Mr. Anousak SouphavanhMr. Anousak SouphavanhOpen Source Open Source

Developer/EvangelistDeveloper/Evangelist

March 18, 2010March 18, 2010Khone Kean, ThailandKhone Kean, Thailand

Lao Open Source Movement and the Loalization effortsLao Open Source Movement and the Loalization efforts

AgendaAgenda

Country backgroundGovernment and Private sectorLao Open Source movement and localization effortsConclusion

Background

Country: East of Thailand, west of Vietnam, north of Cambodia, south of ChinaTotal Population: 6 million (2005)Number of websites in English and other languages: Approximately 100 websites, all in English (Lao langauge is approx. 50>)National bandwidth within the country: via Thailand, China, VietnamNational bandwidth to and from the country: operating byt 4 major operators via fibre optics

4 Telecommunication operators: ETL, Laotel, Unitel, Milicom-Lao

5 Internet Service Providers: ETL, Laotel, LAT, Milicom-Lao, PlanetOnline

Government and Private Sector

ICT Policy Development (To be merged with Telecom Law soon)

●Infrastructure and Industry●ICT Application (development, promotion and use of Open Source)●Standardization●Human Resources Development●Legal Framework●Education (Open Source for edcuation)

E-Government

Based on the e-ASEAN framework, the government has promoted tremendously the importance of using the Internet in government institutions. - Computerization of Tax and Customs Department- Legal/Law information system- Information management system for the government public administration reform program.

Government and Private Sector

Government

•National Authority of Science and Technology•E-Governement Project•Open Source lab

•Various ministry setup web, email, DNS, BIND, firewall, file servers( Redhat, CenTOS, ...)•National Unviersity

•Offered courses in Linux administration, web development; dns,web, file, firewall, and etc•Programming in MySql, PHP, and etc

•National Internet Gateway(NiG)•More 70% of servers is based on Open Source

Private Sector

•Number of colleges and IT firms offered Linux programming, administration, Web and Database programming•IT Consulting (Xangdao Conslting firm) developed mobile development based on Android, Moblin, and PhP, and web content management systems

Lao Open Source movement and Localization EffortsHistory:

1992 - 1999 Anousak to worked on Linux ...(Slackware and other distros)2000 –2003- Find a way to develop Lao software based various development kits2003 – Developed Lao version of KDE based (Redhat) for the NGO work called ICT for Rural Area (VoIP and Applications). Theppitak was a programmer.2004- UNDP/NAST ICT for development Project: National Policy and Lao ICT Standardization (keyboard, input method, OpenOffice, Thunderbird email client, issues with Lao support for Open Source and Windows)2006 – now. Working on a small group of Linux/Open Source lovers

Why promote Open Source?1) Freedom to develop free of charge2) low cost3) reliability 4)To create Lao in Lao langauge for those that don't speak other langauges other than their own mother tungue. 5)Currently, Lao people who want to use computers must first learn English. In a country with low literacy rates, this creates a very high barrier to access to ICT.

Why FOSS for Lao Government for the country?

Reasons:

1) National Security2) Open standards, avoidance of vendor lock-in3) Reduced reliance on imports4) Developing local software industry5) Localization6) Intellectual Property Rights, Piracy, WTO (soon)

Localization Efforts:

2006 – now. Working on a small group of Linux/Open Source lovers

What we do:

- A team have translated Ubuntu ( using Launchpad), OpenOffice.org- Problem with above. Reverse the translation for upstreams- started:

GNOME, Debian, KDE, Mozilla, Translation Project (TP)- Working with/on various Open Source acitivities/groups as well.

Issues

•Team is fragmented and volunteering efforts (unlike Cambodia- KhmerOS)•Young Team (some are newly graduates and some lacked of English)•Funding (lacked)

Future•Look promising and continue to forge the development forward•To create Lao distro (Ubuntu) with above packages•Low cost computer and laptop (CherryPal?)•Defvelop Open Source training materials and promote with support of the government and private sectors

Lao Open Source movement and Localization Efforts

Q/A

ຂອບໃຈຂອບໃຈThank you for your Thank you for your

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Thank You

About PresenterAnousak SouphavanhLao Open Source Devloper/Evangelist. Developing various Open Source systems, ie.g Debian, GNOME, KDE, OpenOffice, Moblin, Mozilla, and etc.Holds degrees in BS and Masters Computer Science from University of Binghamton University and Rochester Institute of Technology, USA.Worked for the IBM for about 8 and half years as IT Specialist, UNIX Security, Network specialist. Joined STEA/UNDP in October 2004 as Senior Technical Advisor and became part of the ICT team that had two components: E-policy and the localization. Work with various Lao Government agencies and International firms. An owner of an ICT Consulting called Xangdao Consulting, specialized in open Source software development, Lao mobile development, and various IT solutions.

Contact Information:anousak@gmail.com