NepaLinux receives APC FOSS award

The first Association for Progressive Communication (APC) Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) Prize, established in 2006 to honour Chris Nicol, a long time FOSS advocate and activist, who worked with APC for many years, has been awarded to the NepaLinux.

The NepaLinux project is run by Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya from Patan. NepaLinux is a Nepali-localised Debian and Morphix distribution based on GNU/Linux. The main contribution of the project is allowing non-English speakers to use GNU/Linux and to develop it.

The second contribution is creating a general awareness around the use of FOSS in Nepal as opposed to using pirated and unlicensed proprietary software. The NepaLinux team is committed towards producing more user-friendly, more stable and less technical software that would meet the actual demand of the Nepali people.

The other winner was Free Greek from the USA. Both initiatives will share the US $4,000 cash prize.

A ceremony celebrating the APC Chris Nicol FOSS Prize 2007 will be held during the APC council meeting in Rio de Janeiro on November 6.

The Chris Nicol FOSS Prize is open to any person or group anywhere in the world who supports or promotes user-oriented free and open source software. The prize is financed by APC.

The APC is an international network of civil society organisations dedicated to empowering and supporting groups and individuals through the strategic use of information and communication technologies, especially internet-technologies. nepalnews.com ia Oct 23 07

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