Third free, open source software conference begins at Oman's SQU

Muscat: In an effort to localise information technology, a conference aiming at supporting free and open source software began on Tuesday.
Activities of the 3rd Free and Open Source Software Conference began at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) on Tuesday under the patronage of Dr. Ali bin Mas’oud Al Sunaidi, Minister of Commerce and Industry.
The conference, which comes under the theme “Strategies and Practices of Adopting Free and Open Source Software,” is organised by the Information Technology Authority (ITA) and SQU Communications and Information Research Centre.
The conference aims at supporting the free and open source software, raising awareness and spreading the use of these software. It also aims at encouraging the localisation of IT industry in the Sultanate with provision of an opportunity for implementing communication network among various groups of the free and open source software users, in addition to exchanging expertise and finding cooperation opportunities to develop potential applications for the free and open source software. The conference involves about 12 speakers from inside and outside the Sultanate, including 10 workshops and 11 research papers.