solve many other problems in many countries. The Simputer is designed to be easy to operate, reliable, rugged and to run on easily obtained AA batteries. There's a slot for sliding in smart cards, which cost less than $1 and can be given to every person in a village for storing their personal information. A built-in modem makes it possible to collect information and send out messages through the Internet. Villages beyond the reach of phone lines can send and receive data through the smart cards. To hold down costs, the Simputer runs a slimmed-down version of the free Linux operating system -- eliminating royalty payments that would be required for the Palm or Microsoft PocketPC operating systems used in today's PDAs. Deshpande and his colleagues also developed visual icons and text-to-speech feedback so that even illiterate users could benefit from the Simputer. Encore Software began producing the first run of Simputers this month at a contract manufacturing plant in Bangalore; another production line is due to start up next month in Singapore. The Simputer isn't available yet in the United States, but Deshpande is talking with several potential distributors and expects to have a deal in place by year-end. Meanwhile, the Simputer Trust is willing to license its hardware and software designs to any interested manufacturer for a one-time fee of $25,000 to companies in the developing world and $250,000 to companies in the developed world. As word of the Simputer has spread, Deshpande is hearing more ideas for how his creation could be used. The post office in India, for example, is considering giving the Simputer to mail carriers who handle money orders. A villager could send money through a smart card, plugged into the mail carrier's Simputer, for delivery to a relative on the other side of the country, downloaded to the recipient's smart card. This would eliminate sending money orders through the mail, where they are often lost or stolen. Health care agencies in South Africa want to develop a small ultrasound monitor that could be plugged into the Simputer for tracking fetal development among pregnant women in rural settlements. The Indian government is also interested in the Simputer for collecting reliable and timely information on agricultural production, a process now bogged down by inaccurate and slowly gathered paper documents. Asked to summarize his hopes for the Simputer, Deshpande spins around and points to a logo printed on the back of his official Simputer Trust T-shirt: ``Radical simplicity for universal access.'' There's no guarantee, of course, the Simputer will succeed. Even if it does, technology alone can't fix all the problems causing poverty. But I found Deshpande to be uplifting. The technology revolution, in the end, really could help everyone on Earth make better lives for themselves. Contact Mike Langberg at mike(a)langberg.com or (408) 920-5084. � 2001 siliconvalley and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved. http://www.siliconvalley.com Steve Cisler 4415 Tilbury Drive San Jose, Callifornia 95130 http: home.inreach.com/cisler 1-408-379-9076 cisler(a)pobox.com solaris--independant forum for IT & development issues un/sub info: solaris-request(a)mail.sarai.net with the word "help" in the subject line or in the body of the message. URL: http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/solaris/ archive: http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/solaris/

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IT@schools
by Ajith Kumar 15 Aug '02

15 Aug '02

hello, here is a proposal for cost effective computer infrastructure for schools. ajith

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Fsf-friends August 2002