Fsf-friends June 2006

fsf-friends@gnu.org.in

27 participants
35 discussions

city planning--application software
by Kush 15 Jun '06

15 Jun '06

Hi all, Is there any site which rates open source application softwares in various categories? e.g. I was trying to find applications under town planning etc and I found only one working application software which has not been improved after 2004 or so.(looks like the development has stopped) The application is known as http://lincity.sourceforge.net/ and after playing it in ubuntu one can see it is entry level and not like the commercial simcity game. Still town planning is a very specialised occupation and it will become increasingly relevant as more and more parts of India get urbanised. Allowing such FREE tools in the hands of youngsters and the youth will only lead to better plans, debates, creativity and decision making as town planning impacts so many areas for a better quality of life. Its time we start thinking strategically on key applications such as these to make India and the world a better place. Maybe then such imaginative scenarios can be added to real gis maps etc. http://www.freemap.in/ is an effort in that direction (for the city of mumbai) but it leaves much to be desired as the data used is faulty or outdated. Kush

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Anthony Towns (Debian project Leader) Interview
by प्रव ीण् ए (Praveen A) 15 Jun '06

15 Jun '06

------------------------------ * Debian Projekt Leader Anthony Towns and his deputy Steve McIntyre give answers about the Debian project, the tasks of the Project Leader and future directions.* http://www.pro-linux.de/berichte/interview-towns-mcintyre-en.html An interesting part is about the relationship with Ubuntu. Regards Praveen -- "Value your freedom, or you will lose it, teaches history. `Don't bother us with politics', respond those who don't want to learn." -- Richard Stallman Me scribbles at http://www.pravi.co.nr

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Mobile phone companies join forces on Linux
by Prabhat Sandheliya 15 Jun '06

15 Jun '06

By Marguerite Reardon, <maggie.reardon(a)cnet.com> CNET News.com *Four mobile handset makers are teaming up with two cellular operators to develop a new Linux software platform for mobile devices.* Cell phone makers Motorola, NEC, Panasonic Mobile Communications and Samsung Electronics, along with mobile operators NTT DoCoMo and Vodafone, expect to announce on Thursday plans to form an independent foundation to develop a common mobile Linux-based platform. They will use this platform to develop new products, applications and features. Linux, an open-source operating system, is already available on a wide range of mobile handsets. Motorola<http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5772412.html?tag=nl>alone says it has shipped more than 5 million Linux-based handsets, mostly on smart phones, such as the Ming model shipped in China. In addition, Motorola just launched the new Rokr E2<http://news.zdnet.com/1606-2-6020722.html?tag=nl>music phone in Asia, which also uses Linux. The Rokr E2 will soon ship in Europe. Other handset makers have shipped a similar volume of Linux-based handsets, said Christy Wyatt, the vice president of ecosystem and market development for Motorola and a spokeswoman for the new Linux foundation. But until now, each handset maker has built its own operating system using the Linux kernel. This has led to a wide variety of implementations in the market, each of which must be tested individually by mobile operators. The six companies forming the foundation believe that by working together, they can build a common platform that will allow them to develop new products much faster and cheaper than they've done in the past. Mobile operators benefit from a common Linux platform, too, because it means they can test and certify one operating system instead of several. "While Linux itself is an open kernel, platforms from handset maker to handset maker vary," Wyatt said. "And when you look at building an ecosystem of suppliers and developers, it is difficult to support individual Linux implementations. Pulling resources from multiple companies to develop a common platform makes Linux more compelling." Details of how the foundation will be funded and how it will function haven't yet been released. But the goal of the founding companies is to develop and market an application programming interface, or API, specification; architecture; and specifications for third-party software developers. The foundation also plans to provide a test suite to assess and demonstrate product conformance to the specification. Other companies will be encouraged to join the foundation, Wyatt said. This isn't the first effort to come up with a common Linux operating system for mobile phones. The Linux Phone Standard Forum<http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1035_22-5947304.html?tag=nl>(composed of several companies, including PalmSource and France Telecom's Orange), the Open Source Development Lab<http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5895796.html?tag=nl>and the Consumer Electronics Linux Forum all have been working on efforts to define requirements or establish specifications. Wyatt said that unlike traditional standards efforts, the new foundation will establish a common software platform that all participating manufacturers will be able to use. "We're developing a complete platform," she said. "So instead of everyone developing products based on a published specification or standard, we'll be innovating and developing a whole platform with our peers." -- Prabhat Sandheliya --------------------------------------------------------------------- Promote Linux - Join mailing list : http://groups.google.com/group/lug-indore (Linux Users Group - Indore)

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FSUG Thrissur
by Pramode C.E. 14 Jun '06

14 Jun '06

Hello All, Free Software User's Group, Thrissur, has a new website at http://fsugtsr.org. Regards, Pramode ---------- Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.yahoo.com <br><br> Stay connected with your friends even when away from PC. Link: http://in.mobile.yahoo.com/new/messenger/

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Comprehensive guide to policy makers in governments
by doxa＠sancharnet.in 14 Jun '06

14 Jun '06

The new state governments are on the verge of drafting new policy directives. For those who have access to influence here are some classic debates (with inputs from free software community in Brazil, Argentina and Peru - according to the words of Dr Edgar David Villanueva.) The bill ---> http://www.dewtronics.com/peru2ms/free_software_bill.html (or http://www.opensource.org/docs/bill-EngTrans.php) Response to Microsoft comments ---> http://www.gnu.org.pe/resmseng.html CK Raju Thrissur

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Re:[Fsf-friends] Venezuela Starts Teaching Free Software
by doxa＠sancharnet.in 14 Jun '06

14 Jun '06

Perhaps being a partner of Ubuntu may help a little more in the direction. Please see http://www.ubuntu.com/partners/certification/pro CK Raju

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ELCOT initiatives
by G Sambasiva Rao 12 Jun '06

12 Jun '06

Hi, I would like to bring your notice that Mr.Umashankar IAS who is CMD of Electronics Corporation of Tamilnadu.He has been advocating for open source and has distinction of first IAS officer who openly advocating for the cause of opensource.You may refer www.elcot.com for more details.Many tenders which are going to float must be compliance to OSS standards. I wish to take your vital help and contribution in accomplishing his endeavour to promote open source in goverment.ELCOT presently seeking patners and open source groups in various implementations. Thanking you and looking forward to your reply. Yours Sincerely, G.Sambasiva Rao -- We should not allow problems to become master.Instead we should become master of our problems.Knowledge is solution of the most Problems. Empower your Self with Knowledge and Share it with others.

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Venezuela Starts Teaching Free Software
by Seth Johnson 11 Jun '06

11 Jun '06

> http://www.mci.gob.ve/noticiaingles.asp?num=585 Open Source Software Courses Set to Begin The registration process will be carried out in 330 information centers distributed all around the country. The courses include hardware and software fundamentals, as well as their use and utilities. This program will start on Monday, June 12. More than 400 thousand people will participate. A program to train over 400 thousand people in open source software - as part of Mission Science - will start on Monday, June 12 in Venezuela. This training program will be carried out by the National Center of Information Technologies (CNTI, Spanish acronym). CNTIs President, Jorge Berrizbeitia, explained that the first goal is to train the population that does not know anything about this field. The registration process will be carried out in the 330 information offices distributed all around the country. These free courses will last 24 hours. They will be completed according to the needs of each community. They include hardware and software fundamentals, their use and utilities, and the importance of information and communication technologies for communities. Berrizbieta pointed out that 860 people will participate as teachers in these courses. The CNTIs head stated that the second stage of this program will train over 300 thousand reservists on this technology-information matter. He also added that the CNTI plans to open other 230 information offices. This institution also will provide mobile information offices that will be able to reach low-income communities of difficult access.

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Bringing Free Software mindset to science
by प्रव ीण् ए (Praveen A) 09 Jun '06

09 Jun '06

Hi, This article talks about the initiative by *Harold Varmus *to bring Free Access to scientific journals through his Public Library of Science ( http://www.plos.org/ ) http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.06/varmus.html Cheers Praveen -- "Value your freedom, or you will lose it, teaches history. `Don't bother us with politics', respond those who don't want to learn." -- Richard Stallman Me scribbles at http://www.pravi.co.nr

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Kerala Python User Group Invitation
by Baiju M 07 Jun '06

07 Jun '06

Hi all, I have created a mailing list for Python[1] users from Kerala. All Python programmers are welcome to join the group. Please send this invitation to your friends too. http://groups.google.co.in/group/python-kerala [1]. http://www.python.org Regards, Baiju M

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Fsf-friends June 2006