Fsf-friends July 2005

fsf-friends@gnu.org.in

22 participants
33 discussions

To open software within three years
by Manjush G.Menon 26 Sep '05

26 Sep '05

Original Message ----- From: "IT@School" <itschool(a)asianetindia.com> To: <manjushmenon(a)hotmail.com> Sent: Saturday, October 05, 2002 5:08 PM Subject: Reply > Mr.Manjush G. Menon > We are not giving to depend totally on Ms. Products. Rather MS > Office is taught along with open office and Windows along with Linux > from this year. Arranging the resource persons for training an open > software, making available the software, the maintenance of a help desk > etc. are logistical issues which could not be immediately undertaken. > We plan switch out to open software within three years. > Executive Director > ---- Original Message ----- From: Manjush G. Menon To: itschool(a)asianetindia.com Sent: Friday, October 04, 2002 5:46 PM Subject: Respected sir, From Manjush G. Menon, Sr.Programmer, Sofker Solutions Pvt Ltd, Kochi-18. To The Executive Director, 'IT @ SCHOOL' Project, SCERT Buildings, Poojapura, Thiruvananthapuram-12. Respected sir, SUB: In protest against the inclusion of products from multinational companies in the syllabus of 'IT @ SCHOOL' It's a very dissappointing fact that when the whole world is moving towards Free software, we at kerala are going behind a major MNC - Microsoft. I hereby register my protest in such an act from 'IT @ SCHOOL' Project team. Breaking of prototypes will definetly help us in finding economical and high quality products for our future generation. For students and programmers, the GNU Linux contains 'GNU Compiler Collections' which includes C, C++, FORTRAN, PERL, TCL etc. Also, for DTP and other publishing purposes, it includes GNU Office utilities like Abi-Word, gedit, and other worksheet utilities, all these with a nominal cost of Rs 700-800/-. The software as it is, is free and the cost is accounted towards the media (CD + Documentation) included. By this letter, I urge you to take this matter seriously and suggest necessary modifications in the action plan of 'IT @ SCHOOL' project. Wishing you all the best and wishing all 'Students @ SCHOOL' a bright future, Thanking you, Yours faithfully Manjush G. Menon. ______________________________________________________ Check out all the latest outrageous email attachments on the Outrageous Email Chart! - http://viral.lycos.co.uk

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Hi All
by Thejesh GN 08 Aug '05

08 Aug '05

Hi All, My name is Thejesh. I am working as a Software Engineer at Bangalore. Passed from VTU ( Visweswraiah Technological University) Belagum as E&C engineer. We were the first batch of the university. Early this year I got an idea about asking VTU to include more FOSS related courses in its syllabus. Hence I started a petition at my home site ( www.techmag.biz <http://www.techmag.biz> ). Then we moved it to GNU bangalore site (http://bangalore.gnu.org.in/?VTU-FLOSS_Campaign). The petition has been editied by lot of people and it has reached a good state now. We have got the signatures of around 140 people including that of RMS. Initially I just had the plan of mailing the petition; but later I got an idea of visiting VC personally so that it will have more effect. VC of VTU Dr. K Balaveera Reddy has agreed to meet me on Aug 6 (Saturday) evening at VTU campus, belagum. I will be travelling on Aug 5 night ( from Bangalore). Plan as of now is to present him the hard copy of signatures/opinions/discussion that happened on GNU Bangalore site. I am also planning to give him a presentation. If anybody is interested to join me along; please mail me back. Or if you think something which I should be doing please do send it to me. -- Thanks, Thej http://www.techmag.biz gnthej at gmail dot com thej at techmag dot biz

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St Xavier's says it's keen to popularise FLOSS
by Frederick Noronha (FN) 30 Jul '05

30 Jul '05

St Xavier's College at Mapusa wants its college students to work with the GNU/Linux operating system and popularise it. This was stated by Principal Newman Fernandes, at the launch of the Xavier's Open Source Club, at the college premises recently. Principal Fernandes also suggested that students should use IT more widely, and said efforts were underway to ensure every student had his or her own email address, which was then effectively utilised. "Last year we initiated (our activities on Free/Libre and Open Source Software). This year we plan to go deeper into it," said Fernandes. "Our college has a principle of offering students all they way. We have 1850 students and 40 clubs. We have a Rainwater Harvesting Club, a music club, an e-centre where the class notes which teachers used to dictate are shared via the intranet. We also have a Centre for Traditional Knowledge," said Fernandes. Nelson Lobo, the lecturer of IT, said that FLOSS was based on the principle that everyone gains when everyone shares. "Our aim is to understand and promote FLOSS. This is software whose source code is available to modify, rebuild and share. We need to ask what Open Source can do for us," he added. This newly-launched club would be planning more activities in the coming months, he said. St Xavier's also wants its students to experiment with Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS). Dr Albert Gouveia, head of IT at the National Institute of Oceanography and an alumni of the prestigious IIT Bombay, was the keynote speaker at the launch of the club. Gouveia was an alumni of Xavier's from the 1968-1970 batch. He began by challenging students: "Why do Linux at all? Will it get me a job?" Gouveia called for looking beyond the traditional arguments that FLOSS is "freely available" and also less prone to hacker attacks. Gouveia argued: "It's not safe to stay with just one technology. You need to be exposed to all.... Open source gives you the freedom to experiment. With proprietorial software you don't have the source code to experiment with." He said that students joining the world of work would get "three weeks" in which to learn a new technology and deliver. "In other fields, what you learn in college will stand you in good stead for quite some time. In computing it's different. You need to broaden your horizons now, while you have the time," he added. A Debian user since 1994 and its 0.94 (pre-stable) release, Gouveia adviced students: "If you want an easy way you, you're not going to learn much." He added, "I never once felt the need to shift back to Windows... I can do whatever I want in Linux." He adviced students to read Eric S Raymond's essay called 'The Cathedral and the Bazaar'. http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/cathedral-bazaar/ "You'll are the technical people who should try out every flavour (of GNU/Linux). Would you respect a mechanic who can only repair one type of a car?" he asked. "If you read the instructions and questions thoroughly while installing Debian, you will succeed in installing it the first time," he felt. Gouveia pointed to the number of jobs in GNU/Linux network and security aspects. He felt the world was moving to a situation where "all software is free". "Maybe five years from now, you will get no proprietary software. Look at everything besides Open Source too. But using Open Source is the easiest, because it is open to use," he argued. He said countries like Australia and New Zealand had a large number of projects for students on the Net. Later in the session, he interacted with students and others, and also shared copies of Ubuntu (another Debian-based distro, like Knoppix) with students and lecturers. Contacts: St Xavier's College: xavierscollege(a)sancharnet.in Dr Albert Gouveia: albert(a)darya.nio.org -- _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/ Frederick Noronha | Independent Journalist | Ph 832.2409490 _/ 784 Saligao 403511 Goa India | fred(a)bytesforall.org _/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

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St Xavier's says it's keen to popularise FLOSS
by Frederick Noronha (FN) 30 Jul '05

30 Jul '05

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FOSSAC 2005... Pakistan
by Frederick Noronha (FN) 30 Jul '05

30 Jul '05

[Thanks to Sunil Abraham for forwarding this. -FN] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FOSSAC 2005 will offer 3 days of stimulating mass awareness events, amalgamating Free and Open Source Software Technologies Exhibition, Training Sessions, Conferences and Awards. This will commence on Tuesday 16 August 2005. The Programme format will consist of launching of the Free and Open Source Software Awareness Campaign that includes: 3 Day Mega Exhibition of over 100 stalls featuring educational, business, public sector and entertainment free software products. Linux Desktop Training Sessions for over 2000 participants throughout the 3 days event over a network of 500 latest computer hardware machines. "TPFOSST 05" 1st National Conference on Trends and Practices of Free and Open Source Software Technologies, August 18, 2005. National Free and Open Source Software Awards, August 18, 2005. The event will attract thousands of visitors from the General Public, Universities and people from all walks of life. The event will be graced with visits by official dignitaries belonging to the United Nations Development Program, Government of Pakistan, Government of Punjab, Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry and will receive huge media coverage. Objectives FOSSAC 2005 Free & Open Source Software Awareness Campaign 2005 is a three day event organized to promote nationwide awareness about the benefits of Free and Open Source Software and to persuade organizations and individuals of Pakistan to use Free & Open Source Software. Event Venue & Schedule Punjab University College of Information Technology (PUCIT) University of the Punjab Main Hall, Allama Iqbal (Old) Campus Lahore-Pakistan 16th - 19th August 2005 (9:00am â€“ 6:00pm) FOSSAC 2005 Event Organizers FOSSFP: Free and Open Source Software Foundation of Pakistan PUCIT: Punjab University College of Information Technology, University of the Punjab PITB: Punjab Information Technology Board, Government of the Punjab PSEB-OSRC: Pakistan Software Export Board, Government of Pakistan, Open Source Resource Centre. KMT Innovators, Lahore, Pakistan Thanks and Regards Mr. Osman Haq Project Manager (OSRC) Pakistan Software Export Board Ministry of Information Technology 2nd Floor, Evacuee Trust Complex Agha Khan Road, Sector F-5, Islamabad Tel : 051 9208748 Fax : 051 9204075 Email : hosman(a)pseb.org.pk URL: www.osrc.org.pk; www.pseb.org.pk ------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Wireless talks development.....
by Frederick Noronha (FN) 30 Jul '05

30 Jul '05

Campaigners in Venezuela have launched a wireless-for-development portal, and the English-language details are below. See http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=582985 and also http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=526407 for EsLaRed's eighth Latin American workshop on networking technology... which looks like a rather interesting gathering of people and topics, when viewed from half way around the globe ;-) FN - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Wireless talks development, that too in Spanish: www.wilac.net MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay -- The Latin American School of Networks Foundation (ESLARED) and the Institute for Connectivity in the Americas (ICA) has launched a portal. WiLAC is the new information portal about Wireless Technologies for Development, designed to support individuals, organisations, municipalities and businesses currently implementing community wireless connectivity projects, or those about to launch on this road. The launch took place during the 'Experiences from Wireless Project Implementation" event, on July 27, 2005, in Merida (Venezuela), during the WALC 2005, an event about networking and content. WiLAC's portal was launched during a "Panel of experiences in implementation of wireless technologies", that was showcased during workshops underway at the event. This panel began at 7 p.m. in the Faculty of Engineering Auditorium of Los Andes University (ULA). In a crowded auditorium, Edmundo Vitale moderated the panel. It was kicked off with initial interventions from Jorge Phillips and Ermanno Pietrosemoli. Both emphasized the importance of having a reference point in the region, to address information needs about wireless technologies, specially in Spanish, the third most-widely spoken language in the world. Jaime Torres and Américo Sanchez, experts of the Area of Engineering at CEPES (Peru), presented their experience with the Agrarian Information System of Huaral Valley. They not only shared what they encountered in the implementation of the wireless network, but also about the community development, costs estimates and the impact in the community. CVG Telecom (Venezuela) president Julio Durán presented the National Network of Social Connectivity plan, which includes the deployment of technologies that go from fibre across the country to experimentation with WiMAX technologies. But the starting point will be communities that are otherwise much more isolated. [WiMAX is an acronym that stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access. The WiMAX protocol is a way of networking computing devices together; for example to provide internet access, in a similar way to Wi-Fi. WiMAX is both faster and has a longer range than Wi-Fi. However, WiMAX does not necessarily conflict with Wi-Fi, but is designed to interoperate with it and may indeed complement it.] Sylvia Cadena presented the model used by the Institute for the Connectivity in Américas (ICA), to support the implementation of projects pilot about fixed and itinerant Wi-Fi technologies through all the region. Finally, the WiLAC portal structure was briefly explored to check its performance as well as the possibilities it could offer. Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, the WiLAC portal will promote information about design, implementation, development, replication, and the use of necessary components for a successful community wireless project that serves the community. More specifically, the information, available in Spanish, has been structured to offer the user relevant information regarding: research (case studies, impact analysis); implementation (articles and reports about current projects); technical reviews and news about technical standards development; regulatory frameworks (links and descriptions of the conditions in each country to develop community wireless networks); training resources (materials, courses and workshops); regional expertise; support funds available; news about wireless projects in other parts of the world; and related events. WiLAC promotes direct cooperation and exchange among community initiatives using wireless technologies under development in the region (and also in other regions). It also promotes the building up of relationships and support from those initiatives with more experience to those just starting up. This portal was fully developed using free and open source software (FOSS). ESLARED is a non-profit institution dedicated to promoting information technologies in Latin America and the Caribbean, working since 1992, and legally constituted in Venezuela. It has worked to promote the building of human resources and research in telecommunications, computer networks and information technologies in Latin America and the Caribbean. Its focus also includes research and development on technology transfer and appropriate technology, to foster scientific, technical and social progress in the region. It is a member of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). The Institute for Connectivity in the Americas emerged from the 2001 Summit of the Americas. It is the forum for hemispheric innovation in the application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for economic and social development. ICA's goal is to promote the use of ICTs in Latin American and the Caribbean countries, to strengthen democracy, create prosperity, and realise human potential in the region. ICA is currently being incubated at the International Development Research Centre's (IDRC) headquarters at Ottawa, Canada and at the Regional Office in Montevideo, Uruguay. For more details about WiLAC.net contact Sylvia Cadena, Coordinator at info(a)wilac.net (+5982) 7111502, J.M.Sosa 2281/ 701 Montevideo 11300 Uruguay. WiLAC http://www.wilac.net/ ESLARED, the Latin American School of Networks Foundation http://www.eslared.org.ve/ Institute for Connectivity in the Americas http://www.icamericas.net/ WiLAC news on your desktop, via RSS http://www.wilac.net/backend.php

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Re: Fsf-friends Digest, Vol 27, Issue 19
by Dr.Mayank Trivedi 29 Jul '05

29 Jul '05

Dear Sir, I would be highly obliged if you may provide the information on AKshaya Thanks Dr.MJT On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 02:34:33 -0400 (EDT), fsf-friends-request(a)mm.gnu.org.in said: > Send Fsf-friends mailing list submissions to > fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://mm.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-friends > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > fsf-friends-request(a)mm.gnu.org.in > > You can reach the person managing the list at > fsf-friends-owner(a)mm.gnu.org.in > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Fsf-friends digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Status Of Akshaya (swathantra software) > 2. Re: [Fsf-kerala] Status Of Akshaya (Arun M) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2005 18:44:02 +0530 > From: swathantra software <s2s2service(a)gmail.com> > Subject: [Fsf-friends] Status Of Akshaya > To: fsug-calicut(a)freelists.org, Principal Support List of > FSF-India > <fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in>, fsug-kochi-discuss(a)symonds.net, > fsf-kerala(a)gnu.org.in > Message-ID: <4e0791a805072806146cebaf3a(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Dear Friends, > > > Can anyone please provide some help on the following > topic.? > > This is regarding the "Akshaya" (www.akshaya.net) project being > implemented by State Govt of Kerala. > The pilot project was kicked-off in May 2003 in Malappuram District, > with the launching of over 600 Akshaya e-kendras. > > Now it is being implemented at other districts of the state and at > Kannur, the process is currently going on. > > I am also a candidate to start one centre in My Panchayat. I wanted > to get valuable feedback/opinions/suggestions from others. As > self-employment for many, it involves huge investment and many are > dependent on bank loans( At least I am)!! .Proper help from others > will be valuable guidance. > > 1) My plan is to set up Akshaya e -kendra using only GNU/Linux and > free/open source softwares. The website of akshaya says the > infrastructure should have minimum five PCs in a client server > configuration. So I plan to setup a LTSP based diskless thin client > configuration. I wanted to promote this and provide support to others > setting up LTSP based Akshaya centers. I have few queries in this > regard. > > 1) Does anyone( especially anyone from Malappuram) have experience > with Akshaya at Malappuram. If so is to possible to share their > experience?. > 2) Did any one used GNU/Linux and free software application for > setting up akshaya centers?. If so did they face any problem!!! > 3) Does the CDs and other material supplied by concerned authorities > work on LTSP thin client machines?. > 4) Will it demand any requirement for any proprietary softwares?. > 5) What is the current status of the Akshaya project at Malappuram??. > I have read a news last month saying about 60% of the centers are > facing closure due to lack of income generation and heavy burden on > Bank loans!!. > > > At the site there are many success stories, but can anyone tell us > about the ground reality!!!. > > Any help is appreciated.. > > > Regards > > Sujeevan. > Kannur > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > CDs from S2S2: Debian Sarge,Fedora > Core4,Centos4,Mandriva2005,Gentoo,HowTo Cd etc > --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2005 08:58:54 +0530 > From: Arun M <colonel.m(a)gmail.com> > Subject: [Fsf-friends] Re: [Fsf-kerala] Status Of Akshaya > To: swathantra software <s2s2service(a)gmail.com> > Cc: fsug-calicut(a)freelists.org, fsug-kochi-discuss(a)symonds.net, > fsf-kerala(a)gnu.org.in, Principal Support List of FSF-India > <fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in> > Message-ID: <729f2876050728202836088eb0(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Hi, > > > I am also a candidate to start one centre in My Panchayat. I wanted > > to get valuable feedback/opinions/suggestions from others. As > > self-employment for many, it involves huge investment and many are > > dependent on bank loans( At least I am)!! .Proper help from others > > will be valuable guidance. > > If you are making investment make your backup plans. dont trust the > project. > > > > 1) Does anyone( especially anyone from Malappuram) have experience > > with Akshaya at Malappuram. If so is to possible to share their > > experience?. > > I've visited few centers. > > > 2) Did any one used GNU/Linux and free software application for > > setting up akshaya centers?. If so did they face any problem!!! > > No. Training programs and modules from KSITM were in Windows hence > almost all of them used Windows. There were some suggestions of having > training programs on free software. But i dont think they happened. > > > 3) Does the CDs and other material supplied by concerned authorities > > work on LTSP thin client machines?. > > I think they are flash files. > > > 4) Will it demand any requirement for any proprietary softwares?. > > You have to talk to officials of Akshya project. I think they will > allow use of free software. If not we will fight for it. > > > 5) What is the current status of the Akshaya project at Malappuram??. > > Best thing you can do is go to Malappuram and discuss with people there. > Situation is not so good. You will have to make your own business > plan. Akshya will provide you some business. That wont break even your > project. Dont get carried away by the hype. Do a good study and plan > and then start. > > Akshaya project got ArsElectronic award. I dont know what is the > selection criterion. But I am not very much convinced about the claims > made about the project in Ars Electronic site. > > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Fsf-friends mailing list > Fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in > http://mm.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-friends > > > End of Fsf-friends Digest, Vol 27, Issue 19 > ******************************************* -- Dr.Mayank Trivedi mjt_123(a)emailplus.org -- http://www.fastmail.fm - A no graphics, no pop-ups email service

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Status Of Akshaya
by swathantra software 29 Jul '05

29 Jul '05

Dear Friends, Can anyone please provide some help on the following topic.? This is regarding the "Akshaya" (www.akshaya.net) project being implemented by State Govt of Kerala. The pilot project was kicked-off in May 2003 in Malappuram District, with the launching of over 600 Akshaya e-kendras. Now it is being implemented at other districts of the state and at Kannur, the process is currently going on. I am also a candidate to start one centre in My Panchayat. I wanted to get valuable feedback/opinions/suggestions from others. As self-employment for many, it involves huge investment and many are dependent on bank loans( At least I am)!! .Proper help from others will be valuable guidance. 1) My plan is to set up Akshaya e -kendra using only GNU/Linux and free/open source softwares. The website of akshaya says the infrastructure should have minimum five PCs in a client server configuration. So I plan to setup a LTSP based diskless thin client configuration. I wanted to promote this and provide support to others setting up LTSP based Akshaya centers. I have few queries in this regard. 1) Does anyone( especially anyone from Malappuram) have experience with Akshaya at Malappuram. If so is to possible to share their experience?. 2) Did any one used GNU/Linux and free software application for setting up akshaya centers?. If so did they face any problem!!! 3) Does the CDs and other material supplied by concerned authorities work on LTSP thin client machines?. 4) Will it demand any requirement for any proprietary softwares?. 5) What is the current status of the Akshaya project at Malappuram??. I have read a news last month saying about 60% of the centers are facing closure due to lack of income generation and heavy burden on Bank loans!!. At the site there are many success stories, but can anyone tell us about the ground reality!!!. Any help is appreciated.. Regards Sujeevan. Kannur ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CDs from S2S2: Debian Sarge,Fedora Core4,Centos4,Mandriva2005,Gentoo,HowTo Cd etc ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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ActionApps 2.8.1 released
by Frederick Noronha (FN) 28 Jul '05

28 Jul '05

ActionApps 2.8.1 released. ActionApps is a set of collaborative web publishing tools for NGOs. APC ActionApps offer a low cost solution for content sharing that both increases the functionality of not-for-profit and NGO websites and facilitates the creation of portals sites, improving the visibility of civil society information. They are driven by free/open source software (FOSS). You can download it from sourceforge http://sourceforge.net/projects/apc-aa/ or use CVS access http://sourceforge.net/cvs/?group_id=6341 For an upgrade, please run the sql_update.php3 script, which upgrades database to latest version. There is long list of new features. Most important changes are listed down in this e-mail. For full list of changes please take a look at http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/apc-aa/apc-aa/CHANGES?view=markup More about actionapps at http://www.apc.org/english/press/primers See how ActionApps can help your group publish better and faster online. Learn about, or join, the free software project behind ActionApps. http://www.apc.org/actionapps/index.htm For a FAQ on ActionApps see http://actionapps.org/faq/ Here you will find the most extensive collection of articles to answer all your questions about APC Action Apps: a powerful object oriented content management system design specifically for progressive organizations. These articles cover everything from basic introductions to scripting references to in-depth system administration and programmer's notes.

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Please vote: The Top 10 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics
by Frederick Noronha (FN) 27 Jul '05

27 Jul '05

http://www.politicsonline.com/content/main/specialreports/2005/top10_2005/v… The Top 10 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics The results from the call for nominations are in and now we are asking you to select your favorite choice from the list of 20 finalists for the Top Ten Who Are Changing The World of Internet & Politics vote, sponsored by PoliticsOnline and the 6th annual E-Democracy Worldwide Forum. This year marked the toughest year ever in choosing the 20 finalists. The integration of politics and the Internet has spread like wildfire around the globe, reflected in this year's diverse, international nominees. The winners, those top 10 nominees who receive the most votes, will be announced at the 6th annual Worldwide Forum on Electronic Democracy -- September 28-29, in Issy-les-Moulineaux, (Paris, France). Please review the 20 finalists below and then select one of the following as your choice for the Top Politics & Internet World Changer of 2005. The Nominees .... * Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva www.lula.org.br During his tenure as Brazil's President da Silva has worked hard to take free software to Brazil's poorest citizens. One project includes opening thousands of community computer hubs where Brazilians will surf the Web, access government services, and take computing courses—all on PCs loaded with free software. Another initiative, called PC Conectado, or Connected PC, aims at helping low-income families buy their first computers and get on the Internet—once again, on PCs equipped only with free software. Da Silva is also an ardent advocate of free software based on open source code that users can study and modify. The result is that in recent years Brazil has become one of the world's most prominent battlegrounds of the Microsoft Windows versus Linux war.

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Fsf-friends July 2005