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Fwd: [ilugd] AGBM, and elections to ILUG-Delhi: Sun., May 3rd, 2pm, SIT-JNU
by Vikram Vincent 24 Mar '09

24 Mar '09

Maybe FSF-India can learn from this. +1 for ilugd --> transparent, accountable, democratic without diluting any core ideas, dynamic==potential for evolution... ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Gora Mohanty <gora(a)sarai.net> Date: 2009/3/22 Subject: [ilugd] AGBM, and elections to ILUG-Delhi: Sun., March 3rd, 2pm, SIT-JNU To: ILUGD main list <ilugd(a)lists.linux-delhi.org> Hello everyone, We will be having an annual general body meeting (AGBM), and conducting elections to the governing board for ILUG- Delhi at 2pm, Sun., 26th April. Anyone needing a postal notification should send me a request to that effect, including your mailing address. The meeting will be at the School of Information Technology, Jawaharlal Nehru University (SIT, JNU). For directions, see Area 5 on the map at http://www.jnu.ac.in/main.asp?sendval=JNUCampus Enter from the North Gate behind Munirka DDA flats, turn left at the T-point, and left again at the next T-point. The building on your right is the administration building which anyone should be able to direct you to. Turn in at the second right, and turn immediately left into the parking lot for the auditorium. The SIT is immediately behind the auditorium. Please feel free to call me at 9868527992 in case of any issues. The annual elections will also be held at this meeting, with Jyoti Bhargava <jyoti(a)jdesignlab.com>, as the election officer. Please send mail to Jyoti if you are interested in contesting the elections. The available posts are: President: Treasurer: Vice President: General Secretary: Joint Secretary: Member (2 posts): Regards, Gora _______________________________________________ ilugd mailinglist -- ilugd(a)lists.linux-delhi.org http://frodo.hserus.net/mailman/listinfo/ilugd Archives at: http://news.gmane.org/gmane.user-groups.linux.delhi http://www.mail-archive.com/ilugd@lists.linux-delhi.org/

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Re: [Fsf-friends] [FSUG-Bangalore] Fwd: [ilugd] AGBM, and elections to ILUG-Delhi: Sun., May 3rd, 2pm, SIT-JNU
by Vikram Vincent 24 Mar '09

24 Mar '09

2009/3/24 Harish Singh <kumar.harish.singh(a)googlemail.com>: <snip> "Bad people are elected because good people don't vote." Free Software Movement and projects like Debian et.al are examples of democratic functioning. Maybe by using these FS related examples people may apply it to the non-software world too.

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Re: [Fsf-friends] [fsug-tvm] Re: CPI(M) manifesto calls for promotion of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS)
by Anivar Aravind 20 Mar '09

20 Mar '09

2009/3/19 Santhosh സന്തോഷ് VS <everlovingyouth(a)gmail.com>: > "the Congress is left as the only major > national party which is yet to formally take a position on FOSS." > This is the reason for the doubt as the election here is > between congress and CPM > Clear that it is political. Otherwise which is the proof that congress is > not using it any where? I posted a Modified Version of Vinay's Mail. We expect Congress will also Support Free Software and Open Standards and all parties will reach at a common position on supporting Free Software A lot of positive steps are happened during UPA regime 1. Knowledge Commission report endorsing Free Software ( Now they have to take t to Policy) 2. 11th 5 year plan says FOSS is the only way to move forward to increase Computer penetration in india from 1% of population to 5 % percent 3. National Draft Policy on Open standards ( They have to Mandate it now) Negative : Draft Patent manual that tried to introduce software patents that will have a serious negative impact on small and medium software enterprenures in the country So it is the time for them to decide on taking credits of these positive moves happened on UPA regime by including the followups on their Manifesto. A short Note(personal) on CPIM & BJPs Policies (lets talk negatives) we can congress also in this list after their manifesto BJP's IT Vision Document seems to be from a techno-nationalist perspective. It envision citizen as a member of network society ( obliviously they will miss a lot of citizens who does not have the access ) which is under state surveillance. Access Question is not properly pointed in BJP's policy. it is more about access quality & infrastructure (ie middle class and upper class ) Also it omits Important issues of Privacy of citizen in digital spaces. It is talks about National ID cards (Biomentric? ) Cyber Warfare etc. It Also keeps silence about important issues like patents. But their adoption is very positive . It opens a dialogue space with BJP on Free Software Values. Now they seems to be only concerned about Digital security of the state & not about the citizen . Also there are critiques about practicality of the policy based on cost estimates CPIM's manifesto is little more progressive for me compared to BJPs IT vision. It focuses extending the idea of Free software to other sectors like agriculture & Drug Discovery. But is silent about Open standards. The strong point against new Public Funded R & D Bill (which allows state patenting of Public Funded Research ) and against US & EU influences in Indian patent Office i also good. So let hope All Political parties will have a healthy competition on Supporting Free Software. we can reach at a conclusion based on all Manifestos Anivar

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[Fwd: [FSF] Community-produced free software textbooks for GNU/Linux users]
by V. Sasi Kumar 19 Mar '09

19 Mar '09

Seems interesting. Anyone interested? -------- Forwarded Message -------- From: Peter Brown <peterb(a)fsf.org> To: info-fsf(a)gnu.org, info-press(a)gnu.org Subject: [FSF] Community-produced free software textbooks for GNU/Linux users Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:31:35 -0400 The Free Software Foundation and FLOSS Manuals are joining forces in a sprint to write a new textbook introducing GNU/Linux beginners to the command line. Join us as we sprint to release a new book by Monday March 23rd! You can participate in the online authoring of this new text by visiting http://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/book-sprint Community-produced free software textbooks for GNU/Linux users BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Thursday, March 19, 2009 -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) and FLOSS Manuals today announced a community project to collaboratively produce a new free software textbook for GNU/Linux users, with an text sprint to write the first title in the series, "Introduction to the Command Line." At the March 21st-22nd GNU/Linux conference LibrePlanet (http://fsf.org/conference), the FSF and FLOSS Manuals will be providing the space and technology to collaboratively write and edit a new textbook for free software users entitled, "Introduction to the Command Line." FLOSS Manuals' Adam Hyde said, "This is an exciting opportunity to work with the FSF and help build a sustainable model for the production of more textbooks for free software users. I encourage volunteers to start contributing text and ideas immediately. This new book will be available online for free download immediately after LibrePlanet finishes on Monday, March 23, and two hundred copies will be available for sale in book form from the FSF web site." FSF executive director Peter Brown said, "By purchasing a copy of this new book, supporters can help kickstart the production cycle of additional freely licensed, community-written texts for free software. We also hope that our collaboration with FLOSS Manuals will encourage more volunteer authors to participate in the production free software documentation". All material will be available under both the GNU General Public License and the GNU Free Documentation License, and all editorial contributions to the book will be recognized in print. Details are available at http://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/book-sprint About the Free Software Foundation The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to promoting computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free (as in freedom) software -- particularly the GNU operating system and its GNU/Linux variants -- and free documentation for free software. The FSF also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and political issues of freedom in the use of software, and its Web sites, located at fsf.org and gnu.org, are an important source of information about GNU/Linux. Donations to support the FSF's work can be made at http://donate.fsf.org. Its headquarters are in Boston, MA, USA. About the FLOSS Manuals Foundation The FLOSS Manuals Foundation (Stichting FLOSS Manuals) creates free, libre and open source software documentation for free, libre and open source software. FLOSS Manuals is a community of free documentation writers that publish free manuals about free software across multiple languages. By supporting quality, user-friendly documentation, FLOSS Manuals aims to encourage the use of this software, to support the technical and social revolution it enables. Media Contacts Adam Hyde FLOSS Manuals adam(a)flossmanuals.net <mailto:adam@flossmanuals.net> http://www.flossmanuals.net/about http://www.booksprint.info Peter Brown Executive Director Free Software Foundation +1 (617) 542 5942 x25 campaigns(a)fsf.org <mailto:campaigns@fsf.org> _______________________________________________ info-fsf mailing list info-fsf(a)gnu.org http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/info-fsf -- V. Sasi Kumar Free Software Foundation of India Please visit http://swatantryam.blogspot.com

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Fwd: [ilugd] CPI(M) manifesto calls for promotion of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS)
by Vikram Vincent 19 Mar '09

19 Mar '09

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Raj Mathur <raju(a)linux-delhi.org> Date: 2009/3/19 Subject: Re: [ilugd] CPI(M) manifesto calls for promotion of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) To: ilugd(a)lists.linux-delhi.org On Wednesday 18 Mar 2009, vinay ವಿನಯ್ wrote: > The CPI(M) manifesto released on the 16th of March calls for the > promotion of FOSS. The manifesto can be accessed at > http://www.cpim.org/manifesto.pdf > > Following are some of the highlights of the policy - > - Promoting FOSS and other such new technologies, which are free from > monopoly ownership through copyrights or patents; > - Revamping the functioning of the Patent offices to ensure strict > adherence to the Indian Patent Act; Stop training and orientation of > Indian Patent office personnel by the US and European Patent offices I wish they'd also explicitly mentioned revamping the school IT syllabus. OTOH, it's great we have at least one more party with a stated vision that encompasses FOSS -- now everything else being equal I'd toss a coin and vote for either BJP or CP/M ;) Digression... I don't recall the BJP stating a position on patents in agriculture and pharmaceuticals yet. However, at the risk of being forever banned from this list, I believe that openness and transparency in those sectors is orders of magnitude more critical than some piddly little software patent and FOSS vs proprietary software debate that only affects a few of us elite types. People dying because of lack of food, farmers unable to use the seeds of their crop for their next sowing, patients not receiving treatment since they cannot afford patent-encumbered medicines -- these are issues that make intellectual debates about software seem as relevant as a dispute in a kids games of marbles during all-out nuclear conflict. From that point of view, thank you CP/M for at least mentioning patents in agriculture on page 16. OldMonk's Thought of the Day: No one died because of proprietary software. </digression> Regards, -- Raju -- Raj Mathur raju(a)kandalaya.org http://kandalaya.org/ GPG: 78D4 FC67 367F 40E2 0DD5 0FEF C968 D0EF CC68 D17F PsyTrance & Chill: http://schizoid.in/ || It is the mind that moves _______________________________________________ ilugd mailinglist -- ilugd(a)lists.linux-delhi.org http://frodo.hserus.net/mailman/listinfo/ilugd Archives at: http://news.gmane.org/gmane.user-groups.linux.delhi http://www.mail-archive.com/ilugd@lists.linux-delhi.org/

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CPIM Supports Free Software in Their Manifesto
by Anivar Aravind 19 Mar '09

19 Mar '09

Dear All, The political support for Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) continues to increase. The CPI(M) manifesto released on the 16th of March calls for the promotion of FOSS. The manifesto can be accessed at http://www.cpim.org/manifesto.pdf Following are some of the highlights of the policy - • Promoting free software and other such new technologies, which are free from monopoly ownership through copyrights or patents; • Scrapping the Public Funded R&D Bill, that seeks to allow patenting of products that are developed through public funded laboratories • Revamping the functioning of the Patent offices to ensure strict adherence to the Indian Patent Act; Stop training and orientation of Indian Patent office personnel by the US and European Patent offices With key parties from both the left and the right end of the political spectrum endorsing FOSS, the Congress is left as the only major national party which is yet to formally take a position on FOSS. One hopes that the Congress too will soon extend its support for free software when it releases its own manifesto next week, and explicitly acknowledge the significant political, socio-cultural and economic advantages of FOSS over proprietary software platforms. During last UPA govt some initiatives to adopt Free Software and Open standards are already happened such as Knowledge Commission report supporting FOSS in Governance & Education, 11th 5 year plan endorsing FOSS to counter digital divide & National Draft Policy on Open standards for E-Governance. Also the threat of Software patents came up during last UPA regime. Hope Congress will continue the support to Free software and Open standards by clearly stating it on their election manifesto. Also the stand on software patents is also getting important . (See http://public-software.in/FOSS-manifesto for a call from the Network of the FOSS Community in India (http://fosscom.in ) to the political parties, to recognise the advantages of FOSS in their election manifestos). Thanks, Anivar Aravind -- Any responsible politician should be encouraging a home grown Free Software industry because it creates the basis for future jobs. Learning Windows is like learning to eat every meal at McDonalds.

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Posting on behalf of Karthikeyan
by justin joseph 19 Mar '09

19 Mar '09

Posting on behalf of Karthikeyan Shanmugam iamsjkk AT gmail DOT com. "Open access to scientific and technological knowledge is critically important to developing nations. The information technology sector and the free software movement have shown that new technologies and methodologies can be developed by cooperative communities without monopoly ownership – either through copyrights or patents. There is a need to develop similar ways of promoting “science/knowledge commons”, across many different scientific and technological disciplines, like biotechnology and drug discovery. The above is excerpt from XIX Congress Political Resolution of CPIM in 2008 Part II NATIONAL SITUATION Under 'Science & Technology' CPI(M) supports Free Software for a long time. If CPI(M) makes promise people can trust. It's NOT true with BJP,one of election agendas of BJP in 1998 is 'Swadeshi' BUT immediately after it came to power in April 1998, it follows the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank.BJP came into power with slogan of 'swadeshi'. Immediately after assuming power it announced the ExIm(Export Import) policy which shifts 340 items to the list of Open General Licence (OGL) imports which led to liberal imports. Today BJP may say it supports Free Software after come into power it will kick the Free Software and dine with M$. As Yashwant Sinha wrote 'Confessions of a Swadeshi Reformer: My Years as Finance Minister' some IT minister of BJP may write 'Confessions of Free Software supporter : My Years as IT Minister'. I do NOT want to discuss in depth politics here if you are interested please send me a mail, I'll send you a document what BJP did between 1998 and 2004."

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Fwd: [ilugd] CPI(M) manifesto calls for promotion of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS)
by Vikram Vincent 19 Mar '09

19 Mar '09

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: vinay ವಿನಯ್ <vinay(a)itforchange.net> Date: 2009/3/18 Subject: [ilugd] CPI(M) manifesto calls for promotion of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) To: ilugd(a)lists.linux-delhi.org, ilug-cal-discuss(a)list.ilug-cal.org Dear All, The political support for Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) continues to increase. The CPI(M) manifesto released on the 16th of March calls for the promotion of FOSS. The manifesto can be accessed at http://www.cpim.org/manifesto.pdf Following are some of the highlights of the policy - - Promoting FOSS and other such new technologies, which are free from monopoly ownership through copyrights or patents; - Revamping the functioning of the Patent offices to ensure strict adherence to the Indian Patent Act; Stop training and orientation of Indian Patent office personnel by the US and European Patent offices These above measures are critical to support the public education system, local economy and the knowledge commons and counter neo-liberal pressures that aim to privatize the public information/knowledge domain. The CPI(M) has been a traditional supporter of free software, the comprehensive IT programs in Kerala, including in the public school system (http://itschool.gov.in/otherprograms.php#6) is based on FOSS. With key parties from both the left and the right end of the political spectrum endorsing FOSS, the Congress is left as the only major national party which is yet to formally take a position on FOSS. One hopes that the Congress too will soon extend its support for free software when it releases its own manifesto next week, and explicitly acknowledge the significant political, socio-cultural and economic advantages of FOSS over proprietary software platforms (see http://public-software.in/FOSS-manifesto for a call from the Network of the FOSS Community in India to the political parties, to recognise the advantages of FOSS in their election manifestos). Thanks, Vinay. _______________________________________________ ilugd mailinglist -- ilugd(a)lists.linux-delhi.org http://frodo.hserus.net/mailman/listinfo/ilugd Archives at: http://news.gmane.org/gmane.user-groups.linux.delhi http://www.mail-archive.com/ilugd@lists.linux-delhi.org/

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Microsoft Fights back with FIRE
by Arun SAG 17 Mar '09

17 Mar '09

Many people has admired on L.K Advani's IT vision. It seems like Gujarat is making an U-Turn .http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/project-on-it-upgradation-in-schools-makes-no-headway-in-gujarat/434979/ <http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/project-on-it-upgradation-in-school…> Conflicts of opinion between education department and IT department. LOL MOU with Microsoft to aid teachers in teaching FOSS. (this shows politicians dont know a heck about foss, or M$ might have bribed them (if u sign MOU with software gaint you get publicity for sure ) ) ZD-net covers it extensively http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=3718 Find out who are the enimies to BJP if they promote http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Infotech/MS-top-telcos-may-be-hit/artic… Seems like microsoft is on FIRE BizSpark<http://blogs.livemint.com/blogs/incubator/archive/2008/12/17/microsoft-indi…> ,DreamSpark <http://www.dreamsparkindia.com> And Lot of Sparks to burn competition !! :( Just FYI Regards Arun SAG -- A computer is like air conditioning: it becomes useless when you open windows. <-Fighting 4 Freedom->

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Posting on behalf of Karthikeyan
by justin joseph 17 Mar '09

17 Mar '09

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