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3393 discussions

Invitation to become a FSF Member ...
by Tarun Gaur 30 Nov '02

30 Nov '02

Hi Ajith, It is really wonderful to know of your work. I think you can lead the way and help us get some insights into making linux easier and easier. I am really excited on knowing what you have done ? Maybe we can associate and i can promote your work in Delhi, Bangalore and pune. I operate out of these three places. Can you give me any URL on any website where i could read about your work. If i recollect well, you said that you are not a member of FSF forums. We will be honoured to have your views on a regular basis for the entire FSF community. Infact your work can lead the way. i am working on some enterprise software where you could help me configure linux for the specific purposes. It'll be a great help from your side. With regards, tarun gaur _________________________________________________________________ Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail

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(no subject)
by Tarun Gaur 30 Nov '02

30 Nov '02

Hi Friends, I feel great that i have been able to induce the need for Constructive Criticism into our forum. This sets our focus on identifying the problems and then working on them for betterment of the brave GNU world. Friends, i will quote a small example on how keeping a close tab on competetion can help. The place where I am working, we are developing a complete replacement of .NET on GNU/Linux. Now I and some of my collegues have been keeping a close tab on what Microsoft has been doing and where they stand today. Now we tried to pick up information from all the possible sources, we could lay hands on plus our exposure to MS technologies over the years helped. (I was using their products since the Windows 16 bit days), so its like seen it all. And then i have a habit of closely watching all the speeches, articles and books of guys like Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. I also keep a tab on the research projets at Microsoft, IBM, HP, Intel, Major US Universities. Now we started our research ... and came to some very wonderful conclusions. - If Windows 95 can be inspired from Mac 89, why cant our interfaces make use of all the research done by Microsoft on interfaces. This is like giving them their cake on their face. - Microsoft's strength has been "ease of use" of their software, with 2000 servers and .NET they are coming into enterprise world. .NET is not that easy after all, though not that difficult too. - Microsoft cant afford to do away with Windows OS but still Bill Gates picks up 21% stake in COREL LINUX. corel is working on desktop linux. - Our research said ... If you want to be a serious contender in the global market with .NET, ... keep it easy. And I wrote a POEM ... I call it.. "MAKE IT EASY YAAR" " BE AWARE OF THE NEED, ISOLATE THE PROBLEM, DONT REINVENT THE WHEEL, AND THEN SEE, WHAT YOU FEEL, MAKE IT EASY FOR YOUR BOSS, YOU WILL NEVER GET A TOSS, MAKE IT EASY FOR THE DEVELOPER, YOU ARE SURE TO EARN A FOLLOWER, MAKE IT EASY FOR THE USER, YOU WILL NEVER BE A LOSER. NOW, WORK IN YOUR MILL, AND GO IN FOR THE KILL, BE SURE, IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME, BEFORE THEIR WOUNDS HEAL, AND THEN SEE, WHAT THEY FEEL. Now, the point is awareness is the key to knowledge and knowledge is a key to wisdom. AND FOR US WISDOM SAYS ... Keep it easy. Now, praising others for good work is not bad after all. We can praise the Work of some good companies on our forum and learn from it to improve our software. Leave you with this thought, Free software for the brave GNU world. Regards, Tarun Gaur _________________________________________________________________ Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail

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Microsoft's shared source... a query
by Frederick Noronha 30 Nov '02

30 Nov '02

See the programme for Linux Bangalore 2002 (Dec 3-5) at http://linux-bangalore.org/2002/schedules Interestingly, Microsoft's Tarun Anand also speaks on 'Shared Source: Implementation of .NET'. Just a query, how does this concept of 'shared source' compare with GNU/Free Software or Open Source licences? FN

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Good s/w promotes ideology on its own ... we can help for sure
by Tarun Gaur 29 Nov '02

29 Nov '02

Hi Ajith, By the likes of it, it seems that you are quite senior to me when it comes to the industry. As far as linux goes, i think i am my self a sort of vetran. Now, I totally agree with you that criticism alone cannot improve things. But friend , the ideology is based on how well it can be accepted by the masses and anything inferior is not generally accepted ( though we may quote exceptions, but remember exceptions are always in minority ). Now "inferior" is a relative term. Something that may not be inferior at BARC (for scientists) may be inferior for the masses (because the needs are different). I have never doubted our ability to write wonderful software. But we have ignored the "interfaces" for the masses for too long. I am sure Richard Stallman agrees. Now, you have yourself mentioned that FSF is currently worrying about helping school children take on GNU/Linux. Now, lets just for a moment pause and ponder over the needs of these kids and put our software on test. Now lets forget the problems, lets try and find answers. As far as the ideology goes, it is spreading and will spread even more the moment we start touching the masses. Projects like Gnome and KDE have taken giant strides in the direction. But there is scope of improvement. Now, to put this point thru i need help of people like you to endorse the fact that we need to improve the interfaces, we need to consolidate the services on GNU/Linux, we need to simplify the structure etc and believe me, we are all set to push Microsoft software to a corner if not oblivion. Look at the current scenario, - microsoft is in a transition phase - We are real good at Server side solutions - They are consolidating their servers - We are working on GUIs Now, we know it is peanuts for people to write Desktop versions of Operating System who are good at Enterprise Servers. Desktops touch the masses and this world belongs to masses as masses are in MAJORITY. Now friends, Let us all contribute. Let us do our bits and be sure we will reign supreme. A Dream of an ideology reigning supreme is not that bad after all. Free software for the brave GNU World. With regards, Tarun Gaur >From: Ajith Kumar <ajith(a)nsc.ernet.in> >To: Tarun Gaur <gaur_tarun(a)hotmail.com> >Subject: Re: [Fsf-friends] Read Richard Stallman's mail >Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2002 14:33:13 +0530 > >Tarun Gaur wrote: > > > Hi Mr. Ajith > > > > I am shocked at the way you have interpreted my quest for ever >improvement. > > According to your interpretation, all the CRITICS carry some kind of > > infiriority complex ? Brother, i am just asking all my friends to >improve. I > > will quote Richard Stallman's mail posted on fsf-friends, where he says >that > > common user has to be taken serious care of. > >First of all i am not an FSF member. I have used GNU/Linux for >applications >like >particle accelerator control and physics experiments. Nuclear Science >Centre's >control system runs on a network of 6 machines , 24 hours 365 days and I am >yet >to see a >'hanging' OS , running redhat 5.2 distro. I developed it 5 years ago. >We have a Data Acquisition System that is fastest among the other labs >like >BARC etc., >done in Linux. Almost the entire organization uses it for communication, >office work etc. > >I know that it is not perfect. I myself face a lot of problems when try to >convince people to >use it. I had a talk with RMS when he visited NSC in March. He asked me to >give more stress >on spreading the ideology than trying to get more people just using Free >Software. >I spend a lot of time and energy to help schools to use GNU/Linux. >The point is we should not project weaknesses alone, the stregths also >should >be projected at the >same time. > >As far as I know FSF is mainly worrying about how to get the schools in >Kerala to use Free Software. > >with regards > >Ajith _________________________________________________________________ Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963

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Re: [bytesforall_readers] INDIA: Memo from the Free Software Users' Group, Kochi.... (fwd)
by Frederick Noronha 29 Nov '02

29 Nov '02

This came up on BytesForAll mailing list. Sending it to FSF too. FN ---------- Forwarded message ---------- As one who was involved in the initial stages of IT@SCHOOL project (but by no means connected to the recent developments) I found it interesting to read the lengthy Memorandum and is keen to know the response from the government side on the issues raised. In this context I would request all the other Free Software Users' Groups in the state to work closely on the issue. With my little experience with the government I think the government would be looking for practicable and implementable ideas.Therefore the suggestions should also conform to that .In any case we need to pursue this.It would be fruitful to hold a meeting of people who are interested , for charting out workable strategies. I can take an initiative in that. Looking forward to response from other user groups MOHAN DAS

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Read Richard Stallman's mail
by Tarun Gaur 29 Nov '02

29 Nov '02

Hi Mr. Ajith I am shocked at the way you have interpreted my quest for ever improvement. According to your interpretation, all the CRITICS carry some kind of infiriority complex ? Brother, i am just asking all my friends to improve. I will quote Richard Stallman's mail posted on fsf-friends, where he says that common user has to be taken serious care of. I have failed to understand why cant we take criticism in the right spirit. Are we so closed in our thinking? Friend i am not bothered about what has been achieved by FSF. I am really curious on how we can improve more. I am very proud of what has been achieved by FSF and am equally aware of where we are lacking. Now please dont tell be that we are perfect. THERE IS A LOT OF SCOPE OF IMPROVEMENT and I am doing my bit for it in 3 projects at GNU. My criticism has been taken very well at the global forums. Our Indian fourm is the only place where some people are taking a negative view of it. Brothers please cool down, this is a quest for improvement not any kind of infiriority complex. i would be really proud to have someone from FSF-India contribute a mainstream or futuristic project and make it to GNU/Linux OS. Be sure i am working on some projects myself. At the end, It is really easy to judge and comment, but really difficult to contribute. lets worry about contributing. Be sure i am doing my bit. regards, Tarun Gaur >From: Ajith Kumar <ajith(a)nsc.ernet.in> >To: Tarun Gaur <gaur_tarun(a)hotmail.com> >Subject: Re: [Fsf-friends] (no subject) >Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 11:29:35 +0530 > >Tarun Gaur wrote: > > > Dear friend Suraj, > > > > We live in a world that moves at a very fast pace. In today's world, >people > > value quality over price in most of the situations. And yes cost of > > ownership does matter, but never at the price of quality. > > > > Now, we are evangalists supporting the same movement. A movement that >brings > > people and ideas togather to create free software. It intends to > > realize the vision of a genius called Richard Stallman. > > > > but friend, I have some questions for you. > > > > Do Richard Stallman and GNU ask us not to praise and be aware of what is > > happening in the properietary world ? > > > > Are we hampered by any force to write software as good as the >properietary > > world ? > >I think you have some inferiority complex about Free Software. There are >many >areas free software is better than >proprietary one. Just think about the recent virus attacks on NT servers >running IIS. >Apache fared better. > >we don't need to be that apologetic. Be proud of the good work you are >doing. >Even if you give the 'whole world' for >a single click some people will not be happy if there is not a LOGO of some >big >MNC. > >regards > >ajith _________________________________________________________________ Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail

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NEWS: Free software movement picks up in Doon Valley
by Frederick Noronha 29 Nov '02

29 Nov '02

The Hindu, Nov 26, 2002 [Some mixing up between Free Software and the Open Source movements, but interesting news nonetheless. -FN] FREE SOFTWARE MOVEMENT PICKS UP IN DOON VALLEY DEHRA DUN, Nov 25: Demonstrations of utilisation of free software (Open Source software) are being carried out in schools, colleges and other institutions of the Doon valley by a group of youth which recently launched a movement for software freedom here. Sharad Kukreti, president of the Sir George Everest Research Society, which began the movement, said free software was one that was free to copy, redistribute and modify. "It must be available as source code," he added. Kukreti said the finest example of Open Source Software was Linux and Open Office software. The Society has brought out the first monthly newsletter in India -- "Software Freedom" which is edited and published here by Kukreti. Articles and suggestions related to free software can be sent to india-hills(a)vsnl.com The free or open source software movement began in the "hacker" culture of the US computer laboratories in the 1960s. It was in this environment that Richard Stallman, prioneer of the movement, began his career in 1971. In 1985 he created the Free Software Foundation. Free software does not imply that it is free of charge but a user is free to redistribute copies to anyone and anywhere without any permission. Kukreti said Stallman was scheduled to visit the Doon valley in February. -UNI

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[ANNOUNCE] Devnagri/Hindi font
by Raju Mathur 29 Nov '02

29 Nov '02

India Linux Users Group, Delhi is proud to be associated with hindi_freehand, a Devnagri/Hindi font developed by Avneesh Chhabra and Shivaas Gulati, students of Class X in Delhi. Avneesh and Shivaas had the option of selling the font to Microsoft for a hefty amount of money. However, to their credit they chose to release the font under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) so that everyone could benefit from their efforts. Full information and download links at: http://linux-delhi.org/ . Click on the news story or the hindi text. Please send kudos and suggestions to Avneesh and Shivaas at: fontdudes(a)rediffmail.com Regards, -- Raju -- Raju Mathur raju(a)kandalaya.org http://kandalaya.org/ It is the mind that moves

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Re: [Fsf-friends] [OFFTOPIC] Three views on Free/Libre and Open Source Software...
by V. Sasi Kumar 29 Nov '02

29 Nov '02

On Thu, 2002-11-28 at 11:36, Nagarjuna G. wrote: > > Can you get me the name of this writer, and if possible email id. > > Nagarjuna The email id is at the top of this mail. Regards V. Sasi Kumar

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LINK: Query from Japan, embedded software
by Frederick Noronha 29 Nov '02

29 Nov '02

Would anyone be able to put a friend from Japan in touch with Free Software developers working on the embedded front? Sandor Markon <markon(a)rd.fujitec.co.jp> writes: "I am a manager of a Japanese manufacturer, involved with introducing Linux to my company since at least 5 years ago. My company is considering to start outsourcing software projects in India, and I am in charge of the initial survey." He will be in India in early December. If you know someone, please put him in touch with Sandor. Thanks, -FN

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