Arabeyes is a free and open-source project that is aimed at fully supporting the

Arabic language Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walte ...

in the

Unix Unix (; trademarked as UNIX) is a family of multitasking, multiuser computer operating systems that derive from the original AT&T Unix, whose development started in 1969 at the Bell Labs research center by Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, an ...

Linux Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, w ...

environment. It was established in early 2001 by a number of Arab Linux enthusiasts. They made the "world's first Arabic Linux

live CD A live CD (also live DVD, live disc, or live operating system) is a complete bootable computer installation including operating system which runs directly from a CD-ROM or similar storage device into a computer's memory, rather than loading f ...

." The name is a play on the word "Arabise" (which, in this context, means to adapt software so that it is compatible with Arabic), and "eyes" a term for many people.

Project

The project runs a portal for sub-projects such as Arabic

free software Unicode fonts There are Unicode typefaces which are open-source and designed to contain glyphs of all Unicode characters, or at least a broad selection of Script (Unicode), Unicode scripts. There are also numerous projects aimed at providing only a certain scri ...

and

text editor A text editor is a type of computer program that edits plain text. Such programs are sometimes known as "notepad" software (e.g. Windows Notepad). Text editors are provided with operating systems and software development packages, and can be ...

, the "ITL" ( Islamic Tools and Libraries) which provide Hijri dates, Muslim prayer times and

Qibla The qibla ( ar, قِبْلَة, links=no, lit=direction, translit=qiblah) is the direction towards the Kaaba in the Sacred Mosque in Mecca, which is used by Muslims in various religious contexts, particularly the direction of prayer for the ...

. In October 2003, they released Linux distribution named ''Arabbix'', the "world's first Arabic Linux

". They have worked on an Arabised version of

OpenOffice OpenOffice or open office may refer to: Computing Software * OpenOffice.org (OOo), a discontinued open-source office software suite, originally based on StarOffice * Apache OpenOffice (AOO), a derivative of OOo by the Apache Software Foundation, w ...

. They maintain a Linux distribution called Hilali Linux. It includes a translation project to provide an Arabic interface to KDE and GNOME windows managers, and a Linux documentation project. In 2003, the group released the first open source word list for use in English to Arabic translation and dictionary projects; on release it was included in "virtually all online multilingual translation sites". Located online at arabeyes.org, this network calls itself as a "meta project that is aimed at fully supporting the Arabic language in the

environment." It is designed to be a central location to standardize the Arabization process. Arabeyes relies on voluntary contributions by computer professionals and enthusiasts scattered across the globe. At the 2004 Casablanca GNU/Linux Days conference held in Morocco, Arabeyes was awarded the Best Free/Open Project. The award was presented by

Richard Stallman Richard Matthew Stallman (; born March 16, 1953), also known by his initials, rms, is an American free software movement activist and programmer. He campaigns for software to be distributed in such a manner that its users have the freedom to ...

, founder of

GNU Project The GNU Project () is a free software, mass collaboration project announced by Richard Stallman on September 27, 1983. Its goal is to give computer users freedom and control in their use of their computers and computing devices by collaborat ...

and

Free Software Foundation The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Richard Stallman on October 4, 1985, to support the free software movement, with the organization's preference for software being distributed under copyleft (" ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Arabeyes Internet properties established in 2001 Arabic-language computing Unix software