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Fwd: Rs 500 crores for computers in Gujarat schools
by Anivar Aravind 16 Jan '09

16 Jan '09

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Guru <guru(a)itforchange.net> Date: Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 9:32 PM Subject: Rs 500 crores for computers in Gujarat schools To: ict-education-india(a)googlegroups.com Dear friends, The article in Indian Express (provided below my mail) says that the Gujarat Government is planning a 500 crore outlay on computers in schools. Hopefully it will consist of ICT tools that teachers and students can use to create their own learning resources - both digital learning material as well as software applications/enhancements. This can be an opportunity for teacher educators, teachers and students to create locally relevant and contextual material. The article says the Government is indeed inclined towards FOSS (Free and Open Source Software). Hopefully it will also avoid spending on 'centrally created "high quality" content or licensed/proprietary software that teachers and students will be 'taught to use'. If we are able to get the large technology vendors off the back of school system, it will be half the battle won, it can then be possible for the teachers to have sometime and resources to figure out, with support, what ICTs could mean to them and their work. Such support of course, needs to be based on a deep understanding of pedagogy rather than technology per se. It may be worthwhile checking/discussing with the Gujarat Government to share some of our views as well as our Workshop outputs with them. I request those interested to respond or write to me off-list to take this issue further. regards, Guru PS - Microsoft offering Windows (operating system) free of cost to the Gujarat Government is a typical Microsoft ploy - no wonder the Head of the National IT Institute of Brazil called Microsoft a 'drug pusher' (see www.charlesleadbeater.net/cms/xstandard/Brazil_Open_Source.pdf for some unethical methods adopted by Microsoft) for this reason, offering the initial samples at little or no cost and then benefiting from having made the user dependent on their products. Even if the Gujarat schools get windows free of cost (which also means Microsoft Office is still priced), the students will learn only Microsoft products and buy the same for their own use, which means enormous externalised financial implications of this 'free of cost' decision... Hence as a guardian of public interest, Government need to both adopt and actively promote free software for the high positive societal impact, apart from the specific costs/benefits to them from the decision. *************************************************************** http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rs-500-cr-for-computers-in-schools/405217/ Rs 500 cr for computers in schools - KAMRAN SULAIMANI Posted: Jan 01, 2009 at 0038 hrs IST Vadodara: In a unique Information Technology initiative, the Gujarat Government will spend around Rs 500 crore to buy 1,50,000 computers, peripherals and LCDs to equip some 20,000 primary and upper primary schools in the state, over the next five years. The project will also include 3D multimedia educational content software, a cyber-based school management system to monitor school activities, besides providing the requisite IT training to teachers across the state. "Although we had done some technological upgradation in about 5,000 schools earlier, this will be the first massive effort of its kind," Gujarat IT Secretary, Raj Kumar, told Newsline. IN 2007, the state government had tied up with Educomp for Computer Aided Education (CAE) programmes under the Gujarat Council of Primary Education (GCPE) in 500 schools spread over 25 districts. Educomp had also trained around 1,500 teachers in computer literacy. Gujarat is now taking the cue from schools in Karnataka. The state government is inclined to go for free open source software (FOSS) for schools. "As of now, the government has decided to go for FOSS, which is available at almost no cost, but Microsoft too has offered to provide their operating system free of cost. It's up to the Education department to decide on it," Kumar added. The project will be on the build operate transfer (BOT) model. The state will not make the full payment upfront. "We will pay 30 per cent and the remaining 70 per cent will be staggered over the next five years," said Principal Secretary, Education, Hasmukh Adhia. "It's a huge project that could change concepts of teaching and learning. We will also get LCDs for schools capable of displaying 3D stories to help in science subjects," added Adhia. The state will also get funds from the Centre to upgrade IT infrastructure in secondary schools. Not only schools, but the government has also floated tenders to upgrade the Gujarat State Wide Area Network (GSWAN). "It has been seven years from the day we implemented GSWAN. Technologies change with time and we are in the process of upgrading some equipment," Kumar said. The state government wants network components at taluka GSWAN nodes to integrate with the existing GSWAN infrastructure for enhancement under the SWAN scheme of the Government of India. The state is also improving the leased line bandwidth in all district and taluka locations to integrate it with the existing GSWAN, it was informed. -- Gurumurthy Kasinathan IT for Change www.ITforChange.net Bridging Development Realities and Technological Possibilities Tel:98454 37730 http://ITforChange.net http://India.IS-Watch.net http://IS-Watch.net http://content-commons.in *IT for Change is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with United Nations' Economic and Social Council* --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ ** If you do 'REPLY', it will go to GOOGLEGROUPS. Pls user FORWARD if you want the mail to go to specific person(s) and not the entire group. To post to this group, send email to ict-education-india(a)googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to ict-education-india-unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/ict-education-india?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

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Marching Orders to FS Proponents: Similar experiences in Brazil, Argentina
by Anivar Aravind 15 Jan '09

15 Jan '09

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Similar+experiences+in+… <snip> It is not only in Kerala that free software exponents are seeing red signal in government. Last year, similar developments took place in Brazil and Argentina, the Latin American countries where free software movement has made a major headway. The ouster of M. Arun, special officer for International Centre for Free and Open Source Software (ICFOSS) and Joseph C Mathew, IT advisor to the Chief Minister, from their positions can be read along with the ousters of free software exponents from Brazilian and Argentinian governments. There were allegations that the expulsion of free software proponents in those countries was at the instance of Microsoft. </snip> -- 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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Re: [Fsf-friends] Fsf-friends Digest, Vol 16, Issue 35
by srinivas nanjaiah 14 Jan '09

14 Jan '09

some one problem tally 7.2 work in ubuntu instal posiboly ,and how to instal pls give the solution. On Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 12:00 PM, <fsf-friends-request(a)mm.gnu.org.in> wrote: > Send Fsf-friends mailing list submissions to > fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://mm.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-friends > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > fsf-friends-request(a)mm.gnu.org.in > > You can reach the person managing the list at > fsf-friends-owner(a)mm.gnu.org.in > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Fsf-friends digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Fwd: Vietnam to widely use Free and open source software (Mani A) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:08:07 +0530 > From: Mani A <a.mani.cms(a)gmail.com> > Subject: [Fsf-friends] Fwd: Vietnam to widely use Free and open source > software > To: Principal Support List of FSF-India <fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in>, > ilug-calinfo(a)googlegroups.com > Message-ID: > <78323d480901130638u512078a5va797750a8d19acde(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: sb <sobuze(a)gmail.com> > Date: Fri, Jan 9, 2009 at 2:54 AM > Subject: Vietnam to widely use Free and open source software > To: IOTA Public Members <iota-public(a)googlegroups.com> > > > > The Ministry of Information and Communications has issued an > instruction on using open source software products at state agencies. > > Accordingly, by June 30, 2009, 100% of servers of IT divisions of > government agencies must be installed with open source software; 100% > of staffs at these IT divisions must be trained in the use of these > software products and at least 50% use them proficiently. > > > IT divisions at government agencies comprise the IT departments of > ministries and government agencies, provincial and municipal > Departments of Information and Communications. > > > Open source software products are OpenOffice, email software for > servers of Mozilla ThunderBird, Mozilla FireFox web browser and the > Vietnamese typing software Unikey. > > > The instruction also said that by December 31, 2009, 70% of servers of > ministries' agencies and local state agencies must be installed with > the above open source software products and 70% of IT staff trained in > using this software; and at least 40% able to use the software in > their work. > > > The above agencies are requested to increase the number of documents > and information exchanged among them processed by the above software. > By December 31, 2010, all staff at these agencies must be able to use > open source software in their jobs. > > > The instruction asks IT associations to assist state agencies in the > implementation of this plan. > > > The instruction also requests that computer traders not sell PCs > installed with cracked software, but open source ones. > > Source : http://english.vietnamnet.vn/tech/2009/01/822425/ > ______________________________________________________________ > > Best > > A. Mani > > > -- > A. Mani > Member, Cal. Math. Soc > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Fsf-friends mailing list > Fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in > http://mm.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-friends > > > End of Fsf-friends Digest, Vol 16, Issue 35 > ******************************************* >

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Al Jazeera Announces Launch of Free Footage under Creative Commons Attribution License
by Praveen A 14 Jan '09

14 Jan '09

Lawrence Lessig, the founder of Creative Commons organization and Professor of Law in Stanford University, stated, "Al Jazeera is teaching an important lesson about how free speech gets built and supported. By providing a free resource for the world, the network is encouraging wider debate, and a richer understanding". http://cc.aljazeera.net/content/launch-press-release -- പ്രവീണ്‍ അരിമ്പ്രത്തൊടിയില്‍ <GPLv2> I know my rights; I want my phone call! <DRM> What use is a phone call, if you are unable to speak? (as seen on /.) Join The DRM Elimination Crew Now! http://fci.wikia.com/wiki/Anti-DRM-Campaign

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Fwd: Vietnam to widely use Free and open source software
by Mani A 13 Jan '09

13 Jan '09

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: sb <sobuze(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Jan 9, 2009 at 2:54 AM Subject: Vietnam to widely use Free and open source software To: IOTA Public Members <iota-public(a)googlegroups.com> The Ministry of Information and Communications has issued an instruction on using open source software products at state agencies. Accordingly, by June 30, 2009, 100% of servers of IT divisions of government agencies must be installed with open source software; 100% of staffs at these IT divisions must be trained in the use of these software products and at least 50% use them proficiently. IT divisions at government agencies comprise the IT departments of ministries and government agencies, provincial and municipal Departments of Information and Communications. Open source software products are OpenOffice, email software for servers of Mozilla ThunderBird, Mozilla FireFox web browser and the Vietnamese typing software Unikey. The instruction also said that by December 31, 2009, 70% of servers of ministries' agencies and local state agencies must be installed with the above open source software products and 70% of IT staff trained in using this software; and at least 40% able to use the software in their work. The above agencies are requested to increase the number of documents and information exchanged among them processed by the above software. By December 31, 2010, all staff at these agencies must be able to use open source software in their jobs. The instruction asks IT associations to assist state agencies in the implementation of this plan. The instruction also requests that computer traders not sell PCs installed with cracked software, but open source ones. Source : http://english.vietnamnet.vn/tech/2009/01/822425/ ______________________________________________________________ Best A. Mani -- A. Mani Member, Cal. Math. Soc

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nina sings the copyleft- film "sita sings the blues" releases in copyleft!
by mail＠swathanthran.in 13 Jan '09

13 Jan '09

Hi all, An award-winning independent film, "Sita Sings the Blues", has been blocked from release by the impossible demands of the copyright industry for old song recordings it uses. The producer aims <a href="http://blog.ninapaley.com/2008/12/28/sitas-distribution-plan >decided to release it under copyleft </a> in order to get it out. Also see more information at http://www.questioncopyright.org I was thinking of making some screening in my college too;-) happy hacking

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Re: [Fsf-friends] Mail text missing(partial) in Archive [Fwd: Comrades’ new-found love with IT]
by justin joseph 12 Jan '09

12 Jan '09

On Mon, Jan 12, 2009 at 9:08 AM, Nagarjuna G. <nagarjun(a)gnu.org.in> wrote: > Anurag, and Alpesh > > Can you carryout the upgradeing soon! Not sure of this... but i think upgrade won't fix this particular issue. bin/cleanarch in mailman source dir could be causing this. >From cleanarch: 20 """Clean up an .mbox archive file. 21 22 The archiver looks for Unix-From lines separating messages in an mbox archive 23 file. For compatibility, it specifically looks for lines that start with 24 "From " -- i.e. the letters capital-F, lowercase-r, o, m, space, ignoring 25 everything else on the line. 26 27 Normally, any lines that start "From " in the body of a message should be 28 escaped such that a > character is actually the first on a line. It is 29 possible though that body lines are not actually escaped. This script 30 attempts to fix these by doing a stricter test of the Unix-From lines. Any 31 lines that start "From " but do not pass this stricter test are escaped with a 32 > character. Diff of cleanarch in 2.1.9 and 2.1.11 show no change. Probably list admins on mailman mailinglists would have to report this and/or fix this(cleanarch) and send a patch. I have no clue about python by cleanarch logic looks unconvincing. mostly this is all fairytale :-) > > Nagarjuna > > On Sunday 11 January 2009 02:08:46 Praveen A wrote: >> 2009/1/10 justin joseph <justinjoseph007(a)gmail.com>: >> > Why are we still on mailman version 2.1.9 >> >> So many complaints about archive. I think we should upgrade. >> Archives are a very important part of a mailing list. >> >> -Praveen > > -- > FSF India > gnu.org.in > >

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Re: [Fsf-friends] Mail text missing(partial) in Archive [Fwd: Comrades’ new-found love with IT]
by justin joseph 12 Jan '09

12 Jan '09

On Sun, Jan 11, 2009 at 2:13 PM, Nagarjuna G. <nagarjun(a)gnu.org.in> wrote: > > Is the forwarded message the original message? Yes, it is. But even this mail which mentioned the problem and has the forwarded mail got truncated in archive: http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-friends/2009-January/006205.html The next message in this thread which I send mentioning the truncation, got archived with the forwarded mail intact.: http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-friends/2009-January/006207.html Wonder why your mail has not been archived yet. Did mailman get fed up with those long threads :-) > > Nagarjuna > > On Saturday 10 January 2009 22:00:02 justin joseph wrote: >> The mail archive for fsf-friends has partial text missing for my >> mail. >> >> Refer the link below(the original mail is forwarded with this >> mail): >> http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-friends/2009-January/006182.htm >>l >> >> The reply to which can be seen here: >> http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-friends/2009-January/006185.htm >>l >> >> The reply-to-reply can be seen here: >> http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-friends/2009-January/006187.htm >>l >> >> The mail in the _FIRST_ archive link has all text missing. This >> is also evident by comparing the three archive links. >> >> I compose in plain text. List admins, why has this happened? >> >> -justin >> >> >> >> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> From: justin joseph <justinjoseph007(a)gmail.com> >> Date: Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 10:23 AM >> Subject: Re: [Fsf-friends] Comrades' new-found love with IT >> To: Anivar Aravind <anivar.aravind(a)gmail.com> >> Cc: haynes davis <haynesdavis(a)gmail.com>, fsf-friends >> <fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in> >> >> On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 4:15 PM, Anivar Aravind > <anivar.aravind(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> > On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 2:21 PM, haynes davis > <haynesdavis(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> >> right now non-cpim is a big vacuum regarding free software as >> >> far as political and government support is considered. Why our >> >> struggle does not seem to be productive in the other states and >> >> the central government? >> > >> > And Left's adoption of Free Software Policy in Kerala is also a >> > logical follow up of various actions & discussions initiated by >> > Free Software Activists. Even the decision to adopt Free >> > Software in IT@School was decided in an SCERT meeting (with the >> > support of 85% of teachers) much before 2006 elections. But the >> > govt came after election got the political advantage of this >> > decision. and we are very happy about that because they are also >> > helping FS movement by adopting new policies . >> >> From >> http://blue-gnu.biz/content/fsf_india_039_s_impact_far_reaching >> >> Answering to question "Can you tell me some of the key events that >> have brought FSF India to the present?" >> >> Sasi Kumar _also_ said: >> >> "This was supported by other organisations also, especially the >> Kerala School Teachers' Association and the then Opposition Leader >> (current Chief Minister) Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan. As a consequence >> of these pressures, the textbook was changed in the second year to >> include Free Software also. Eventually, the government decided to >> use exclusively Free Software in schools. Thus Kerala became the >> first state in the country (and possibly in the world) to use >> exclusively Free Software in schools." >> >> Anivar, you are also talking binary. "Left" on one side and "Free >> Software activists" on other side. >> Are you saying that the _Kerala School Teachers Association_ (your >> (teachers)are entirely composed of free software >> activists and that V.S Achuthanandan was also a "free software >> activist" >> >> Out of the four gains that Sasi kumar has mentioned in his answer, >> he gives credit to left parties directly in two. >> >> The other being: >> >> "The left parties, which are partners in the present coalition >> government, were sympatheric to our cause and expressed their >> views to the Minister. Eventually, the government decided to drop >> the provisions that were most harmful." >> >> Sympathies of the left parties does not come out of charity or >> emotion. It comes out of >> ideological positions and understandings. If there is no >> understanding of these then at least do >> not try and play a disruptive force in the left - free software >> alliance by suggesting that left and >> free software activism of kerala are _totally_ mutually exclusive >> and that the only interconnection >> between them is through "follow up", "political advantage", "help" >> etc.. >> >> > But when people are pushing Bush's binary logic of "Either you >> > are with us or You are against us" (only-cpim positions and >> > branding everything else as Anti-CPIM) we have to remind >> > history. >> >> It is better for the free software ecosystems that you stop >> playing its official historian. >> Report is a different thing and _history_ is a totally different >> thing. >> >> http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-friends/2008-November/005850.ht >>ml >> >> Anyone can be with the left and still be a free software activist >> and their contribution >> and the contributions of their likes, you have no right to >> appropriate as you wish and write histories >> as you wish. >> >> > Anivar >> > >> >> Haynes. >> > >> > -- >> > 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. _______________________________________________ >> > Fsf-friends mailing list >> > Fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in >> > http://mm.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-friends > > -- > FSF India > gnu.org.in > >

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Mail text missing(partial) in Archive [Fwd: Comrades’ new-found love with IT]
by justin joseph 10 Jan '09

10 Jan '09

The mail archive for fsf-friends has partial text missing for my mail. Refer the link below(the original mail is forwarded with this mail): http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-friends/2009-January/006182.html The reply to which can be seen here: http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-friends/2009-January/006185.html The reply-to-reply can be seen here: http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-friends/2009-January/006187.html The mail in the _FIRST_ archive link has all text missing. This is also evident by comparing the three archive links. I compose in plain text. List admins, why has this happened? -justin ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: justin joseph <justinjoseph007(a)gmail.com> Date: Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 10:23 AM Subject: Re: [Fsf-friends] Comrades' new-found love with IT To: Anivar Aravind <anivar.aravind(a)gmail.com> Cc: haynes davis <haynesdavis(a)gmail.com>, fsf-friends <fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in> On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 4:15 PM, Anivar Aravind <anivar.aravind(a)gmail.com> wrote: > On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 2:21 PM, haynes davis <haynesdavis(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> >> >> right now non-cpim is a big vacuum regarding free software as far as >> political and government support is considered. Why our struggle does not >> seem to be productive in the other states and the central government? > And Left's adoption of Free Software Policy in Kerala is also a > logical follow up of various actions & discussions initiated by Free > Software Activists. Even the decision to adopt Free Software in > IT@School was decided in an SCERT meeting (with the support of 85% of > teachers) much before 2006 elections. But the govt came after > election got the political advantage of this decision. and we are very > happy about that because they are also helping FS movement by adopting > new policies . >From http://blue-gnu.biz/content/fsf_india_039_s_impact_far_reaching Answering to question "Can you tell me some of the key events that have brought FSF India to the present?" Sasi Kumar _also_ said: "This was supported by other organisations also, especially the Kerala School Teachers' Association and the then Opposition Leader (current Chief Minister) Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan. As a consequence of these pressures, the textbook was changed in the second year to include Free Software also. Eventually, the government decided to use exclusively Free Software in schools. Thus Kerala became the first state in the country (and possibly in the world) to use exclusively Free Software in schools." Anivar, you are also talking binary. "Left" on one side and "Free Software activists" on other side. Are you saying that the _Kerala School Teachers Association_ (your (teachers)are entirely composed of free software activists and that V.S Achuthanandan was also a "free software activist" Out of the four gains that Sasi kumar has mentioned in his answer, he gives credit to left parties directly in two. The other being: "The left parties, which are partners in the present coalition government, were sympatheric to our cause and expressed their views to the Minister. Eventually, the government decided to drop the provisions that were most harmful." Sympathies of the left parties does not come out of charity or emotion. It comes out of ideological positions and understandings. If there is no understanding of these then at least do not try and play a disruptive force in the left - free software alliance by suggesting that left and free software activism of kerala are _totally_ mutually exclusive and that the only interconnection between them is through "follow up", "political advantage", "help" etc.. > > But when people are pushing Bush's binary logic of "Either you are > with us or You are against us" (only-cpim positions and branding > everything else as Anti-CPIM) we have to remind history. It is better for the free software ecosystems that you stop playing its official historian. Report is a different thing and _history_ is a totally different thing. http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-friends/2008-November/005850.html Anyone can be with the left and still be a free software activist and their contribution and the contributions of their likes, you have no right to appropriate as you wish and write histories as you wish. > > Anivar > >> Haynes. >> > > > > -- > 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. > _______________________________________________ > Fsf-friends mailing list > Fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in > http://mm.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-friends >

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Free Software a Social Movement yet ???
by Nidhin Sasi 10 Jan '09

10 Jan '09

With respect to Anivar's below mail : "*Free Software movement is a Social Movement. If some states realised* *the arguments raised by a movement it is the victory of the Movement.* *You and me are part of that. You can Find various examples of Free* *Software & Open standards adoption in Central Govt Policies, 11th 5* *year Plan, Knowledge Commission Report etc. On non-left ruled states,* *Tamil Nadu did some positive steps on Free Software adoption due to* *ELCOTs intervention. You can find similar examples from Other states."* * ** * *I did a study about Free Software in Public Enterprises of Kerala for* *SPACE in 2005 October & November (Before Left Govt coming to power) .* *It clearly shows more than 95% of successful e-governance projects are* *on Free Software Platform . Most of them were not political decision* *and silent adoption by the developers (Report is available at* *http://space-kerala.org/downloads/foss.pdf )* * * *And Left's adoption of Free Software Policy in Kerala is also a* *logical follow up of various actions & discussions initiated by Free* *Software Activists. Even the decision to adopt Free Software in* *IT at School <http://mm.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-friends> was decided in an SCERT meeting (with the support of 85% of* *teachers) much before 2006 elections. But the govt came after* *election got the political advantage of this decision. and we are very* *happy about that because they are also helping FS movement by adopting* *new policies .* * * *But when people are pushing Bush's binary logic of "Either you are* *with us or You are against us" (only-cpim positions and branding* *everything else as Anti-CPIM) we have to remind history*." Free Software has been mentioned here as a Social Movement citing the instances and its effect from Bottom rather than from Top. I am a newbie and don't know much about the history of Freesoftware Movement in India and so have my own indifferences or doubts regarding the above mentioned point, hence kindly correct my doubts or misunderstandings. As far as my understanding, Social Movement is taking the ideology to different classes of people and involving them too in the movement. Kerala is in the forefront of the promotion of Free Software from among the different states but still most of the students passing out from the Engineering colleges & Diploma schools are unaware about the so called Social Movement or the ideas they are promoting. Obviously they have vague idea about Free Software which many consider is the same as Open source. My question arises here that why the so called Social Movement was not able to create much awareness among the student community in a State which is in the Forefront of promoting Free Software? Why the huge majority of students still unaware of the existence of such a Social Movement? (May be this understanding could be wrong which I made largely from the angle of the students from South Kerala) I can infer 2 reasons for this. – Either the so called Free Software Movement has never been a Social Movement OR there are some serious flaws in the Free Software Movement. (There could be many other reasons also.) As a person new to the movement I can't deal with the second reasoning since that should be dealt by those who were part of the so called Social Movement. Regarding the first point, I would like to provide some thoughts as an engineering student from Kerala who wasn't aware of the Free Software Movement. There was never a technical session or a presentation or a philosophical talk by any of the people associated with the Free Software – Social Movement in my college. Neither did I hear about similar programs in other colleges. There was never any sort of mass campaigning or mobilization efforts I ever saw in my college or heard about in other colleges where I had friends. As I became associated with Free Software Movement I started to understand that the persons who were previously associated with Free Software Movement were mostly those were technically very interested or ideologically very much in synch with Free Software. Such an approach as far as I am concerned could never be called a Social Movement, it could only be called a Group or Forum of similar minded people. Obviously these groups could influence various govt policies due to their efforts but it definitely has its own limitations too. A Govt could not be pressurized to implement the policy unless there is a strong Movement from the bottom or else the Govt should be embodied with the very ideology what the movement from bottom is trying to campaign. Though there have been various discussions going on around, one thing is obvious how the Left govt headed by CPI(M) supported its cause in Kerala and has been in the forefront of promoting and spreading the ideas of Free Software in India. Due to this support by the Govt, many of the students atleast have a vague idea about the concept and about some of its advantages. But still unaware of the "Social Movement" which made the Govt to implement it! How the various fragmented free software groups were able to exert pressure or were in the fore front of such an initiative from the Top is still not clear to me. Also the mass movements in Kerala mainly led by CPI(M) were also supportive as Anivar itself mentioned "85% of teachers (mainly from KSTA)". Hence a blind mentioning of "*Left's adoption of Free Software Policy as a logical follow up*" is but trying to hide the reality. How "Free Software Concept" becomes just one of those in CPI(M)'s policies can be discussed detailed in a separate thread but certainly needs a mentioning here to show how it was not just an automatic adoption by the CPI(M) led govt. It would be better also to think what could have been the success which now the activists are trying to attribute to themselves, had CPI(M) not supported or promoted Free Software (which again is impossible since Free Software is naturally a part of the entire Left politics). If you take the different Mass Movements in Kerala such as students movement, youth movement, teachers movement, science movement etc were in the forefront of organizing people and to create awareness and to fight for various rights and issues concerning the people. These mass movements had a great role in creating the so called "Culture" which someone mentioned was the reason for the spread of Free Software in Kerala. Through Free Software Movement, our priority is not to create only "Users" of Free Software but "Creators" too. An example I can provide of AC3 (Slum Computing Centre in Bangalore). The people who took initiative could have just installed linux in the systems and taught the children basic computer skills. Would that have created them any awareness? But the members went above that and talked to them about Free Software, by involving them in campaignings like that against Microsoft-VTU (in which very few from FSUG, the sole representative of Free Software group in Bangalore participated). Even in this campaign there was very less participation from the members of FSUG whether for the ground level working for the campaigning or atleast their participation for the program. I have seldom seen anyone proposing to conduct classes atleast for those in IT industry and supporting Free Software Movement to make them more capable in the technical part. I have never heard about any such initiatives by anyone even for the employees in Technopark or Info park. Hence both IT employees and Engg/Diploma students are till now not mobilized or atleast reached to create awareness about Free Software. Then how can this be called a Social Movement? For mentioning it as a Social Movement we have to follow the approach of the other Mass Movements and going to as much as communities and sections of people as possible which is certainly lacking in the existing movement according to me. I have heard about the various projects undertaken by the Free Software groups but what I understood was that these projects are focusing more on certain specific areas and might make that particular project very successful or highly qualitative. But what about the quantity? How can we call the movement a Social Movement unless many other sections are still not included in the movement? Coming back to Karnataka, I find the society itself very different from that of Kerala especially on basis of the Social indices. AC3 was just one centre which we were able to know because some of the Free Software activists were also involved. What about numerous other such centres or slum areas? If some NGO is teaching them basic computer skills, those children are growing under restricted freedom in technology. How to reach them without a Social Movement and just through the existing Mail groups? What about the awareness FSUG is able to create among the Engineering/Diploma students & IT workers in Bangalore? Please correct whether my understanding was wrong or whatever I mentioned were not correct, if so kindly correct me. Thanks & Regards Nidhin

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