Abstract

Information Technology for Development Volume 4 Number 3. © 1989 Oxford University Press. The British Computer Society Arabisatson Workshop 1987 Rahi b Kassem Department of Computer Science University College, University of London London WC1 E 6BT In July 1987 a workshop on Arabisation was organized by the Specialist Group for Developing Countries of the British Computer Society (BCS). Arabisation is best described by using computers to display Arabic/English text, perform contextual analysis and produce an Arabic/English hard copy on a printer.1 The first credit of this workshop is its initiative in holding the first meeting of its kind in the UK to discuss the current aspects of Arabisation under the general theme 'Advances in Computer Technology'. Its second advantage is that the proceedings, published in a booklet by the British Informatics society, are a valuable resource for the new users who show increasing interest in Arabisation. Useful contacts and addresses in the UK are provided for further consultation. Its third and foremost credit is that it opens the debate for discussion between various developers of Arabised systems to attempt to explain their design objectives and philosophy.1 The end-user requirements were also presented but with no clear indication of what