An Interview with Adam Davidson

Michael J. Jordan, Linux Online Staff

January 8, 2004

We're privileged to present an interview with Adam Davidson the Baghdad correspondent for Minnesota Public Radio's Marketplace, a daily business radio show heard throughout the US. Adam is, among other Linux related activities, helping to form a Linux user group in Iraq.

As an introduction, I'd like to say that there's no doubt that in Iraq there are problems providing for basic needs like safety, for example, and others, that aren't taken for granted there as they would be in other places. We can see that from reading our newspapers and watching news broadcasts. Although we'll focus on Linux use in Iraq in this interview, we at Linux Online in no way want to ignore the 'elephant in the room' which is the difficult situation in Iraq for its citizens and the troops stationed there. But I think Adam and Linux advocates in Iraq feel that Linux is one of the things that will help Iraq get out of the dark era its citizens had to live through.

Linux Online: First, thanks for agreeing to do this interview and for taking time to do it for us.

Adam Davidson: Thank you for inviting me and offering this forum for this important topic.

Linux Online: Did you arrive in Iraq already knowing that you wanted to help out with Linux advocacy there?

Adam Davidson: I didn't at all. I arrived just after Saddam Hussein's regime fell and I spent many months covering pressing stories about basic human needs: security, health, food, power, water. I went home to New York for the summer and when I returned to Baghdad in September, I felt a change. Despite the horrible things that are happening in Iraq, many Iraqis live surprisingly normal lives. They go to work, they have plenty of food, they have decent homes. After the initial shock of the war and its aftermath were over, many Iraqis began to hunger for knowledge about the progress and developments outside of Iraq that they knew little of. I met engineers, lawyers, doctors, artists who simply were unable to learn anything about progress in their fields over the past 13 years, because of the sanctions. They had no journals or books. They couldn't go to conferences. And they had no contact with experts outside of Iraq. There are, now, projects to help many of these professionals (though a great deal more can and should be done in all fields).

I've been working with the Iraqi Linux folks because it's an area I knew a little bit about and support. Also, it's so rewarding helping people here. Just handing a few distro CDs and printing up some docs made my new Iraqi Linux-advocate friends so incredibly happy and excited. There's something wonderful about being able to do something small and easy and seeing it have an enormous impact on someone's life. And it is incredibly exciting seeing smart, capable people happily devouring decades of knowledge.

Linux Online: Can you describe the computer infrastructure in general, that you saw there when you first arrived?

Adam Davidson: The computer infrastructure is shockingly up-to-date. It is one area where Saddam's regime did allow progress. On Sana'a Street, the main computer shopping district, it's easy to find the latest and fastest processors, good motherboards, hard-drives, DVD burners, etc. A decent system costs around $400. I'm just about to buy a fully decked-out system for under $1,000.

Linux Online: How are you able to meet your computer needs for your work? Is it difficult with the technology available at present?

Like most journalists here, I brought my own laptop. In the first months after the war, most of used our own portable satellite dishes to connect to the Internet, such as the rBgan (my favorite). We were completely self-contained. But now there is ample computer technology available. It's hard to imagine any need that can't be satisfied in Baghdad right now. Most products are in-stock and those that aren't can be shipped in from Dubai or Jordan in a week or so. I've set up a network in the house I share with several journalists, all with locally-purchased items, such as routers, hubs, cables, scanner, printer, etc.

There are several Internet connection options. There are Internet cafes all over Iraq. It's quite a craze here. I use DSL, which is available in some Baghdad neighborhoods. Several different local companies offer satellite systems. These are all quite expensive at least several hundred dollars per month and it's hard to get above 128K but I'm sure newer, faster, cheaper options will appear in the coming months.

I do think it's a shame that the US officials here and most journalists still import all or most of their computer products. I'm sure the local vendors would be grateful for the business. Although the sudden demand of thousands of foreigners with deep pockets might rise prices for local Iraqis and that would be sad.

There is no "legal" way to get proprietary software. There are many shops selling pirated software for about $1 per disc. You can get just about anything you can imagine. Some of the shops do sell old distros of Linux (Red Hat 7.2 seems most common), but none of the CD-copiers I've met know anything about Linux. None even knew they had Linux distros in their massive collections of CDs, I happened upon them when thumbing through their binders of software.

Linux Online: My first contact with you was when you emailed me about the new Iraq Linux Users group. You have formed the group with two Iraqi citizens, Ashraf Tariq and Hasanen Nawfal. Can you tell me about them? How did they get introduced to Linux?

Adam Davidson: Ashraf and Hasanen are just incredible people. It's been a great pleasure getting to know them. They are young, eager and while they see all the difficulties and challenges in Iraq they are excited to help their country develop.

Both are getting master's degrees from the same university in southern Baghdad. Hasanen studies computer science and learned about Linux several years ago. This is incredible. Virtually no other Iraqis knew about Linux and the government ISP (the only option for Internet connection) blocked many international sites and only offered painfully slow service. As a computer programmer, Hasanen took to Linux immediately. He's quite good at programming and has created a cool image viewer for Linux.

He introduced his friend, Ashraf, to Linux about a year ago. Ashraf studies laser technology and loves experimenting with hardware. He developed a bizarre contraption for keeping his CPU cool, using strange tubes and a yogurt jug, that maintains a 50-degree temperature at all times. If Hasanen is the computer brains behind the Iraqi LUG, Ashraf is its visionary. He immediately saw the value of Linux to Iraq and wrote an article (http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=6992) explaining why Iraq needs open source software. He sees that Iraq decades behind the world in software development cannot compete worldwide in a proprietary software universe. But with so many smart, capable, eager developers, Iraq could benefit greatly from an open source environment.

Ashraf and Hasanen have been handing Linux distros out to friends and strangers on university campuses and posting flyers explaining the benefits of Linux. They created the Iraq LUG and are in contact with several dozen supporters around the world.

Linux Online: There are still some problems involved with Linux adoption in Iraq,from a legal standpoint, is that correct?

Adam Davidson: The primary legal barrier is the US government's restrictions on exporting certain Linux technologies outside of the country [see article]. But there are no laws in Iraq, itself, that would hamper Linux adoption. In fact, there are no copyright protection laws in Iraq at all. Copying a proprietary program is not illegal. This will surely change. There are reports that Hilary Rosen of RIAA fame is part of the team writing Iraq's copyright laws. Since these laws are being written in secret, primarily by Americans, it is hard to know what they'll look like, but there is great fear that DMCA-style restrictions will become Iraqi law.

Paradoxically, the lack of copyright protection is a hindrance to Linux adoption. Since all software costs a buck, it's hard to explain the benefits of "free" software. Iraqis think Microsoft offers "free" software.

Linux Online: What kinds of things is the group trying to do now? What kind of activities is the group involved in? What are your meetings like and what do you discuss?

Adam Davidson: Ashraf and Hasanen have a pretty solid plan. They want to spread the word (and the distros) to as many interested Iraqis as they can. They go to universities and hand out bootable live-CDs of MandrakeMove, Knoppix, and Arabix along with a one-page Linux fact sheet. Their first goal is to get a number of Iraqis up-to-speed on Linux so that they can serve as an installed base of expert users to help later adopters. They are also preparing a more in-depth package of information along with Linux distro CDs to give to government ministries and private companies to encourage adoption of enterprise Linux. And they hope to create briefing materials for Iraqi lawmakers so that, when the US hands power to an independent Iraqi government at the end of June, at least some lawmakers will see the benefits of open-source software.

At the same time, Ashraf and Hasanen are planning to create a Linux Users Center. It will be an Internet café (so that the uninitiated will want to come in and use it) which will be a one-stop shop for Linux advocacy. There will be a library of Linux books, computers will most of the major distros loaded, training courses, and regular meetings of the LUG. This might sound a bit pie-in-the-sky, but Ashraf and Hasanen have been working with a very generous Iraqi Linux advocate who lives in England (www.iraqilinux.org) and is donating property and hardware to the LUG. Also, Don Marti of Linux Journal has offered incredible support and is arranging for many books and distros to be sent to Iraq.

Linux Online: In your observations of the general population - or at least the people who are may need to use computers at some point - do you see a lot of interest in Linux?

Adam Davidson: Virtually no Iraqis have heard of Linux. But I have found that almost every time I tell an Iraqi about Linux, they become quite excited about it. I think Iraqis are particularly open to the idea of open-source software. Freedom is one of the most commonly used words in Iraq these days. I think it will take some time for Iraqis to even understand what freedom means. But the idea of having no restrictions from governments or large private companies is quite appealing.

Linux Online: You wrote an article for Linux Journal where you quote something your associate Ashraf Tariq said - that Iraq is a "blank, unformatted hard disk". Now, I am of the opinion that if a person has no computer knowledge and he or she tries Linux for the first time, then there's a perfect opportunity to debunk some of the 'ease of use' myths about Linux. Are you and the people you're involved with - are you planning on gathering data about this or publishing articles about people whose first computer exposure was with Linux? It seems to me that your situation would be ideal.

Adam Davidson: I agree with you that Iraq would be a great place to write about Linux adoption. But contrary to my own expectations its actually hard to find a young Iraqi who hasn't used Microsoft extensively. The country is a "blank, unformatted disk" legally and socially and in many other ways. But it's not so blank in computer knowledge. Their experience is entirely limited to Microsoft, though. While I have found a small handful of Linux users, I have yet to meet a single Iraqi who has heard of Apple computers. So, I think the challenges here are the same as those anywhere: convincing people who think Windows = computers to try a different system. To that end, Ashraf and Hasanen are using Mandrake most often in their evangelism, because they believe it's the most usable of the Linux distros (this is a debate and some are hoping to convince Ashraf and Hasanen to move to Debian or other distros).

While most Iraqis who have used computers have only used Microsoft OSes, Iraqis have not been an audience to the constant advertising and pro-Microsoft magazines and other information that are out there. They don't know that there are other OS options, which is actually kind of good, in a way. It means they haven't been told that Linux or other OSes are not interoperable with Microsoft. The ones I've met are quite open to trying Linux or Mac.

So, yes, I think Iraq would make a great case study on Linux user-friendliness.

Linux Online: It's going to be a large and difficult task, but your goal is getting Linux into as many places as possible there in Iraq. Is there anything that Linux advocates and the Linux community in general can do to help?

Adam Davidson: There is a great deal that the Linux community can do to help. Ashraf and Hasanen have had a great outpouring of support already and have been sent most of the major distros, books, and some magazines. I think what they need most now is money, which can be donated through the paypal button on the www.linux-iraq.org site. We hope to get one or both of them "on salary" as Linux advocates. Right now, they're both forced to work full-time jobs as well as pursue full-time studies, so their time is limited. If they were able to focus much more time on Linux advocacy the results would be incredible. And right now is the time to do this: Iraq will have its own government in about six months, laws will have been written, ministries will have purchased enterprise systems, private companies will have bought enterprise systems. To have one or two full-time Linux advocates (especially two as bright, capable, and eager as Ashraf and Hasanen) could transform much of Iraq's computing world. A monthly salary of $500 is quite sufficient in Iraq, so it's not an absurd amount of money to raise.

The next goal would be to support that Linux user's center. $400 would pay for a complete desktop system, and the more systems they have the more people they can accommodate.

Linux users have already been quite generous. There have been several donations most of $5 or $10, some in the hundreds which have allowed Ashraf and Hasanen to buy a CD-burner to burn copies of distros and to print up fact sheets so they can spread the word and Linux itself. Any size donation would help though someone able to donate a large amount might be able to have the first-ever Iraq Linux Users Center named after them.

Another way to help is to aid in developing the website (which some have already begun doing, but more needs to be done) and to offer tech-support serving as an adviser so that Ashraf and Hasanen can ask questions about Linux difficulties they're facing.

Ashraf and Hasanen are in discussion with one software development company which is considering training and hiring Iraqis to outsource computer programming. I think anyone who can help in this would be doing a great service transforming Iraq in to a successful nation.

I do want to note that there has been a lot of discussion on Slashdot and LinuxJournal from non-Iraqis that the Linux community should not help now because Iraqis have greater needs food and healthcare and the like. Iraq does, certainly, have many great needs, but many billions of dollars are going toward these. If someone does want to give their donations to one of the NGOs (such as Mercy Corps) that is supporting Iraq, that would be wonderful. I think the need is greatest in healthcare, by the way. But it is simply a misunderstanding to think that supporting Linux now is premature, a waste of time, missing the real needs of Iraqis. There is not the humanitarian crisis that many seem to imagine. Most Iraqis have ample food, their homes haven't been bombed, they lead normal (if poor and frustrated) lives. What many, many Iraqis want now more than anything is to learn about and engage the progress in thoughts and technology that they have been sheltered from for so long. People who are eager to help Iraq, I believe, should reach out to Iraqis in their own affinity or professional groups: lawyers help lawyers, doctors help doctors, artists help artists, Linux advocates help Linux advocates.

I'll mention, again, the profound pleasure I had when I gave Ashraf and Hasanen some up-to-date distros and some documentation and then when I was able to help them buy a CD-burner. The look of shocked glee was so satisfying.

Linux Online: If somebody wants to give a donation for computer equipment and such, can you tell us the proper way to do it - the proper people to contact and channels to go through?

Adam Davidson: Again, to donate money, just click on the paypal link on http://www.linux-iraq.org.

To donate services and other forms of support, email Ashraf and Hasanen at ashraftariq_398**AT**hotmail.com and sigmentfault**AT**yahoo.com.

Anyone wishing to donate hardware should contact me at adam**AT**adamdavidson.com. There are easy ways to ship things to Iraq. But, since most hardware is available here, it's probably more efficient to send Ashraf and Tariq money. Also, available hardware is fully up-to-date, so donating old computer parts won't be that helpful.

Linux Online: Thanks again for the interview and we wish you good luck.