Fsf-friends November 2002

fsf-friends@gnu.org.in

43 participants
108 discussions

NEWS: Free software movement picks up in Doon Valley
by Frederick Noronha 29 Nov '02

29 Nov '02

The Hindu, Nov 26, 2002 [Some mixing up between Free Software and the Open Source movements, but interesting news nonetheless. -FN] FREE SOFTWARE MOVEMENT PICKS UP IN DOON VALLEY DEHRA DUN, Nov 25: Demonstrations of utilisation of free software (Open Source software) are being carried out in schools, colleges and other institutions of the Doon valley by a group of youth which recently launched a movement for software freedom here. Sharad Kukreti, president of the Sir George Everest Research Society, which began the movement, said free software was one that was free to copy, redistribute and modify. "It must be available as source code," he added. Kukreti said the finest example of Open Source Software was Linux and Open Office software. The Society has brought out the first monthly newsletter in India -- "Software Freedom" which is edited and published here by Kukreti. Articles and suggestions related to free software can be sent to india-hills(a)vsnl.com The free or open source software movement began in the "hacker" culture of the US computer laboratories in the 1960s. It was in this environment that Richard Stallman, prioneer of the movement, began his career in 1971. In 1985 he created the Free Software Foundation. Free software does not imply that it is free of charge but a user is free to redistribute copies to anyone and anywhere without any permission. Kukreti said Stallman was scheduled to visit the Doon valley in February. -UNI

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[ANNOUNCE] Devnagri/Hindi font
by Raju Mathur 29 Nov '02

29 Nov '02

India Linux Users Group, Delhi is proud to be associated with hindi_freehand, a Devnagri/Hindi font developed by Avneesh Chhabra and Shivaas Gulati, students of Class X in Delhi. Avneesh and Shivaas had the option of selling the font to Microsoft for a hefty amount of money. However, to their credit they chose to release the font under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) so that everyone could benefit from their efforts. Full information and download links at: http://linux-delhi.org/ . Click on the news story or the hindi text. Please send kudos and suggestions to Avneesh and Shivaas at: fontdudes(a)rediffmail.com Regards, -- Raju -- Raju Mathur raju(a)kandalaya.org http://kandalaya.org/ It is the mind that moves

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Re: [Fsf-friends] [OFFTOPIC] Three views on Free/Libre and Open Source Software...
by V. Sasi Kumar 29 Nov '02

29 Nov '02

On Thu, 2002-11-28 at 11:36, Nagarjuna G. wrote: > > Can you get me the name of this writer, and if possible email id. > > Nagarjuna The email id is at the top of this mail. Regards V. Sasi Kumar

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LINK: Query from Japan, embedded software
by Frederick Noronha 29 Nov '02

29 Nov '02

Would anyone be able to put a friend from Japan in touch with Free Software developers working on the embedded front? Sandor Markon <markon(a)rd.fujitec.co.jp> writes: "I am a manager of a Japanese manufacturer, involved with introducing Linux to my company since at least 5 years ago. My company is considering to start outsourcing software projects in India, and I am in charge of the initial survey." He will be in India in early December. If you know someone, please put him in touch with Sandor. Thanks, -FN

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Group urges limits on open source
by Raju Mathur 29 Nov '02

29 Nov '02

http://news.com.com/2100-1001-975578.html?tag=fd_top <excerpt> The Initiative for Software Choice, which counts Microsoft, Cisco Systems and Intel among its backers, said in comments filed Tuesday that the department should "avoid crafting needless and potentially detrimental IT policy to promote the use" of open-source software. "Open source" means every software developer can view the source code for software, modify it, and use it for free. The initiative, which launched in May and is chaired by a group called CompTIA, an organization that has close ties to Microsoft, is worried about a recent report that concluded the Defense Department relies on open-source software and recommended its further adoption. Written by defense contractor MITRE, the report said that free and open-source software "plays a more critical role in the (Defense Department) than has been generally recognized" and endorsed it as a viable alternative to proprietary Microsoft products. -- Raju Mathur raju(a)kandalaya.org http://kandalaya.org/ It is the mind that moves

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Microsoft Unveils Licensing Discounts To Counter Linux
by Raju Mathur 29 Nov '02

29 Nov '02

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nf/20021127/bs_nf/20105 <excerpt> "What's happening is that Microsoft sales reps have been instructed to be on the lookout for any businesses that are migrating some of their machines to the Lindows OS," Yankee Group analyst Laura DiDio told NewsFactor. "If [the sales reps] think there's a real threat of some pretty large numbers of defections to open source, they can request authorization from Microsoft higher-ups to offer steeply discounted pricing." -- Raju Mathur raju(a)kandalaya.org http://kandalaya.org/ It is the mind that moves

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Re: [FSF-WG] Writing to President
by V. Sasi Kumar 28 Nov '02

28 Nov '02

On Wed, 2002-11-27 at 18:36, Arun M wrote: > What about sending a letter to President by RMS. May be through FSF > India. I think it will be helpful and RMS may suggest visiting him > during Feb trip to India. Why not draft a nice letter introducing Free Software to the Chief Minister and the IT Minister (where present) of every state, and encouraging them to adopt Free Software for governmental purposes? V. Sasi Kumar

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List of Linux -Development companies.
by Abraham Jacob 28 Nov '02

28 Nov '02

Friends, I want to gather a list of companies who Can Deliver,Develop, and Support Linux(any flavour) OS and applications[for the Kerala. Can someone help ? -Abraham.

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Searching for info on GNU/Linux in Asia...
by Frederick Noronha 27 Nov '02

27 Nov '02

Dear FSFfriends: This note is from a freelance journalist in India, and I am currently working to find out details about how GNU/Linux is being harnessed in countries across Asia (all the 48 or so countries in this vast continent). The task is challenging, particularly because (i) many countries are primarily non English-speaking and (ii) most of the stories in the region have not been adequately reported upon in the international media, where only the tip of the proverbial iceberg has been focussed on. In this context, I would be very grateful if you could extend a little help in enabling me to identify interesting projects that are being undertaken in any Asian country you know of. You could just send me a brief link (if a URL is available), or an email address, and maybe a line or two describing the same. In particular, it would be very interesting to hear of any projects that deploy GNU/Linux in the field of development, health, education, human rights, democratisation, women's rights. If you could also send me any details about GNU/Linux user groups in the area, that would help too. Thank you so much for your help. If you would like to share a copy of my findings, once done, I would be more than glad to do so. Please mark any email on this issue with the subject-line ASIA GNU/LINUX. Thanks, FN -- Frederick Noronha * Freelance Journalist * Goa * India 832.2409490/2409783 BYTESFORALL www.bytesforall.org * GNU-LINUX http://linuxinindia.pitas.com fred at bytesforall dot org * Mobile 9822 122436 (Goa) * Saligao Goa India Writing with a difference ... on what makes *the* difference "A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history... with the possible exception of handguns and tequila." - Anon.

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The work of migrating non-profits to Free Software has already begun
by Frederick Noronha 27 Nov '02

27 Nov '02

A very heart-warming letter from America. Perhaps another reason why FSFIndia should seriously clinch the deal for having a presence at the Asian Social Forum in Hyderabad in early Jan. Thank you Karl! FN PS: I'm copying this to the Free Software Forum-India network. PPS: Karl Pena was put in touch with us by RMS. On Wed, 27 Nov 2002, Karl wrote: > Hi Frederick, > > I'm in the process of incorporating a nonprofit with which to facilitate > this program. I am have been taking the bull by the horns with the legal > requisites, start-up funds, and paperwork, and learning a lot about how to > establish a corporation. Many parts of this are good, but it takes a long > time. And the work to be done does not pause. > > In the meantime, eagerly awaiting for the incorporation to manifest itself > ASAP, I am working independently in DC, serving nonprofits by migrating > them from proprietary to Free Software infrastructures. This is the the > center of our mission. > > Through my humble weekly accomplishments, I am learning a lot and finding > a tremendous amount of support, inspiration, and viable business > methodology for the nonprofit organization endeavor. > > We do need help, in many areas. Can you talk to me about your skillset? Of > course you have mentioned you are a journalist, but do you tout a plethora > of technology kung-fu as well? Special areas of interest (besides what I > might assume from visiting bytesforall.org)? Would you be willing to > assist in writing up case-studies of progress and accomplishments with > clients/NGOs? > > I think we will need literature or 'whitepapers' along the lines of > case-studies to show other nonprofits and NGO's what we have done with > prior organizations: costs-saved, infrastructure added, user-happiness, > ethical value, et cetera. > > What information can I give you? Can we take things from here forward, > tell me what sort of action items you suggest and are interested in, and > I'll see if/how we can fit them into our mission? > > In the long run, what the nonprofit structure in DC accomplishes should > transmittable via a rocksolid case-study to be spread acround the USA, and > transcontinentally within months or years, depending on how well > volunteers and colleagues can assist in the mission. (The language and > literature will have to be exciting, and open, not too critical overall, > but if we have several sections, like in a newsletter, we could certainly > have a 'critics corner' where the more radical, grassroots ideas are > appropriately verbalized.) In general the literature should not be too > cutting and mudslinging about anyone, nor should it toot its own horn, of > course. Sorry if that idea was too basic or obvious. No offense meant by > my brainstorming and oversimplifying. > > The work of migrating nonprofits to Free Software has already begun... > > > I look forward to your hearing your thoughts. > -Karl > > > ___________________________________________________________ > http://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html > ___________________________________________________________ > > > On Wed, 27 Nov 2002, Frederick Noronha wrote: > > > I'd really like to help this going... FN > > > > On Fri, 6 Sep 2002, Karl wrote: > > > > > > > Hi RMS, and Frederick, > > > and Sunil, Niranjan, > > > > > > Thanks for writing to me about your interest. Your journalistic > > > contributions, and a global level of collaborations and connections, as > > > you have mentioned below, might be a great asset to our group. At the very > > > least we ought to stay in touch and ping each other about things. > > > > > > Let's dialogue together, and make notes of our insights. > > > > > > I'd like to hear a little about what Sunil does, who he advocates to, if > > > you'd tell me about it. > > > > > > -Karl > > > > > > On Sun, 1 Sep 2002, Frederick Noronha wrote: > > > > > > > Hi RMS, Karl: I'd love to help NGU in any way. Please keep in mind though > > > > that I'm a journalist and acutely lack techie skills. My friend in > > > > Bangalore, Sunil Abraham, is shaping up into a very articulate campaigner > > > > for NGOs taking to GNU/Linux. I think people like him will have a crucial > > > > role to play in linking these two never-intersecting parallel lines -- the > > > > NGO world and the Free Software movement, which have such close > > > > perspectives and goals. Niranjan Rajani is a Finland-based researcher of > > > > Pakistani origin; he's working on a study to see the contribution of > > > > GNU/Linux to development worldwide. FN > > > > RMS: Thanks for raising the critical (from a Third World > > > > perspective) issue of affordability in your OneWorld meet. I know those > > > > guys in India... doing interesting work. How about pushing things with > > > > UNDP/Unesco? They're both interested in Free Software.... > > > > > > > > On Sat, 31 Aug 2002, Richard Stallman wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > Regarding NGOs, I have understood that GNU is launching a > > > > > program/campaign called NGU which is said to be directed at NGOs, > > > > > > > > > > Not exactly. I encouraged Karl Pena to start NGU, but it is an > > > > > independent activity, not part of the GNU Project. The GNU Project is > > > > > the project to develop GNU, the operating system. > > > > > > > > > > Are you interested in helping to work on NGU? It looks like you are. > > > > > How about if you write to karl(a)tux.org and offer to work with him? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

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Fsf-friends November 2002