Ivrix Project (Free Hebrew-enabled Linux) - Call for Participation
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1. What is Ivrix all about?
Ivrix is a new project aimed at creating a free Linux distribution
with complete Hebrew support. A complete Hebrew support will ultimately
mean Hebrew fonts, word processor, spell checker, typesetter, calendar
and other applications, email, Hebrew documentation, and much more.
The Ivrix project, like the Free Software Foundation, will put all
new software written for it under the GNU General Public License (GPL) to
ensure the freedom of all source contributed to the project. Ivrix
distributions will be available freely and without cost on the Internet.
2. Why is Ivrix needed?
Linux is quickly becoming a common operating system, and showing the
world (and Microsoft in particular) the merits of free software and
open source (see [1]). Productivity applications like quality word
processors, spreadsheets, and everything MS-Windows users expect their
system to have are now appearing.
However, unless Ivrix or a similar project succeeds, most Israeli users
will not be able to use Linux exclusively on their home or office PC, and
will be forced to run Windows applications for daily tasks like writing a
short letter in Hebrew, checking the calendar for Jewish holidays, or
putting a Hebrew caption on a graph.
Several people have already done a great job of writing Hebrew support
for specific tasks: Several Hebrew support packages for LaTeX exist (with
varying degrees of quality), a Hebrew/English editor exists (VIM), A BIDI
implementation exists, and more. However, each such package is available
for download from a different site and major functionality is still
missing for a truly Hebrew-enabled Linux.
Ivrix does not seek to replace these dedicated developers - instead it
seeks to organize these developers into one site (ivrix.org.il), link
them together via mailing lists, and to steer the Hebrew Linux development
effort in the proper direction, as decided by Ivrix members themselves.
3. How will Ivrix be organized?
Ivrix will be a non-profit organization. Membership in Ivrix will be
free of charge, and open to any individual. Members in Ivrix are not
required to actively participate in coding for one of Ivrix's projects -
they may be interested in beta-testing Ivrix programs, or simply be
interested in following the Ivrix effort. All Ivrix members will be
members of an 'ivrix-announce' mailing list announcing new Ivrix projects
or releases.
Ivrix will also seek "supporters", companies or organizations which
volunteer to help the Ivrix project, by donating equipment, a meeting
place, or other things as necessary. Initially, "iguide.co.il" has
generously given Ivrix the server space needed for it to get started.
Ivrix will be governed by the "Ivrix Steering Committee", a small
group of Ivrix members who will be responsible for defining Ivrix
goals, priorities, and guidelines. They will also be responsible for
approving new Ivrix projects, and for designating one or more leaders for
each Ivrix project. Project leaders will lead their project as they
see fit, limited by Ivrix guidelines (e.g., to use a license that will
best ensure the freedom of the resulting software). Ivrix projects will
have mailing lists to link the developers and users, and will be given
storage space on the Ivrix site for their distribution.
Ivrix will try to organize meetings for all its members to discuss
major issues, directions or progress, and smaller meetings for people
working on one project, or several related projects.
This is a call for participation in the Ivrix project - the organization
mentioned above is not yet in place. Please see the next question about
becoming an Ivrix member, and about becoming a member of the Ivrix
steering committee. Initially, the steering committee will be chosen
from people who nominate themselves (see below), but as the Ivrix project
materializes, the steering committee will be chosen by voting of active
Ivrix members.
4. How can I join the Ivrix project?
Please write an email to member@ivrix.org.il. You can write a free-
format email, in which you should write your name, your email address
(for the ivrix-announce mailing list), and indicate one or several of
the following:
a. "I want to become an Ivrix member."
You may want to be involved in writing Ivrix software, writing
Hebrew documentation, designing Hebrew fonts, helping out with
Ivrix organization, helping with Ivrix website or graphic design,
beta-test Ivrix code, or you may only be interested to follow the
progress of the Ivrix project.
In each of these cases, you may become an Ivrix member (free
of charge, of course).
If possible, please indicate why you are interested in becoming
an Ivrix member (see above examples). If applicable, please also
mention any free Hebrew software you have written and may be
interested in putting in the Ivrix distribution, and which
projects you may be interested in help out in.
b. "I want to be on Ivrix's Steering Committee"
You may nominate yourself for Ivrix's Steering Committee if
you think you have experience in writing Hebrew support software,
in organizing software projects, or anything similar, and if
you believe in the cause of free Hebrew software.
Please mention your previous experience in free software, Hebrew
software, software development, organization, or anything relevant
(this need not be CV - an informal paragraph is enough).
If you fit the above criteria, please consider nominating yourself.
Don't be shy :) Ivrix needs Steering Committee with talented people
like yourself to start off! Please consider nominating yourself for
the steering committee even if you your free time is very limited -
a couple of good ideas from the right person are sometimes worth
more than a month of work from the wrong person :)
c. "I want to support Ivrix"
If your company or organization wants to help the Ivrix project,
please consider becoming an "Ivrix supporter". Support Ivrix needs
right now is server space, legal advice, and manpower. Also needed
is a place where Ivrix members can hold meetings once in a while (a
large University classroom would probably do just fine).
In the future, donations of equipment or money will be welcome, but
currently, the Ivrix's legal framework for that is not yet in place.
5. Who are you?
My name is Nadav Har'El. I'm a 24 year old graduate student, but
also have a full-time job (not in the computer industry). I've been
involved with Unix programming since I was 10 years old, and have an
extensive experience in programming since. You can find my homepage
at http://harel.org.il/nadav.
I'm an avid supporter of free software, and have been interested in
Hebrew software for a long time. Among other things, I wrote a high-
quality Hebrew support for LaTeX 2.09 (used internally at my work - I
haven't released it yet, but I intend to now), and a program to generate
Jewish calendars (also unreleased yet). However, I realize that creating
a full Hebrew Linux distribution will require the cooperation of many
talented programmers, which is why I came up with the idea of the Ivrix
project.
6. What do you see as Ivrix's goals and directions?
Ivrix's main goal is to create a free Linux distribution with a
complete Hebrew support. Of course, individual programs will be
as portable as possible, and will be able to run on other platforms
as well, such as commercial Unix-es.
Ivrix's detailed goals, directions, and projects guidelines will be
decided upon by the Ivrix Steering Committee, as soon as it is set up.
Project guidelines will most likely include:
1. All code written for the Ivrix project will be GPLed, or if necessary,
licensed under another "open source" license (see [1]). In particular,
if the Hebrew support is based on an existing English program, that
program must either be GPLed, or use another "open source" license.
This will ensure that code donated to the Ivrix project remains free,
and ensures that we will be able to build Hebrew support on-top of
existing open source software.
2. Ivrix should seek its changes to existing Linux software to be as
minimal, and as modular as possible. This will ensure that as new
versions of the English software are released, Hebrew support will
shortly follow. If possible, Hebrew support should be donated to
the original English project and reintegrated to it: a good example
is Avner Lottem's Hebrew support for the Vim editor.
8. Why was this document written in English?
Writing a document in English obviously has the benefit of allowing
people worldwide to read it. However, this message was intended for the
Israeli, or Hebrew-speaking, public, so it should probably have been
written in Hebrew.
However, since a standard (and open) format for sending Hebrew email
does not exist, writing this message in Hebrew would have rendered it
unreadable for people using the "wrong" choice of operating system and
software.
It is hoped that Ivrix will remedy this situation, and that future
Ivrix mailings may be written in Hebrew.
7. References:
[1] Open Sources: Voices from the Open Source Revolution
January 1999, O'Reilly, ISBN 1-56592-582-3.
Also available freely online in HTML, Postscript, PDF and LaTeX formats:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/opensources/book/toc.html
http://www.interprise-orange.com/os/
Nadav Har'El.
[please redistribute this document to people who you think may be
interested in reading it. A copy is also available on http://ivrix.org.il]
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Ivrix Public Announcement #1 June 22, 1999 / 8 Tammuz 5759
