ArabicOpenCD

The ArabicOpenCD is a collection of open source software, some of it already localised in Arabic, some is not, in a CD suitable for distribution for Microsoft Windows operating systems. The project has just started and has great potential, so this is your chance at contributing something substantial and worthwhile :)

Please have a look at future plans and tasks. If you have questions, please have a look at the faq. If you still have question please don't hesitate to ask.

Development files for now are available here.

Plans

The CD and Interface

• New Logo, Icons and images?
• Include Arabic software.. suggestions?
• Possibly more than one screenshot for each application.
• Link to source and Arabic efforts.
• translate this app/contribute to this app link
• Better files mechanism, instead of pop up a folder, make it pop up a window with links to the actual files, with a description of each file.
• Different versions of the CD: small, medium, big, huge. Or just two versions: Big, small, with the small version of under 50 MB
• Flavored OpenCD: for education, for Internet, for development, etc...
• New Interface? Highly possible, what I would like is a way to automate the interface, based on what software we include. May be get a new Interface engine all together.

For your info: The current interface runs a browser based on Gecko (the engine for Mozilla) called K-meleon (included in bin). The interface is just a "site" offline, displayed in the browser. Other possible techniques?

Website

• A better introduction with motivation.
• More screenshots, especially of Win 2000.
• Screenshots of programs, especially those in Arabic, in use.
• Link to help messages about how to download (how to use md5sum etc)
• Introduction to every program, a link to the source, and a link to Arabic efforts.
• More extensive help messages about:
  • CD burning
  • md5sum checking
  • download managers
  • How to start the program
• DB back end for users form and automatic re displaying of those who signed.
• Design: any suggestions?

Marketing and PR

• Contact PC shops, Magazines, Forums..
• Design banner ads.
• Contact developers/blogs/websites about including the ads.
• etc...

If you have any more, please discuss in the mailing list (developer@arabeyes.org) (or email privately for instructions).

FAQ

For Who?

The arabic OpenCD is intended for:

• OEM shops, software to be supplied for free with a new purchased computer.
• Developers in third world countries were Internet connection is scarce.
• Any Microsoft Windows user who would like to have the collection readily available in a CD.

Why?

• To show the work we've been doing at Arabeyes.
• To spread OSS software for windows users, as a first step to let them how good it is.
• To encourage people to contribute to OSS.
• To encourage people to contribute to Arabeyes, we're reaching out for new "recruits".

What does it contain

OSS software, in various categories, the list is mentioned below in List of Software.

Who wrote it

I (Djihed Afifi) mainly wrote the interface. The logo and some graphics have been made by a friend of mine (Abdelghani). Typing has been done by another (Mehyeddine).

In what language is the software

Arabic where available, English otherwise.

Can I try it

Yes, please go to the distribution website/

How will it be distributed?

• Over the Internet.
• By OSS enthusiasts like you, burn a few CD's and give them to a local

OEM ship, a local CD store (it's legal! instead of the illegal CD's flying around!), or at Linux install fests, conferences, etc... Potentially, we could have a shipit service here akin to Ubuntu's shipit. I'm prepared to sponsor it at logical amounts yo send CD's to developers/users in the third world.

Has it been tried before?

Yes, It has actually been developed in summer 2005 for a local OEM shop in my home town in Algeria. It had a good acceptance level from the customers. I also burnt some CD's and gave them for free on a few occasions and the responses were positive.

What License?

GPL for the browser. The license differs between packages, but all of them allow distribution with source code.

Well! Reinventing the wheel! why not use TheOpenCD?

Our ArabicOpenCd will be geared more towards showcasing our work at Arabeyes and for motivating users to contribute to the translation work. It contains more software, it is intended to be complete for those with no Internet connection. The interface is wholly written for the Arabic language. It supports it better than OpenCD's Interface. Note however, that the mechanism of the ArabicOpenCd is the same as the OpenCd.

How dare you distribute software for M$ operating systems!

The fact that you can't run away from is that many people still use these OS's. We're not trying to undermine Linux distributions. Efforts like this will bring users closer to using OSS software and ideally an OSS operating system in the end.

Can I contribute? suggest? comment?

Yes, There are plans in this page, please discuss at develoer@arabeyes.org or email djihed@gmail.com

More

• Distribution Website
• Original Announcement
• Website Announcement