Fsf-friends August 2005

fsf-friends@gnu.org.in

28 participants
30 discussions

Desktop supercomputers
by Ramanraj K 08 Aug '05

08 Aug '05

Man: clock rate of 2KHz; million million processors, can solve sophisticated problems in less than 400 cycles (under ideal conditions ;), can do complex imaging, audio processing etc with available sensory intelligence Machine: clock rate in the range of Teraflops (super computers); few processors; can have very wide sensory intelligence but cannot do complex processing; and "problem solving" capabilities are not really worth mentioning Suppose I want my application to run 40 to 200 queries on a db, all concurrently, to take a simple decision, brain like parallel processing schemes/devices seems useful. The recent 64 bit processors seem to come with capacities for very large RAM, etc, and I am just curious if brain emulators are possible now. "Supercomputers" seem to be more focused on increasing clock speeds, but it may be worthwhile to also focus on increasing the number of threads/processors we could use to the range of million millions trading off with clock rate. I am not sure about technical feasibility etc., but this is one of the "unsolved" areas of cs, that may be of interest to researchers :) Ref: http://www.electricminds.org/ussclueless/essays/futurecs.htm

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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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FOSS Projects from India
by Ramanraj K 07 Aug '05

07 Aug '05

Frederick Noronha has compiled a list of on going FOSS Projects from India at: http://www.iosn.net/country-reports/india <quote> INDIA: THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING, BUT CAN IT BE CHANNELISED? Compiled by Frederick Noronha India, with its population of one-billion plus, has a rich tech talent, considerable interest in Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), and a network of some 80-plus user groups across its landmass (some active, some less). This offers wide potential.... </quote> About UNDP, APDIP, IOSN: The International Open Source Network is an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Asia Pacific Development Information Programme (APDIP) and supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada. The International Open Source Network (IOSN) is a Center of Excellence for FOSS in the Asia-Pacific Region. It shapes its activities around Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) technologies and applications. Via a small secretariat, the IOSN is tasked specifically to facilitate and network FOSS advocates and human resources in the region. The vision is that developing countries in the Asia-Pacific Region can achieve rapid and sustained economic and social development by using affordable yet effective FOSS ICT solutions to bridge the digital divide. More details at: http://www.iosn.net/

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Re: Re: [Fsf-friends] FOSS Projects from India
by Kanti Jadia 07 Aug '05

07 Aug '05

Hi Pramode, On Sun, 07 Aug 2005 Pramode C.E. wrote : >Hello, > >--- Ramanraj K <ramanraj.k(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > > Frederick Noronha has compiled a list of on going > > FOSS Projects from India at: > > http://www.iosn.net/country-reports/india > >I would like Fred to add > >http://www.nsc.res.in/~elab/phoenix/ > I could find the source code under the file pheonix.tgz Can you pls. highlight the license as well. >to the list of Free Software projects from India >(if it is not already there on the list ...) > >`Phoenix' (Physics with homemade equipment and >innovative experiments) is perhaps the only product of >its kind >working on GNU/Linux - the project is fast reaching >maturity (a bootable CD is ready, some manufacturers >have started taking orders for the hardware box, >a mailing list is in place ...). > >Please let me know if you would like to have a demo >at your local LUG/FSUG. > >Regards, >Pramode >-------------- > > > > > > > >__________________________________________________________ >How much free photo storage do you get? Store your friends 'n family snaps for FREE with Yahoo! Photos http://in.photos.yahoo.com > >_______________________________________________ >Fsf-friends mailing list >Fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in >http://mm.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-friends ----------------------------------------- Enjoy your Freedom,use GNU/Linux. http://www.gnu.org/gnu/why-gnu-linux.html -----------------------------------------

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Smart cards in GNU/Linux
by Manilal K M 07 Aug '05

07 Aug '05

Hello all, I am in search of device driver/software/API in Linux that supports Smart Card printers/readers.. While searching in the web I came across "GNU SmartCard Project" (http://www.fh-augsburg.de/~bossekr/news.html). But unfortunately I didn't got anything useful there since the language used is German. Can anyone give me the status of this project or any other GPL'd Smart Card Software. TIA. regards Manilal

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Free Software User Groups in Colleges
by Ramanraj K 07 Aug '05

07 Aug '05

Yesterday, there was a FOSS Awareness Program at Shri Sairam Engineering College, Chennai, for 3rd year students, and I gave a short talk on Free Software User Groups as member of ILUGC and FSF-India. The Principal of the College was very enthusiastic about the NRC plans and highlighted the self-employment possibilities and other opportunities available with free software. Less than 10 students knew about Gnu/Linux OS, and much less had even heard of RMS or Linus Torvalds. At the end, about half of them raised their hands when asked if they would opt for the FOSS Elective the next semester :) I wish NRC could organise these awareness programs on the style of LDD's organised by ilugc as one day events more like an open house for one and all, including the public also. Notes about one such LDD is at: http://www.chennailug.org/meeting/minutes/yr2004/momlf2004.html and the archives have more such stories. If there is atleast one Free Software User Group, in each Engineering College, it could benefit many. Rick Moen has written an excellent and useful user group HOWTO at: http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/User-Group-HOWTO.html <quote> "[The] movement has no central structure, bureaucracy, or other entity to direct its affairs. While this situation has advantages, it poses challenges for allocation of human resources, effective advocacy, public relations, user education, and training." </quote> Again, <quote> Linux works precisely because people are free to come and go as they please: Free programmers are happy programmers are effective programmers. </quote> Academic freedom and coding freedom make good companions. User Groups when organised in Colleges maintaining the core essence of the movement, it could solve many other problems too: -Education would become directly relevant to needs in society -Enables life-long continuity for students to update themselves -Better interaction with Public is possible -Knowledge based societies would become a reality That apart, many colleges are using proprietary packages and there is a need to replace existing proprietary software with free software. Let us please have a wiki page at ILUGC to list "equivalents". HTH. Thanks, Ramanraj.

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Four Friends - Part I
by Ramanraj K 07 Aug '05

07 Aug '05

Arvind, an old friend of mine, recently told me this story: One night, four travellers named One, Two, Five and Ten walking through a forest, come to a deep gorge and find that they have to continue their journey across a weak wooden bridge, that won't stand the weight of more than any two of them at a time. The bridge has a few missing logs and they had only one torch with them to guide them across. Also, One takes 1 minute, Two takes 2 minutes, Five takes 5 minutes and Ten takes 10 minutes to cross the bridge, due to their individual abilities. What is the minimum time within which the four friends could cross the bridge? I reasoned that One being the fastest, could take Two, Five and Ten across in about 19 minutes as follows: Task ::: Time taken in minutes ---------------------------------------------------------- 1 and 10 take torch and walk across: 10 1 returns with torch : 1 1 and 5 walk across with the torch : 5 1 returns with torch : 1 1 and 2 cross with the torch : 2 ---------------------------------------------------------- Total time: ::: 19 minutes Arvind said that they could save two minutes with another plan. I was sure there is a "catch" somewhere, because it appeared impossible. Did 1 and 2 cross earlier, and did 2 throw the torch from the other side? No, there are no catches, it is a purely logical problem to be solved just the way I proposed, but his plan would take two minutes less of time. How could they cross the bridge in just 17 minutes?

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Re: Re: [Fsf-friends] Participation by FSF-India in LB-05
by Kanti Jadia 03 Aug '05

03 Aug '05

hi, On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 Nagarjuna G. wrote : >Kanti Jadia wrote: > >>Hi Friends, >> >>Just sent an email to lb mailing list to get the status on participation by FSF-India this year. >> >>The name of the event is not yet known ( maybe in a couple of days ). >>This is the right time to align the movements in India >> >>Let me know your thoughts >> >> >Kanti, > >The only reason why we are not there is because the people in banagalore are not doing it. please organize among yourselves with fsf-bangalore and now you are quite a few motivated hackers, so you can get a stall at least going. I think the organizers will provide a free stall, if not we can pay for it. I would say we anyway have to spend on things like, stickers, posters, handouts, and make some money by selling CDs and t shirts. Maybe selling CDs may not be feasable. We can probably collect donations on behalf of FSF-India and give the goodies as gratis.Any previous experience here would help. Remember LB( the new name ) would have more than a couple of thousands. >But, FSF India wouldn't want to sponser an essentially open source event, but would want to be there spreading free software ideas around taking the benifit of the people who come there. I do not think it remains as an open source event anymore. What i hear is something to make it a premier FOSS event in India. > >Nagarjuna > Maybe a direct talk with the organizers would clear up the matter. Regards Kanti ----------------------------------------- Enjoy your Freedom,use GNU/Linux. http://www.gnu.org/gnu/why-gnu-linux.html -----------------------------------------

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RMS Interview: excerpts "Losing jobs due to Free Software"
by Praveen A 02 Aug '05

02 Aug '05

Hi all, In this interview Stallman addresses the much exaggerated issue of losing jobs due to Free Software.* Read the full interview at kerneltrap.org <http://kerneltrap.org> http://kerneltrap.org/node/4484* *<quote> JA*: What about the programmers... *Richard Stallman*: What about them? The programmers writing non-free software? They are doing something antisocial. They should get some other job. *JA*: Such as? *Richard Stallman*: There are thousands of different jobs people can have in society without developing non-free software. You can even be a programmer. Most paid programmers are developing custom software--only a small fraction are developing non-free software. The small fraction of proprietary software jobs are not hard to avoid. *JA*: What is the distinction there? *Richard Stallman*: Non-free software is meant to be distributed to the public. Custom software is meant to be used by one client. There's no ethical problem with custom software as long as you're respecting your client's freedom. The next point is that programmers are a tiny fraction of employment in the computer field. Suppose somebody developed an AI and no programmers were needed anymore. Would this be a disaster? Would all the people who are now programmers be doomed to unemployment for the rest of their lives? Obviously not, but this doesn't stop people from exaggerating the issue. And what if there aren't any programming jobs in the US anymore? *JA*: You mean what if all the programming jobs were outsourced to foreign countries? *Richard Stallman*: Yes, what if they all go? This may actually happen. When you start thinking about things like total levels of employment, you've got think about all the factors that affect it, not blame it all on one factor. The cause of unemployment is not someone or society deciding that software should be free. The cause of the problem is largely economic policies designed to benefit only the rich. Such as driving wages down. You know, it's no coincidence that we're having all this outsourcing. That was carefully planned. International treaties were designed to make this happen so that people's wages would be reduced. *JA*: Can you cite specific examples? *Richard Stallman*: FTAA. The World Trade Organization. NAFTA. These treaties are designed to reduce wages by making it easy for a company to say to various countries, "which of you will let us pay people the least? That's were we're headed." And if any country starts having a somewhat increased standard of living, companies say "oh, this is a bad labor climate here. You're not making a good climate for business. All the business is going to go away. You better make sure that people get paid less. You're following a foolish policy arranging for workers of your country to be paid more. You've got to make sure that your workers are the lowest paid anywhere in the world, then we'll come back. Otherwise we're all going to run away and punish you." Businesses very often do it, they move operations out of a country to punish that country. And I've recently come to the conclusion that frictionless international trade is inherently a harmful thing, because it makes it too easy for companies to move from one country to another. We have to make that difficult enough that each company can be stuck in some country that can regulate it. The book *No Logo* explains that the Philippines have laws that protect labor standards, but these laws count for nothing any more. They decided to set up "enterprise zones" - that's the euphemism they used for "sweat shop zones" - where companies are exempt from these rules for the first two years. And as a result, no company lasts for more than two years. When their exemption runs out, the owners shut it down and they start another. *</quote> Read the full interview at kerneltrap.org <http://kerneltrap.org> http://kerneltrap.org/node/4484 *-- "GNU is the system, and Linux is the kernel." A proud GNU user http://www.gnu.org My Weblog at http://www.pravi.co.nr Rediscover the web ! Get firefox at http://www.getfirefox.com Please avoid sending me Word or PowerPoint attachments See http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html

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Low cost PC from HCL based on Linux kernel, research center ...
by Ramanraj K 02 Aug '05

02 Aug '05

A PC for Rs. 9,990 from HCL based on the Linux kernel is now available. More info at: http://www.business-standard.com/iceworld/storypage_link.php?chklogin=N&aut…

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Fsf-friends August 2005