!"#! $ %&’ ( 1 FOSS Localization: A Solution for the ICT Dilemma of Developing Countries Syed Waqar ul Qounain Jaffry Punjab University College of Information Technology, Lahore, Pakistan swjaffry@pucit.edu.pk Umer Riaz Kayani Punjab University College of Information Technology, Lahore, Pakistan umerkyani@pucit.edu.pk Abstract Information and communication technology (ICT) has tremendously expanded over the last three decades making the access to right information at the right time feasible ensuring the success of an individual, organization or culture. In order to make the most out of this exciting revolution one must be in a position to afford and completely comprehend what is offered by this technology. Unfortunately most of the software are controlled by proprietary that are economically unaffordable for developing countries and are based on language that is not comprehendible by their masses. Software localization of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) is an effort that addresses this twofold dilemma. FOSS made software affordable while localization bridges the language barrier that helps people to fully comprehend and utilize the benefits of ICT. In this research we have explored various aspects of the software localization of free and open source operating system (FOSOS) and developed a working prototype. Paper explains concept and all the technical steps of FOSS localization of Ubuntu Linux that is a FOSOS with a foreseeable future work. 1. Introduction Today, the advancements are the result of technological breakthroughs happening throughout the world. If one has to choose an agent that has contributed most in human development, it would, without any doubt be Information and Communication Technology (ICT). ICT has revolutionized the way of living on the globe, so if a culture wants to cope with challenges of globalization and emerging technologies then she has to embrace whatever is new and advanced in it. The ICT dilemma, developing nations are facing right now, is twofold in nature. Firstly the high costs of the proprietary software is unaffordable by the many facets of different cultures and secondly very small community of developing countries can read and write English, thus leaving behind a major portion of population which understands their native languages but is unaware of the technological advancements because of the language barrier. Solution to these problems is a fully Localized Free and Open Source Software Platform that not only eliminates the cost factor but also bridges language barrier. Urdu Linux Localization Project is a research project that aimed at people with understanding of Urdu to fully benefit from the ICT. This research focuses on Ubuntu Linux as a prototype which is a Free and Open Source Software. It is free to download and install and can possess a large user base on the Internet with technical support that leads to the solution of cost and language interface. This paper is divided into three sections that explain concept of FOSS, software localization process and Urdu Linux Localization Project (ULLP) that is the prototype as the solution for the ICT dilemma of developing countries, with a conclusion on the foreseeable future work. 2. Free and Open Source Software Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) is a software for which the human-readable source code is made available to the user of the software without any cost, who can then modify the code in order to fit the software to the his/her needs. The source code is the set of written instructions that define a program in its original form, and when it’s made fully accessible to use, Programmers can read it, modify it, and redistribute it, thereby improving and adapting the software [1]. In this manner the software evolves at a rate unmatched by traditional proprietary software. Over the years free and open source software has been gaining momentum, that is now causing quite a stir in the commercial world as large software corporations are finding themselves competing against commercially available open source software. This