[ubuntu-za] Zabuntu

[Jonathan Carter (highvoltage)]

Hi Ubuntero's

Previously, there has been quite a few attempts to create a "South
African" Linux distribution that includes language packs and software
that may be specific to our region (mapping software, language tools, etc).

Debian-based systems like Ubuntu are very modular, you hardly ever have
the need to create a complete new system to achieve a goal. By removing
or adding some packages you can easily change your installation to match
your needs. You can even change the role of a computer completely, like
turning a desktop computer into a server machine or vice-versa, simply
by modifying the packages that are installed.

There are still many good ideas out there and software that would be
nice to have available for our local users. Instead of proposing a
custom installation disc for these ideas and software, I propose we set
up a local Ubuntu repository for this, or even just a PPA in launchpad.
If a user wants to install a package containing a screensaver with local
pictures or a program that can teach them to speak isiXhosa, they can
simply get it from our software repository. I've called it Zabuntu so
far just so that it's called something, it can be called something else,
or even just the Ubuntu-ZA repository if people will be more comfortable
with something more formal.

Will anybody be interested in contributing? I would like to make it easy
for many people to contribute, even non-technical people. An easy
project would be for a package that contains wallpapers with pictures
from around the country. This way all that you need to contribute is a
camera and the ability to send us the pictures.

If there's enough interest, we could of course spin CD's of each release
that contain our most popular packages by default, although this
shouldn't be our ultimate goal at the moment in my opinion. We can also
have our repositories distributed on the Freedom Toasters and have them
mirrored locally.

Am I talking crazy? Should we go ahead with this as an official
Ubuntu-ZA project? Would anyone be interested in contributing?

-Jonathan