Cambodia aims to become a self-reliant technological nation, focusing on hardware, firmware, operating systems (OS), and applications. The strategy involves gradually advancing in each area.
Hardware: Cambodia will start by designing components locally and outsourcing manufacturing when necessary. This approach ensures progress and builds local expertise.
Firmware & RISC-V: Developing firmware, particularly based on RISC-V architecture, is a priority. It empowers chip independence and technological progress.
Operating Systems: Cambodia will leverage existing platforms like KOOMPI's KramaOS and KOOMPI OS. Specialized OS builds for mobile and server applications are being explored.
Applications: The focus includes Khmer-friendly alternatives to software like MS Office and enhancing existing solutions. Cambodia aims to foster a thriving open-source community.
Hardware & Components: While China dominates electronics manufacturing, Cambodia eyes becoming an attractive alternative hub. Its strategic location and diplomatic ties make it ideal for chip and computer manufacturing.
Building an Electronics Assembly and Manufacturing Powerhouse: Cambodia will begin with software development and gradually set up assembly facilities. It aims to meet local demands, encouraging tech-savvy individuals and specialized electronics zones.
This journey towards self-reliance may have challenges, but with a dedicated workforce, ample funding, and an open-source approach, Cambodia aspires to secure its place in the global technology landscape.
A strong nation is one that can rely on itself in all aspects to meet the needs of its people. Furthermore, it can export any surplus resources or capabilities to other countries in need.
Cambodia currently possesses a surplus of low-skilled labor, which we export to Thailand, Korea, Japan, and other nations. However, this export of labor, while beneficial for our economy, may not be the most effective approach. If Cambodia could transform these workforces into skilled individuals capable of developing high-demand, high-tech products and services, which we could then sell, thus generating higher value.
Technology would also enable us to enhance domestic production, including food production, making it more efficient to feed the people and possible export more.
Like most parts of the world today, Cambodia is striving to become a self-reliant technological nation. While no country can achieve complete self-reliance, it should aspire to be as independent as possible, especially in the age of algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI).
To attain the status of a technologically self-reliant nation in this era, we must develop and maintain our own hardware, firmware, operating systems (OS), and applications.
For hardware, we don't have to build everything ourselves. We can start with the easy parts, such as cases and other component designs, locally, and outsource the manufacturing when needed. Gradually, we could expand our involvement in more aspects of computing needs. This way, we can continue to progress and provide ample time to prepare our innovators to gain experience and build confidence.
Regarding firmware, since we have already commenced hardware development that includes firmware in collaboration with experienced outsourcers, such as those in China, we can explore the design and composition of firmware using the hardware they have produced for us. Additionally, we could initiate learning and piloting a new open-source CPU architecture called RISC-V along the way. This would pave the way for us to engage in chip manufacturing in the future. If we have a workforce capable of this, we could potentially make it happen in less than a decade.
An operating system holds a crucial role in computing, yet it often goes unnoticed today due to the shift towards cloud-based services. However, even cloud infrastructure relies on an operating system. To achieve technological self-reliance, we must educate ourselves and develop our own operating system, as it resides in every computing device we use daily, such as mobile phones, tablets, computers, TVs, servers, and more.
Applications are the final components that utilize the three aforementioned elements to create task-specific programs. As the number of applications multiplies, they can work together on an operating system to form an application platform, as exemplified by platforms like Facebook, Grab, WeChat, Telegram, and more.
Building such an ambitious goal wouldn't have been possible two to three decades ago without investing billions of dollars. Even with significant spending, the chances of success would have been slim. Fortunately, in the present day, we can achieve the mission of technological self-reliance. If we meet two or three critical factors:
- A committed workforce and a supportive community of users.
- Adequate funding to incentivize the workforce and foster community development.
- A willingness to build and utilize open source solutions to our advantage.
The third factor is the most crucial. If we do not prioritize open source usage, we may continue to opt for the familiar but not necessarily better or more straightforward options.
Leveraging open source to build and customize according to our specific needs is one of the most powerful strategies. Today, with the internet facilitating self-taught and peer-to-peer learning, our builders can take on missions from design to production without the necessity of formal education or face-to-face interactions with experts. While traditional education is valuable, creating an environment within educational institutions that fosters such development could accelerate progress by a factor of 100 or more.
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A Hardware is refers to the physical, tangible components of a computing system. These are the physical devices and circuits that make up a computer or any electronic device.
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A Firmware is a type of software that is permanently or semi-permanently stored in hardware components. It serves as an intermediary layer between the hardware and the software (operating system and applications) and provides low-level control and functionality.
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An Operating System (OS) is a crucial software component that serves as an intermediary between a computer's hardware and the user's software applications. Its primary purpose is to manage and coordinate all the hardware and software resources, providing a stable and user-friendly environment for executing programs and tasks.
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A Software Application, often referred to simply as an "application" or "app," is a computer program or a set of programs designed to perform specific tasks or functions for the user. These applications are designed to run on various computing devices, such as personal computers, smartphones, tablets, servers, and more.
The development of successful open-source projects often begins with a small group of individuals, sometimes even a single person, driven by specific needs. These projects then allow the community to grow organically, with some nurturing along the way.
In the world of open source, our approach should be one of complete openness. We should readily welcome code forking and encourage comments and feedback via pull requests from both known and unknown contributors. Our focus should be less on who contributes and more on what contributions bring to the table. What truly matters is the functionality and seamless integration of the code with the existing software.
Open source software maintainers, whether individual or a group, can thoroughly review pull requests and decide whether to integrate them or not. Contributors still retain the right to fork the base software and incorporate their contributions if they wish to see how their work fits. This approach ensures security for the core system while simultaneously fostering innovation beyond its boundaries. There are no strings attached or barriers blocking the path to innovation.
In Cambodia, several technology initiatives are making noticeable progress:
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KOOMPI OS: This is the KOOMPI Enterprise Operating System.
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KramaOS: A community version initiated by KOOMPI.
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KOOMPI is actively involved in the production of laptops and computers such as mini-PC and other electronics for R&D purposes.
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KOOMPI: In addition to its involvement in laptops and computers, KOOMPI is also expanding into PCB and PCBA design and manufacturing, as well as electronic case production in Cambodia.
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ArrowDot: Specializes in IoT-based hardware and software design.
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Quantum Engineering and Manufacturing: metal fabrication manufacturer.
While these initiatives are notable, there are also various other projects and endeavors in the country that would require in-depth study to fully understand their scope and impact.
In summary, Cambodia possesses a wealth of resources and accumulated experience, which positions it well to embark on the development of more sophisticated technology products for its own needs and beyond.
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Focus on Specific Solutions: Consider concentrating efforts on developing specific solutions. For instance, administrative applications like MS Office are still essential in organizations and enterprises. Open-source alternatives to these applications are already 90% complete. To replace MS Office in our organizations, we primarily need to address Khmer language compatibility issues, such as providing a wider variety of Khmer fonts and improving some minor user interface elements.
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Compatibility Enhancement: Address Khmer language compatibility issues, as these are already partially resolved. Additionally, consider creating a local cloud-based version of office applications for organizations to use at a minimal cost or for self-hosting.
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Most other applications, such as productivity and communication tools, are already web/cloud-based and cross-platform or are moving in that direction. Therefore, we shouldn't encounter many issues in these areas.
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When it comes to design, audio, and video editing applications, there are numerous alternatives readily available that work effectively right out of the box.
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If the need arises, we have several options:
- We can fork existing applications to create our customized versions or simply improve upon the existing ones.
- An effective approach could be to sponsor the creators and maintainers of these applications and request specific improvements to meet our requirements.
- Localization of these applications and creating tutorials on how to use them can enhance their accessibility and adoption within our community.
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Leverage KOOMPI's KramaOS and KOOMPI OS: Build upon KOOMPI's existing community version, KramaOS, and the enterprise version, KOOMPI OS. Both versions are based on Linux, making them fully open source and globally supported by open source contributors. This approach minimizes development costs and maintenance efforts.
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Explore Specific OS Builds:
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Mobile OS: Develop a mobile operating system that can connect to monitors to display a full Linux desktop OS. Unlike Samsung's DeX, this OS would provide the full power and functionality of a desktop OS on a larger screen.
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Server OS: Create a specialized server operating system tailored for running our own cloud/server infrastructure.
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Understanding the inner workings of the operating system and having the skilled workforce to customize it to our specific needs will open up numerous opportunities for technological advancement and progress.
Forming and funding a community of enthusiasts who already possess knowledge and a keen interest in firmware development is a crucial step in making technology more favorable for our future self-reliance.
There are several approaches to firmware development. When it comes to computer instruction set and chip, the RISC-V architecture stands out as the most suitable candidate due to its openness and accessibility, making it feasible for a small team to gain confidence in firmware development.
A deep understanding of RISC-V could empower us to create low-power computing devices, including mobile phones, IoT chips, and computers ranging from personal to supercomputers.
This represents a path towards achieving chip independence. It will enable us to design and manufacture our own chips in the future, provided that the necessary infrastructure, such as laboratories and fabrication facilities, is already in place.
Note
- RISC-V is an open-source instruction set architecture for CPUs, defining a set of instructions that a computer processor can execute. It's open and freely available, encouraging innovation and collaboration. RISC-V is modular, allowing customization by adding specific instruction sets, making it versatile for various computing devices. Its scalability supports 32-bit to 128-bit word lengths, and it's used in microcontrollers, smartphones, servers, and more. RISC-V's open nature fosters education, research, and innovation, making it a preferred choice for custom processor design and a growing ecosystem.
China, a global electronics manufacturing leader, produces a significant 36% of the world's electronics, including smartphones, computers, and telecom infrastructure. In the past year, China manufactured a staggering 1.8 billion mobile phones, 300 million computers, and 200 million televisions. However, this heavy reliance on a single source nation raises concerns about security and sustainability.
Consequently, the world is exploring alternatives, with Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, emerging as an attractive electronics hub due to its proximity to China. Even companies not operating in China often rely on components manufactured there, as shipping them elsewhere can be cost-prohibitive.
Vietnam currently holds an advantage due to its highly skilled workforce in the tech sector.
Cambodia, strategically located in the heart of Southeast Asia and home to a youthful population, enjoys strong diplomatic ties with China and maintains neutral relations with the rest of the world. This positions Cambodia ideally to become Asia's hub for chip and computer manufacturing, provided we prepare our workforce and build the necessary infrastructure to support this endeavor.
Additionally, there is a growing demand for sustainable electronics, driven by increasing awareness of environmental issues like global warming. Electronics manufacturers are responding to this demand by adopting innovative and sustainable manufacturing practices. source
This presents Cambodia with a unique opportunity to establish a new standard in electronic manufacturing that aligns with global concerns from day one.
Setting a new standard would not only give Cambodia a significant head start but also attract more investment and talents from around the world.
To establish ourselves as a prominent player in electronics assembly and manufacturing, we are first concentrating on software development, including OS and application design and maintenance. This will be spearheaded by Cambodian tech-savvy individuals, community-driven efforts, and startups. While software takes center stage, we will harness existing component manufacturing capabilities in China.
This approach enables us to allocate a substantial portion of our technology development funding to enhance sophistication and user-friendliness, facilitating widespread adoption. As we progress, we will gradually set up our assembly facilities.
Our primary objective is to cater to local electronics demands, serving enterprises, government bodies, and the general populace. Once local requirements are met, we will strategically venture into foreign markets.
As local demands are addressed, we anticipate a growing population of tech-savvy individuals spanning various sectors. This creates opportunities for specialized electronics zones that foster collaboration among local startups in diverse fields. These collaborations may target hardware components, software applications for businesses, and more.
Over time, this ecosystem will organically grow, evolving into a self-organized and thriving electronics manufacturing powerhouse.
Cambodia's journey to becoming a self-reliant technological nation is marked by a strategic approach encompassing hardware, firmware, operating systems, and applications. By nurturing local expertise and leveraging open-source solutions, Cambodia seeks to overcome challenges and secure a prominent place in the global technology landscape.
As the nation progresses in each area, there's a commitment to building a thriving open-source community that fosters innovation and collaboration. Initiatives like KOOMPI's operating systems and expanding into hardware and software design further strengthen Cambodia's technological capabilities.
In the realm of application development, the focus is on specific solutions and enhancing Khmer-friendly alternatives. Leveraging existing platforms like KOOMPI's KramaOS and KOOMPI OS minimizes development costs for operating systems while exploring specialized OS builds for mobile and server applications.
The pursuit of firmware development, particularly RISC-V-based solutions, promises chip independence and technological progress. Cambodia aims to empower its workforce to design and manufacture chips in the future.
In addressing hardware and component manufacturing, Cambodia aims to position itself as an attractive alternative to China. Its strategic location and commitment to sustainability create a unique opportunity to set new standards in electronic manufacturing.
By concentrating on software development and gradually establishing assembly facilities, Cambodia plans to cater to local electronics demands before venturing into foreign markets. The growth of tech-savvy individuals and specialized electronics zones will contribute to Cambodia's transformation into a self-organized electronics manufacturing powerhouse.
While the path ahead may have challenges, Cambodia's dedication, ample funding, and open-source approach lay a strong foundation for a promising technological future.
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