(Published on iCommons.org)

This has typically been the ending question for any Creative Commons-related conversation in the Middle East that I have been involved in. While drawing on others' experiences and telling success stories from other parts of the world would seem a very appealing answer, there is always the “but here, it does not work like that” aspect of the argument. Well, today I think we have one of our own.

Except for a couple of dozen really popular titles, distribution of published Arabic books is extremely limited given the large size of the potential market. This happens primarily because distribution systems for books in the Arab world are virtually non-existent. Evidence has even shown that some titles were translated and printed more than once in different parts of the region to address this issue. Moreover, the foggy scene of copyright in the region makes it very difficult to leverage publishing and distribution of promising titles and limits the potential of published books. Publishers prefer to diversify across the complete supply chain than to enter into unclear and complicated copyright negotiations.

Today, with great excitement, I would like to announce the release of the Arabic edition of the Wireless Networking in the Developing World book. After the great success that the first English edition has achieved, time has arrived for Arabic speakers to enjoy the content of this remarkable resource.

Here is the official press release:

PRESS RELEASE

Wireless Networking in the Developing World
- Arabic Edition

25 February, 2008: Cardiff, United Kingdom and Cairo, Egypt

One book can often be equivalent to a library, particularly in the developing world..

Today, the Arabic edition of the “Wireless Networking in the Developing World” book is released, following the significant success of the first English edition, to bring the book to the millions of Arabic speaking audiences.

Lets face it, sometime we get very stimulated about a certain topic, and decide to invest some effort into reading and learning more about this subject, but this enthusiasm quickly fades away when we encounter the thick books that require weeks or months of careful reading to be properly digested. I hope that I wont be misunderstood here, as in no way I am suggesting anything against such books, frankly, I personally consider my time while indulged in one the highest quality time I could get. But sometimes, we look for quick wins, finding tips and hints to aid the solving of a particular problem. Therefore, I decided to write this booklet which explains the essential concepts in wireless networking and takes the reader from the apprehension of the theory t to the practical implementation in a relatively short period of time. The book covers the following topics:

• Basics of wireless networking
• Wireless networking standards
• Network design
• Monitoring and troubleshooting
• A practical case study

I hope this contribution would lower the entry barriers to the wireless networking world, and stimulate readers to read its big brother: Wireless Networking in the Developing World.

The Arabic website for WNDW, launched today, aims to become the premier meeting point for Wireless enthusiasts in the Arab world. The entire website is available in Arabic, and contains:

• Announcements and news
• Download links for the Arabic edition of the Wireless Networking in the Developing World book
• Download links for other wireless related materials in Arabic, including the Wireless Networking Primer and the MultiMedia Wireless Networking Training Kit
• Discussion forums on different topics
• Wiki for collaboration and content creation
• Case studies

Your contributions are warmly welcomed at www.lasikly.org.