Re: Linux-Ethiopia Re: Hang out with a Linux fanatic from Kenya

[Tsega]

Hi Teferra,

It's so refreshing to hear your thoughts about stuff, I like the "ሊኑክስ እድር" or "ልንክስ እድር" idea. However, I think we still need to refer our selves as a LUG since it helps when people look for such groups. 

I would want to say a lot about what you've raised but in the interest of time I'll try to keep it short:

1. Linux Users => Evangelists: I believe most people agree with this but it has to come from the users themselves. Meeting regularly and sharing our ideas and passion would most certainly help in this regard.

2. Users have to be created!:  This is a no-brainer as well but from what I've seen there are plenty of Linux users in Addis to start a LUG. The past week I had the chance to visit iCogLabs, an AI/Robotics R&D lab here in Addis (Yep, in Addis. You better believe it!). They work on outsourced/partnership projects in the areas of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Robotics, Data Analytics etc. What was amazing is that they all used Linux for their work, about 14-17 of them.

So with regards to users, I think that there are enough of us out here to start a LUG.

3. A workshop held in a luxury 5 star hotel: What we are planning for is quite the opposite, the meetings will not be for suits :-) We want to build a community of Linux Users, we have a place to meet, we're getting it for free; iceaddis and xhubaddis  are places for such occasions. 

4. Culture: Finally I want to address the second part of the cultural issue you raised. In my mind people keep useful ideas/info to themselves because they feel that that's their competitive edge. People think "The less people know about this stuff, the more valuable I become." Sorry to say this but that's the "ደብተራ" mentality to keep the masses in the dark! If you see the last video link I shared about Linus Torvalds, the way he thinks and the underlying idea of the Opensource movement is actually the reverse; share what you know, people will make it better and eventually all of us would benefit! 

Our "እድር" could be one social experiment where we could start to change all of this. 

So for all of you who are reading this email and are in Addis. I know, Ethiopia is bigger than just Addis but for now we can start here and replicate to other cities nation wide.

My questions for you are:

1. Would you come to a LUG meeting say in three-four weeks time somewhere in Addis? (Mind you we have the national elections coming up in less than two week, so meetings are better held after that).

2. Besides the obvious need for introducing ourselves to each other, what would you like to see there?

3. Would you be interested in getting involved in sharing an idea, experience, conviction etc?  (Super informal, no slides, books, or even computers required! Just a simple discussion).

4. Who would you invite to come along to such a gathering? (#1 criterion for this is the person's interest)

Let's get this going, shall we.

Best,

Tsega

On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 7:23:26 AM UTC+3, Teferra wrote:

Keeping my fingers crossed for LUG Addis and generally Ethiopia. 
There are hundreds "graduating" in IT every year from private and public institutions. All this are potential Linux users and evangelists if only there is a way to get across the message that Linux holds the key for their personal and professional development.  

It often is the case that in Ethiopia new ideas get blocked from two fronts. The first one is the conservative nature of the society which makes it difficult to experiment with new ideas, the other one is the culture of keeping potentially useful ideas to oneself.

There is not much one can do about the first one but the second one is some thing that can be addressed by being aware of it. 

An idea can be made inaccessible in many ways.  

The venue where the idea is being presented can be a physical and mental barrier. A workshop held in a luxury 5 star hotel would be intimidating to a poor young Ethiopian who struggles to make it in IT than the same subject presented in a shabby computer lab at school where he/she shared an old computer with 7 of the class mates. 

The key seems to me to to create a perception that linux is a poor mans tool. A tool that can be understood by your grand ma and above all it is ok that it is like that. That it is one of the simpler things in life that has to be shred to be enjoyed. 

Language often is a barrier that makes it difficult for majority of potential users to understand seemingly simple ideas. In Ethiopia it is a major block. We really suck in English. We don't want to talk about it but we do. (Look how I write!!). So any thing that is presented in English becomes automatically inaccessible except for those who came out of those expensive private schools.

I know LUGs are user groups as the name indicates. Not Evangelists. But in Ethiopian case to benefit from LUGs the users has to be created. Therefore the couple of today's users need to double as evangelists, translators and mentors. 

So I hope your next meetup will be in one of those sad excuses for "IT collages" in Addis that mushroomed to take advantage of a population that is desperate for knowledge. 

I only wish I am with you guys right now. If you remember those who do not attend "Edir" meetings with good excuses can pay a fine. And that fine can be used to pay for resources to arrange in those poor classrooms. I am sure there are a few who would be happy to be fined in this group.

The "Linux Idir" may be one of the words we need to demystify the LUGs in Ethiopia. Just an idea.

Ceers for "Linux Idir"

 

On Apr 26, 2015 10:37 AM, "Alan Orth" <alan...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi, everyone! I'm the "fanatic" that Tsega referred to from the Nairobi GNU/Linux Users Group. :) I've written up a blog post on our LUG's blog about our meetup at iceaddis yesterday:

https://nairobilug.or.ke/2015/04/ramping-up-ethiopia-lug.html

Basically, I feel like the time is right to break down barriers, start reaching out to the community inside and outside of Addis (and ET!) and create a community around GNU/Linux and other free, libre, open-source software.

Thanks for all the ቡና. ;)

Cheers,

Alan

On Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 2:27:25 PM UTC+3, Miles Sharpe wrote:

Keep up the good work Tsega and don't forget to tell everyone they are welcome to please join us on #ubuntu-africa and our new site is afloat

http://ubuntu-africa.info All linux users are welcome

On Thursday, 23 April 2015 13:17:28 UTC+2, Tsega wrote:

Hi all,

If you have time tgis Saturday from 2:00pm to 3:30pm, then join me and a friend from Kenya, who wants to share his experiences and some happenings at the Kenyan Linux community.

Venue is ICEAddis in Kazanchis, Hishan Building (technostyle is on the ground floor) 7th floor. Just call me if your lost, +251911887080.

Hope to see a few of you there.

Tsega

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