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The
KhmerOS project was born from our dream for the state of computer
technology in Cambodia in three years. We envision, in 2007, a
country where Cambodians can learn and use computers in their own
language, a country that does not have to change to a new
language in order to use computers!
Databases and
applications will be developed directly in Khmer, with
easy, standard ways to handle names and data.
To
achieve this, there must be widespread use of very low cost
software, well adapted to Cambodias economy, business climate, and
people. And there must be a standard way to use Khmer.
We believe
that in order to enter a digital world without forfeiting its
culture, a country must do it by using software in its own language.
Software in a foreign language exacerbates the digital divide, makes
basic computer training difficult and expensive, closes computer-using
jobs to people with little economic resources, impoverishes local
culture, and blocks computer-based government processes, as the
local language script cannot be used in databases.
Fortunately, the introduction of the Khmer script in the Unicode
standard has opened the door to start developing support for Khmer
in different platforms.
Also,
there is already free, easy-to-use, high quality software -called
Free Software or OpenSource Software- that can be used and modified.
It includes everything a normal computer user needs: desktops,
office applications (word-processor, spreadsheet, presentation tool,
database manager), Internet tools (e-mail, browser, chat,
messengers), multimedia applications to handle music and video, and
many utilities.
Many countries are promoting this type of software
for their government offices, for businesses, in education, and for
the people in general.
In the
past, of course, computer use in Cambodia has been mostly in
English, and mostly with unlicensed copies of Microsoft Windows
products. The fact that there is a new Cambodian Intellectual
Property Law means that a user will have to purchase a license for
each copy of software sold by companies such as Microsoft that he
uses. That is too expensive for most Cambodian computer users.
OpenSource software and Khmer Unicode will build the best
technological future for Cambodia, and it can be achieved. We
welcome you to join us in working for this vision.
The KhmerOS initiative is being
coordinated by the Open Forum of
Cambodia, a local NGO that has a long history of supporting
advance in communication and information exchange in the country.
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