TLUG - Thai Linux User Group

[Samphan Raruenrom]

http://lug.opentle.org/ (in Thai)

May I introduce myself first. My name is Samphan Raruenrom.
I used to work at NECTEC (with Theppitak) in the NECTEC
"Open Source Project". Most of my works are on
enable Thai in OOo 1.0.x as OpenOfficeTLE and
enable Thai word-breaking in Mozilla/Firefox.
Now I'm working (as a contractor) with SIPA on Chantra
which has just released version 1.0 last month.

My point today is that - a small Thai open-source community,
lead by a few people at the Open Source Project at NECTEC,
have organized a regular meeting called "TLUG" (from
"Thai Linux User Group"). You can see past events
at http://lug.opentle.org/ (in Thai).
TLUG meetings are organized every third Saturday
afternoon of every months at NICT, Central Word Plaza,
sponsored by NECTEC.
The next time, TLUG #7, will be on Sat 17 September.

The activity there is mostly some talks by 1, 2 or more speakers.
When the topics are interesting, they maybe about 100
people (the capacity of the room) participated.
Since the group that organize this event is very small and
inexperienced. We don't have many ideas to organize such
monthly event. We usually came up with an idea of a topic and
invite a speaker to talk there. There are little participation from
the listener. You may not called this a real "linux user group".

I miss the Software Freedom Day but I'm glad I found this
mailing list. I think the TLUG meetings are lucky to come
this far and are a good tool to promote open source and
Linux but I think it need to be improved.
If you can help or have any idea that could help it be
a real user group. Please share them with us.

--
_/|\_ Samphan Raruenrom.

Open Source Development Co.,Ltd.
Tel: +66 38 311816, Fax: +66 38 773 128



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[Content Wire GMail]

Hello Samphan

thanks for hooking up

 

I think todays event is just an occasion to get us going - there is a lot of talk about technology development,  and despite all the tools we have at hand, information flow is inexplicably slow

 

I am really hoping this list will be the start of a community.

 

I am currently in Phuket, just to stay out of the traffick jams, and here there have been promises of bandwidth and IT paradises, but people - like myself - still struggle to get 100% access, decent speeds, and even a phone line takes months to get

 

But I am sure things will change

 

I really need to learn more about software anyway, and today while I gave a couple of talks about what I know of OS and demo so software I use like wikis, I had an opportunity to learn some stuff about linux, knoppix and argo uml. Today for me has been a learning opportunity that needs repeating asap. I have access to labs to organise a periodical OS meeting, where I would like geeks of all sorts to demonstrate their gear and possibly teach us - only a handful of intrested so far - something new

 

Please connect us with anyone in this area who may share same interests

 

I may need some assistance: a young fellow who works with IT  received with a big smile the free cd I gave him, but I dont think I managed to explain what it is. He looked at the penguin in a rather puzzled way,  Would someone who speaks Thai send him a word of explanation in your language about knoppix, and maybe some thai links?\ jack_and000  AT yahoo.com

 

thanks to all

 

look forward to exchanges

 

Paola

[Gordon Anderson]

Khun Samphan,

Thankyou for introducing yourself...I have seen your name from LTN etc, and it would be good to meet and have a chat some time. 

I think Chantra will be very useful - so many windows users dont even know about Firefox yet... and the ease of tabbed browsing!  

I have a dream ... It is that Pantip sellers can sell CDs such as TLE, Chantra, Knoppix, Ubuntu, FreeBSD etc, and that they will have enough skill to demo, sell and support this software as a business. Then Pantip Market will become known overseas as a great place to get the latest 'free' software and best value for money.


What is the topic for this Saturdays TLUG meeting? is in Thai?

I would like to ask TLUG members... what are the problems with uptake of OSS/FS in Thailand - is it marketing, language/font issues, or support staff that is missing, or investment?

Are most of TLUG members programmers? what are the most popular topics at tlug.

Sorry for so many questions, I guess we can discuss it face to face.. hopefully soon.

gord.

On 9/10/05, Samphan Raruenrom <sam...@osdev.co.th> wrote:

[samphan]

> I think Chantra will be very useful - so many windows users dont
> even know about Firefox yet... and the ease of tabbed browsing!

Yes. Though most people will think of those OSS as Freeware.
But they will start to love them as they understand that they
can redistribute them freely, use them commercially and
see them improve rapidly.
Finally, they will start to understand about Open Source.
I also have a page about Open Source in Chantra.

> I have a dream ... It is that Pantip sellers can sell CDs such as TLE,
> Chantra, Knoppix, Ubuntu, FreeBSD etc, and that they will have
> enough skill to demo, sell and support this software as a business.
> Then Pantip Market will become known overseas as a great place
> to get the latest 'free' software and best value for money.

When I was at NECTEC, there was a plan to give posters for free
to retailers of Linux TLE. The plan has never been implemented
but still is a good idea. I start to see such posters about OOo
and Firefox at NECTEC and Burupha U. to promote their uses in
the organizations. I think if we can put such posters at Pantip,
we can get much attention.

> What is the topic for this Saturdays TLUG meeting? is in Thai?

1) "Protecting the Penguin Box" - Linux Hardening
2) Software bank- the Thai sourceforge - http://www.softwarebank.org

Of course, they are in Thai.

[samphan]

> I am currently in Phuket

> I have access to labs to organise a periodical OS meeting, where I
> would like geeks of all sorts to demonstrate their gear and possibly teach
> us - only a handful of intrested so far - something new

This is interesting.

> Please connect us with anyone in this area who may share same interests

You must have known the company "Open Source Technology" by
Dr. KongKiat, who develop "hospital-os"
http://www.hospital-os.com/th/index.php
and is an Open Source advocate.

There's also Prince of Songkla U. Open Source and Freeware club.
http://linux.psu.ac.th/

[edi...@content-wire.com]

> Please connect us with anyone in this area who may share same interests

You must have known the company "Open Source Technology" by
Dr. KongKiat, who develop "hospital-os"
http://www.hospital-os.com/th/index.php
and is an Open Source advocate.

Yes, I met Dr Kongiat on occasion of the IT tsunami meeting, I think he was
in Bangkok last time I tried contacting him until later this month but I
have placed the link on our wiki nonetheless

There's also Prince of Songkla U. Open Source and Freeware club.
http://linux.psu.ac.th/

Yes, I have subscribed them to this list but nobody has responded so far to
any of the messages.

I have been teaching IT at Psu for the past six months, and I have had
several conversations and meetings with teachers and students about - among
other things - Open source. But no trace of any activities going on
really, so we ll have to do something about that


You mention Thai sourceforge, thats also interesting
The fact that everything is in Thai, does it mean that it is only targeting
Thai market?

Is it because they are not interested in international markets, or because
it is difficult for them to work with english?

Are you saying that the actual code is written in Thai? Or just the
information about the code is in Thai?

cheers

Paola Di Maio




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[samphan]

> I would like to ask TLUG members... what are the problems with uptake of
> OSS/FS in Thailand - is it marketing, language/font issues, or support staff
> that is missing, or investment?

I think after the (TLUG) talks, there should be some discussion about a
topic.
This should increase participation from the participants. And we
could gather some real information.

> Are most of TLUG members programmers?

I don't feel there's a concept of members in TLUG yet.
There're the organizer (staffs at NECTEC). There're meetings.
There're participants. There are someone
that attend the meeting regularly. But I don't feel that
there are real members like normal LUGs yet.
There's no organization.
That's why I'm asking for help here.

> what are the most popular topics at tlug.

Once there's a linux distros review that is very popular.
Linux server administration tend to be popular too.

[edi...@content-wire.com]

There's no organization.
That's why I'm asking for help here.

Well, the principle of self organisation binds us all, I guess.
People come together to share common goals and lean from each other...that
what makes communities work.

I am hopeful this list will grow, it would be nice to have a parallel list
running in Thai for thai speakers.

But there are certaom conditions that favour self organisation

- communication (lists!)
- collaboration (wikis!)
- openness (say who you are, say what you are doing)
- transparency
- flow of information
- need and desire to exchange knowledge
- opportunities to exchange knowledge (trade fairs, meetings)
- least possible bureaucracy (make the processes clear and simple)

probably others

we are lucky, that today we can benefit of the internet a most powerful
medium

I feel rather close to people in this group even if we never met, and if
there is some physical distance between us

so... lets make the most of it

Lets make a plan...


Paola

[Samphan Raruenrom]

edi...@content-wire.com wrote:

>I have been teaching IT at Psu for the past six months, and I have had
>several conversations and meetings with teachers and students about - among
>other things - Open source. But no trace of any activities going on
>really, so we ll have to do something about that
>
>

I see a lot of past activities here :-
http://opensource.psu.ac.th/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=346&Itemid=63
They are so many activities that I want to ask Ajarn Wipat how he
organize them.

>You mention Thai sourceforge, thats also interesting
>The fact that everything is in Thai, does it mean that it is only targeting
>Thai market?
>
>

They are targeted at Thai developers. (The website seem to be down
currently)
The content are in Thai to make it easier for Thai developers and Thai
users to get involved.

>Is it because they are not interested in international markets, or because
>it is difficult for them to work with english?
>
>

It is difficult for many Thai to work with English.

>Are you saying that the actual code is written in Thai? Or just the
>information about the code is in Thai?
>
>

The information of the projects usually is in Thai. (However, I can't
check the current status).

There is no PR done for the softwarebank.org project so not many
people/developers know about it.

[Content Wire GMail]

Thanks Samphan

 

I see a lot of past activities here :-
http://opensource.psu.ac.th/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=346&Itemid=63
 

Yes, they are in Hat Yai, according to my translator

 I dont think we have anything equivalent in Phuket yet,  but I am hopeful!