New Approach to Software Freedom: FOSS User Magazine

6-Sep-2010

By Maxtina Fernando

Software freedom is one of the most interesting topic with in the public specially in the time about to commemorate Software Freedom Day 2010. The use and popularity of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) getting increasing day by day, people tend to use them and experience the difference, ease and freedom. In Sri Lanka there are some projects and events are organized related with FOSS.

In this context the FOSS User Magazine is the first FOSS related magazine in Sri Lanka published bi-monthly. It is an online magazine where readers are able to surf it on the web site(http://fossuser.lk). The print-ready format pdf can also get downloaded. Further printed hard copies can be ordered for a low price. Apart from the printed version the magazine is delivered to readers free of charge. The content of the magazine, articles are free to extract and create own contexts like other FOSS products.

The intended audience for the magazine is varying from school students to professionals. Articles are collected from freelance writers who are working for the betterment of the FOSS future in Sri Lanka. Articles about FOSS projects, products and technical details, interviews with professionals, FOSS event reports are few interesting content in this magazine.

The FOSS User Magazine is composed by a team of volunteering FOSS enthusiast all over the Sri Lanka. School students, undergraduates and professionals are writing to FOSS User Magazine. Further anyone can write to FOSS User magazine and get contributed to spread the knowledge through out the nation.

Like other software products, FOSS products need publicity and marketing to stand with the other commercial products in the market. That is the place where FOSS User Magazine helps developments by providing such services while providing FOSS related knowledge to the public. Apart from providing knowledge the magazine provides a platform to FOSS enthusiasts to work together which was a missing point in the past.

From August 2010 issue the magazine is reaching to 10000 plus readers with in Sri Lanka.