Hi hackers, The works for starting flag(FsF Local Activists Group)s are on the way. I mailed rms & as he advised we met Arun. The activities are currently going on by planning how the groups should be working.

The need for GNU user groups/Free Software user groups is true. People need local group to discuss and implement free software. I am facing similar problems here in NAGPUR(Maharashtra) also.

The current plans are *Arranging awareness classes of FsF both ethical & technical *Arrange the local activists meetings monthly *Promote the FsF distributions *Sale & support of FsF softwares & Documentations *Find out and use the developers for developing Free Software *Each flag is planned in such a way that they support Other Free Softwares (including other OS's)as well as the GNU/Linux *Each meeting will be having the discussions about the current activities in Freedom world & technical world of FsF *Cooperate with the lugs for promoting the GNU/Linux environment & support them to think about the freedom *Seminars on any of the papers either in the ethical (better) or the technical

*** MOST importantly maintain a Free Software journel containg the articles of budding FsF'ians and FsF 'Gurus' from allover the country. The journel may be an Online One for atleast a few issues & by analysing the stuff we can plan for a printed one

forum.gnu.org.in

We have started the primary activities at alappuzha district of Kerala. We are on the way to find out more members from alappuzha & now it's a 58 member group untill today. The activities are based around a GNU software training computer institute (JRS Academy*) and with the help of students from Cochin University College of Engineering Kuttanad. (Hope similar groups start all over the country.)

It is true that local Colleges and Institutions can be the hub for such groups.

Now we need the support of all the Free Software Community to make up official rules for all the flags* & further advices & guidelines.

The flags can be organized under the FSF-India banner and to me it seems the best. Rules /Guidelines need to be formulated so that proper communication can be established.The laws of the land also need to be seen so as to get Tax Free donations and other benefits for FSF-India and the FLAG's or FLUG's (Free Software User Groups)

The better thing will be deciding the formalization only after an active chat in the mailing list.

I would suggest a mailing list of fsf-india itself to cater to the FLUG's. This is emphasized since mailing lists at present tend to be a better methed due to bandwidth and other limitations in online forums. Articles can and should be posted to the forum so as to make the available at all times and an easy to read format.

***The articles are invited from all over the country & 'll be better if in TeX format. Send them to praveenskhan@rediffmail.com***

We people are having a daily meeting now & are planning to start the official functioning after the Pooja* (14th & 15th)days. Hope we'll be forming an idea before that HTH -psk

Regards

Kanti Jadia