Fsf-friends September 2004

fsf-friends@gnu.org.in

26 participants
44 discussions

new mirror for bangla primer
by Tathagata Banerjee 29 Sep '04

29 Sep '04

mr.rajarshi guha of the kolkata lug has kindly added the bangla gnu/linux primer by dipankar das to his server: http://blue.chem.psu.edu/~rajarshi/web.glt.tar.bz2 thank you, mr. guha. - t. -- cogito, ergo es.

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Memorandum requesting Freedom of Knowledge and usage of Free Software at CSIR
by Dileep M. Kumar 28 Sep '04

28 Sep '04

Hello, Memorandum requesting Freedom of Knowledge and usage of Free Software at CSIR . More details -> http://www.gnu.org.in/csir_memo.pdf Regards -- ------------------------------------------------------------------- Dileep M. Kumar || dileep AT kumarayil DOT net || www.kumarayil.net Our future depends on our philosophy - Richard M Stallman -------------------------------------------------------------------

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Re: [Fsf-friends] Continuation....of Basics......
by Sriharsha Vedurmudi 26 Sep '04

26 Sep '04

Joe Steeve wrote: >Free software is not developed by careless developers. It is developed by >volunteers. Volunteers who love to program. Who love computing. These >volunteers cannot be compared with regular programmers employed in software >production houses. Here, the programmers are usually forced to do something >that they probably dont like. One of my friends working in Infosys hates >computers (He is a EEE engineer). > Ok, that clarifies my point. > He is programming today for a living. >Please note., there is a difference in programming for a living and >programming for passion. A passionate programmer puts his best effort to >make beautiful programs. He knows the trade very well. > > Exactly. A person who loves programming and passionate about it always strives for improving it and (I know) really does not mind sharing his/her software unrestricted in any form with his/her like-minded friends. >Have you ever used gcc + binutils + gdb. Do you think the people who >programmed that are "careless developers??". Please look into the autotools >(Autoconf + Automake + Libtool). That is not some mediocre joke. It is so >professional that even propreitary production houses shamelessly use it. Can >someone think of having a network of GUIs?? Did a "careless developer" think >of making the X so powerful that I can actually open two GUI applications on >a remote machine whose display comes on my terminal? Did a "careless >developer" develop Guile.. I dont see even one single "heavily funded" >proprietary software development house bring out something so smart and neat >as Guile. > > Looks like I am facing fury, I did not intend to offend anyone. All I said was there is a fairly good chance of computer-illiterate people getting cheated by malicious people. Coming to the concept of Digital Signatures, I have not seen for myself nor seen my administrators bother anything about digital certificates/signatures. "Find a link, download, install and use...." is a very common concept among the vast majority of non-software companies who are interested in using a popular software, if it is free. Now, dont you think that cheating such a company is easy? Honestly, one can mutate a program (atleast the C source code is in plain ASCII?) and then take the CD to that company saying he/she has downloaded that software and install it (and the company feels happy that their time and money is saved from getting used for downloading it, esp. if its large). The above is just one possibility (and I say so after having witnessed disasters caused by similar methods). My point here was that apart from promoting free software, it is also our responsibility (the free software community) to see that the public (i again mean the non computer literate) are not cheated by such people, therby creating a false notion about free software (which in-turn reduces the support for the struggle) I wrote all the above based on my personal observations and mindset of many people in business (non-computer-related) that I came across. I am very much in support of Free Software. I have just started working with gcc toolchain (after an initial port of it to one of our companies custom processor architecture) and it truely represents the Spirit of Programming. Honestly, I accept, I've never seen such beautiful software ever released from the software mafia (proprietory companies). I do hope to be of some help to the community that I love (even if my comments, out of ignorance sometimes, seem to raise brows of the guru's). Cheers and Wishes, Harsha.

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[Fsf-friends] Translation of "Free Software, Free Society" to malayalam
by Vivek Varghese Cherian 25 Sep '04

25 Sep '04

Hello Hackers, Iam presently translating Richard Stallman's collection of selected essays titled "Free Software, Free Society" to malayalam. Presently it is being manually translated, but we would like it to use fonts released under Free Software when it goes to print. This work will be released under the GNU FDL. The first section of translation is already underway and i would like to have the Free Software community's feedback on the same. My contact Phone Number is 0484-2780714. I will be available only after 9.00 PM these days on this number, and round the clock on weekends. In highest regards, Vivek Varghese Cherian Postal Address: 143,Girinagar,Kadavanthara, Kochi-682020,Kerala,India.

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Random Reflections by Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer
by Ramanraj K 25 Sep '04

25 Sep '04

I was delighted to read Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer's new book titled "Random Reflections", recently published by Universal Law Publishing. Some of the chapters issue out stern warnings that need to be heeded. In the chapter titled "People's Commission on Perversion of our Patent Laws", Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer writes in his inimitable style: "...the subversion of our national interest through GATT treaties will be condemned as brazen betrayal of people's concerns committing the country to global corporate commands. This humiliating syndrome has been called GATTastrophe and Operation Recolonisation ..... Patents are monopolies and monopolies are evil ..." Justice Iyer calls for shorter patent terms and regulation of prices of patented products, in public interest, particularly with sharp focus on food and medicine. He declares: "All our ayurvedic wealth, herbal medicines and tribal recipies involve no novelty to an Indian and should not be available for patentisation under the western illusion of glittering packages and trivial tampering". Justice Iyer finishes the chapter with the words: "People first, TRIPS next." I may add here that a clarion call to halt software patents from gaining patentability is also now becoming necessary even in India. At the end of the book, Justice Iyer pays rich tributes to Rabindranath Tagore, "a univerasal man, the humanist whose heart had no boundaries". The dangers of software patents have been voiced by RMS, and there is another voice from the distant past that is quoted by Justice Iyer in the book, that helps to visualise the dangers of software patents more graphically: <quote from Gitanjali of Rabindranath Tagore> `Prisoner, tell me, who was it that wrought this unbreakable chain?' `It was I,' said the prisoner, `who forged this chain very carefully. I thought my invicible power would hold the world captive leaving me in a freedom undisturbed. Thus night and day I worked at the chain with huge fires and cruel hard strokes. When at last the work was done and the links were complete and unbreakable, I found that it held me in its grip. </quote> NASSCOM is working to strengthen "IPR" assuming that it will make the Indian software companies an invicible power that can hold the world captive. The folly of the prisoner should serve as a good lesson to pre-empt inviting dangers home. [ http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/%3E/articleshow/829092.cms http://www.products.nasscom.org/artdisplay.aspx?cat_id=486 ] Let us never see the story of the prisoner enacted in real life. Justice Iyer takes us to the depths of vital issues facing us today, and gently guides the reader to the plane of clarity and denouement. The profound "Random Reflections" of Justice Iyer are very relevant, pertinent and timely to all who cherish freedom, liberty and universality. A profile of Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer, Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, is available at http://www.vrkrishnaiyer.org/profile.htm -Ramanraj.

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Re: [Fsf-friends] Continuation....of Basics......]
by Sriharsha Vedurmudi 24 Sep '04

24 Sep '04

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [Fsf-friends] Continuation....of Basics...... Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 18:14:53 +0530 From: Joe Steeve <joe_steeve(a)gmx.net> To: Sriharsha Vedurmudi <sriharsha.v(a)redpinesignals.com> CC: fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in References: <4152CE02.1040805(a)redpinesignals.com> <26026.1095965308(a)www1.gmx.net> <4153C2C7.60309(a)redpinesignals.com> Sriharsha Vedurmudi <sriharsha.v(a)redpinesignals.com> writes: > Looks like I am facing fury, I did not intend to offend > anyone. All I said was there is a fairly good chance of > computer-illiterate people getting cheated by malicious people. Hmm.. I'm sorry if it sounded harsh. But i wanted to make a point clear that these Free Software developers are usually researchers who are good in their respective areas. There is no way that people will get cheated. Even if a malicious programmer puts malicious code hidden in his program other community programmers will see this and warn the community. This is not a thing to be worried about with Free Software. > Coming to the concept of Digital Signatures, I have not seen for > myself nor seen my administrators bother anything about digital > certificates/signatures. Well, it is a sad issue. Coz, every administrator is supposed to know about Digital signatures. Its such a common thing today. See, my mail has a Digital signature attached to it which authenticates that this mail was indeed sent by me. > "Find a link, download, install and use...." is a very common > concept among the vast majority of non-software companies who > are interested in using a popular software, if it is free. Now, > dont you think that cheating such a company is easy? Honestly, > one can mutate a program (atleast the C source code is in plain > ASCII?) and then take the CD to that company saying he/she has In this case, no matter whether the software is a Free Software or a proprietary one, they will still suffer. I can take a proprietary program and modify it binarily and then give it to you. Again the criteria is that your company is believing me. In that scenario, you have no other go.. so, no matter whether you are using Free Software or Proprietary software, under these conditions you are doomed. > computer literate) are not cheated by such people, therby > creating a false notion about free software (which in-turn > reduces the support for the struggle) The Free Software people can warn about imposters. But they cannot stop them. I know of a company in my locality which tried creating a LUG to pull students into their training programme. The LUG creation was simply a joke to advertise to the students. The funny thing is people go for it. They need awareness. This awareness can be brought about only by making changes in the granule levels. I know how much has changed in my college after I stepped in. I'm not boasting. I want to tell that my choice has helped a lot of people around me. So will your choice. > gcc toolchain (after an initial port of it to one of our companies > custom processor architecture) and it truely represents the Spirit of If your company is going to release the processor in some product., please release the ported GCC. That would help a lot of people. :) Cheers, Joe PS: I'm not sure whether this mail will reach FSF-Friends. My mailserver is being blocked by the TIFR mailservers :( So, if it does not make it to the mailing list., please repost it on my behalf. -- A proud GNU user Homepage : http://www.joesteeve.tk/ Weblog : http://gnukid.blogspot.com/

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Re: [Fsf-friends] Free Software [~Solutions [was So what is the problem?]
by Ramanraj K 24 Sep '04

24 Sep '04

Ragavan Srinivasan wrote: > [snip] "Open Source" terminology is more troublesome than what the OSI can handle ;) Someone at ILUGC pointed to the link: http://www.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/09/19/microsoft.program.ap/index.html "Microsoft opens up code program" is not the same as "Microsoft frees up program code" "Open Source" is an hopeless expression that cannot legally, correctly or directly distinguish free from non-free software, without elaborate and contrived definitions. Of course, we cannot expect OSI people to abandon their "Open Source" terminology this evening, but they would have to write long essays why MS is not "Open Source", and hope OSI thinks of some other better expression . Have fun :) "Free Software" is without ambiguity or overapplicability: http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-friends/2003-November/001255.html http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-friends/2003-November/001261.html

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Fwd: funds wanted for bangla book on gnu/linux
by Tathagata Banerjee 24 Sep '04

24 Sep '04

forwarding a slightly revised form of the mail posted by me on fsf-wb and ilug-cal lists. ---------- Forwarded Message ---------- Subject: [ilug-cal] "Free Software Foundation - West Bengal" <fsf-westbengal(a)gnu.org.in> Date: Tuesday 14 September 2004 13:06 From: tathagatabanerjee(a)softhome.net To: "Free Software Foundation - West Bengal" <fsf-westbengal(a)gnu.org.in>, ilug-cal(a)ilug-cal.org dear all, as many of you may already know, dipankar-da (known to some as prof.dipankar das since he teaches economics at jaipuria college, but he has strong objections to this salutation) has written a book for teaching gnu/linux for the beginners-to-intermediate level. i have been one of the first readers of the book through its many revisions and fine-tunings, and know it to be a unique work not only because it is (as far as i know) the only substantial (a little less than 400 A4 pages) bangla book on this subject, but also because of its friendly and unconventional approach that simulates the average learner's first steps in learning gnu/linux. his tone is humorous, semi-serious and conversational, and his material is carefully researched and well-presented. as and when it is publicly available, this book should be a priceless possession to all who have been wanting to learn gnu/linux, but were rebuffed by language barriers or by the beginner-unfriendliness of texts commonly available. dipankar-da has decided to release the book under the GNU Free Documentation License, or some similar free licensing scheme, and the Free Software Foundation of India has agreed to publish the work. but this has become difficult because of a shortage of funds. it is estimated that it will cost somewhat more than Rs.1,00,000/- to print 1000 copies without compromising too much on quality. it was possible to cut the cost to this level mainly because dipankar-da has given up all royalty claims to the work. but even of this amount, only a fraction has been promised to FSFI by a certain sponsor. we need to generate funds of our own if we want to see this work published. the West Bengal Chapter of FSFI has taken on itself the task of organising the collection of funds to the extent that its limited capcity permits. on behalf of FSFI and FSFI-WB, i appeal to all supporters of 'linux', gnu/linux and Free Software on these lists to donate to the cause. modalities of payment and receipt can be worked out on a person-to-person basis, as soon as interested people contact me by e-mail or telephone. my contact details are given below. please DO NOT reply to the ilug-cal list but write/call me directly. fsf-wb listers, however, are welcome to discuss this on their list. also please note that we shall make every effort to repay the sponsors as we recover the cost, and given the unique placement of the book we can expect this to be a fairly rapid process. but of course nothing can be promised. profits, if any after repaying the sponsors, shall go to the FSFI. thank you. Tathagata Banerjee Co-ordinator, FSFI West Bengal Chapter. Lecturer in English Bangabasi College 19, Scott Lane, Calcutta - 700009. e-mail: tathagatabanerjee at gmx dot net tathagatab at gmail dot com phone: (+9133) 98301-66313 addenda: 1. a few chapters of the book are available for free d/l in pdf form at www.geocities.com/ddipankardas 2. a (full) pre-release version of the book is available on cdrom at cost price + shipping. you have to write to glt-mad(a)ilug-cal.org 3. an attempt is on to make the book available for free d/l at fsf india's website. 4. dipankar das makes the apology that the book was written and pdf-ed with the help of proprietary software, because of the unavailibility or poor usability of current bangla writing technologies using Free Software. - t. -- cogito, ergo es.

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Sasthrasayahnam - Science eve on C-DIT
by Manilal 24 Sep '04

24 Sep '04

Hello friends, Centre for Development of Imaging Technology(C-DIT) organizes "Sasthrasayahnam" on 25th September 2004. "Sandesamitra" - the IVRS software developed by Open Software Solutions Industrial Co-operative Society, Kochi will be introduced on this evening. Sandesamitra is completely developed in Free Software which will be a replacement for the much expensive commercial IVR(Interactve Voice Response) System. Software Demonstration by: OSS ICS, Kochi Venue: Freedom Hall, C-DIT City Centre, Statue, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Time : 5:30 PM All are welocme !!! regards Manilal

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Re: [Fsf-friends] Sensitivity to language
by Ramanraj K 24 Sep '04

24 Sep '04

Ragavan Srinivasan wrote: > While I would have loved to engage in a pedantic debate on the right > terminology and talk about the nuances of the english language, I > believe it to be more constructive to work toward understanding and > defining a process to foster the spirit of free/open source software > in India. I have seen many debates degenerate into name calling and > finger-pointing, and finally ending up missing the end goal (and > indirectly contributing to the FUD mongers). Nuances of the English language, or any language for that matter, are of deep interest to software developers in particular. Many programming languages, lexical parsers, tools and standards center around use of language, and fine sensitivity to language is an important pre-requisite for any kind of understanding. Using "Open Source" terminology to refer to Free Software in the principal support list of the FSF-I may be excusable, but for heaven sake, please use only "Free Software" terminology in legislation or other documents that qualify as records for posterity. To avoid needless confusion and errors, it is important to use the right terminology, but if this is such an unimportant and trivial issue for you, could you not gracefully accept the requests made to use "Free Software" terminology, and proceed with your "constructive" work? > That said, I just joined this mailing list and do realize the list is > for free software advocates, and if the majority are religious about > the necessity to restrict the discussions/debates to conform to the > strictest definitions of free, then I will refrain from posting here > on issues that may not lend themselves well to that definition. Should the word "free" itself be chained and locked up? Respecting the purposes, goals and objectives of this list is easy and not onerous. > Further, I have a simple goal in mind -- to educate, advocate, inform > and hopefully influence the decision making authorities in the Indian > educational and government sectors on the benefits and virtues of > considering and using free and open source software. I would like to > find like minded people to do this, and if this is not the forum to do > so, please let me know. We are a bunch of volunteers sharing ideas, hoping for positive changes around us. You may get lucky in finding like minded people here, just as the rest us who belive and practise the philosophy of love and sharing behind Free Software have already found.

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Fsf-friends September 2004