Free and Open Source Software Initiative

About the initiative:

The FOSS Initiative was launched in March 2010 during the Free and Open Source Software Symposium in Muscat. The broad objective of Free and Open Source Software Initiative (FOSSI) is to encourage innovation, boost software, develop talents & skills and create the necessary resources and infrastructure to increase commercialization and industry adoption.

This initiative is established through cooperation with the concerned governmental and non-governmental organizations including:

  • Higher education institutions.
  • Scientific Research Council.
  • Private sector.
  • National specialized associations (IT and Education Technology).
  • Government units.


Objectives:

  • Introduce FOSS as a good choice along with proprietary software.
  • Develop human capacities in the field of FOSS through offering specialized training courses.
  • Encourage research, development and innovation in the field of FOSS.
  • Develop IT solutions and eServices based on FOSS.
  • Increasing awareness of intellectual property through encouraging the public to use FOSS, in order to limit the use of unlicensed software.
  • Promote the culture of FOSS in the Omani community.
  • Provide the necessary technical support through developing a mechanism for digital solutions and applications based on FOSS in a later stage.
  • Support the application of FOSS at the level of the administrative apparatus of the government.


Services:

The national initiative for Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) includes the following activities:

  • Introductory lectures on FOSS.
  • Specialized workshops on the application of FOSS.
  • Specialized training courses.
  • Advertising campaign about the benefits of FOSS.
  • Holding competitions to promote digital solutions based on FOSS.
  • Providing FOSS for the whole community members.


Statistics:

  • Conducting 75 awareness lectures in Muscat, Al Batinah South and North, Al Sharqiyah South and North governorates, Ad Dakhiliyah and Dhofar.
  • Distributing 60,000 CDs which contain more than 50 open source software during the awareness program.
  • Holding the inaugural Free and Open Source Software Conference www.fossc.om in February 2013 at Sultan Qaboos University, which was attended by a number of national, regional and international FOSS specialists.
  • Opening 5 computer labs specialized in FOSS in different Higher Education Institutes.
  • Training 2500 trainees on the different applications of FOSS.
  • Launching FOSS gateway (mirror.squ.edu.om) in 2012 through collaboration with SQU.
  • Launching Oman Summer of Code as flagship program to encourage developers to use open source software.
  • Holding the Free and Open Source Software Conference www.fossc.om in February 2015 under the theme: "FOSS Opportunities & Communities".


Statistics:

  • Conducting 75 awareness lectures in Muscat, Al Batinah South and North, Al Sharqiyah South and North governorates, Ad Dakhiliyah and Dhofar.
  • Distributing 60,000 CDs which contain more than 50 open source software during the awareness program.
  • Holding the inaugural Free and Open Source Software Conference in February 2013 at Sultan Qaboos University, which was attended by a number of national, regional and international FOSS specialists.
  • Opening 5 computer labs specialized in FOSS in different Higher Education Institutes.
  • Training 2500 trainees on the different applications of FOSS.
  • Launching FOSS gateway in 2012 through collaboration with SQU.
  • Launching Oman Summer of Code as flagship program to encourage developers to use open source software.
  • Holding the Free and Open Source Software Conference www.fossc.om in February 2015 under the theme: "FOSS Opportunities & Communities".


About FOSS Conference

The Free and Open Source Software Conference (FOSSC Oman) is jointly organized by the Communication and Information Research Center (CIRC) at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and the Information Technology Authority (ITA), on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) to support the national initiative on FOSS. It is a two-day conference, which aims to promote awareness and disseminate the use and development of free and open source software for professionals, staff, students, and the community in Oman.

The FOSS conference is a good opportunity to discover, discuss and exchange ideas on FOSS in Oman and beyond. The event will also provide the opportunity to network different groups of FOSS users, benefit from insightful lectures delivered at the conference, and share mutual experiences and discuss potential implementations of FOSS.

Objectives of the FOSS Conference

  • Support the National Free and Open Source Initiative.
  • Promote awareness, use, research and development of Free and Open Source Software in Oman and beyond.
  • Strengthen communities and enhance the opportunities on Open Source Software for the ICT Industry in Oman.
  • Provide an attractive and sustainable environment for networking FOSS users, researchers, developers and experts.
  • Share experiences and exchange successful FOSS developments and applications.


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