A Glimpse into The FSF Conference - CUSAT

I am a fresher – in all aspects – into FSF. I feel my pulse mount when I see monopoly, the reason that leads me down here. I was back to my campus (CUSAT) last weekend when I came to know about this conference and had the honor of being a delegate for the last two days. But what I witnessed finally had to be mentioned about, at least to serve my mindset.

A Temple of Education – one like CUSAT – esteemed to be one among the best in the state has been affronted by some recent series of atrocious incidents happened during the Free Software National Conference - labeling the students and teachers of this prestigious institution as erratic and irresponsible, questioning their integrity and devotion. It has been raised by some 'former students' and some so-called revolutionaries who love to be addressed as the 'proprietors of free software movement, supported by a few intellects.

I, as an alumni and a witness to the roll of incidents take it as my obligation to comment on it.  The SFI and the CUSAT University Union is being blamed in the light of the recent incidents that took place. But the fact that it was SFI who first invited  Richard Stallman (Prophet of FSF) to preside over the Students Parliament which held on 2004 in Trivandrum and that it was the CUSAT University Union who made the platform for him in CUSAT is being deliberately kept under cover. The tradition of CUSAT B.Tech Students - has been put down! There was a time when they retorted the monopoly of the big players when the American Dictator was screeching Iraq with bombs - with pure rejection of sponsorships from big-names like Pepsi & Coke and moved into the court raising fund from among them to accomplish their Culturals & Sports.

Let's get into the nerves of this Novell Whim. Only two days before the conference started did the organizing committee get the sponsorship from Novell - the reason why Novell's name was omitted from the official website of the conference. Organizing committee is at an obvious burden for not letting themselves know who is pouring in such a huge amount – lack of commonsense, I must say!!! But its beating around the bush, let me hit on the nail - the fact that Novell's stall appeared in the exhibition only on Saturday morning while the exhibition actually started on Thursday, is the ultimate proof that sponsorship from Novell was confirmed only on Thursday or Friday. It is intriguing that even after knowing this one of the program committee members himself is raising the issue that Novell's name was purposefully omitted from the conference website. This has to be thought off amply.                 (To be continued as Part 2)

Regards,

Naveen