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swatantra billing software?
by klak＠giasbm01.vsnl.net.in 15 Nov '02

15 Nov '02

-- Khuzaima A. Lakdawala

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NEWS: Gates threatening spirit of freedom -- free software guru
by Frederick Noronha 14 Nov '02

14 Nov '02

Gates threatening spirit of freedom: free software guru >From Indo-Asian News Service New Delhi, Nov 12 (IANS) Microsoft chairman Bill Gates threatens the spirit of freedom, the founder of the free software movement said here even as the world's richest man began a tour of India. Richard Stallman said in the Indian capital Monday evening that Microsoft and Gates -- who arrived here on a four-day visit the same day -- were perpetuating systems that threaten the freedom of computer users. Stallman was in the city to release his book "No Sir, No Monopoly! Free Software - A Perspective". Published by Prajashakti publishers, the book was released by B.K. Kcayla, convenor of the national working group on patent laws. Stallman, who has emerged as a symbol against everything that Bill Gates has stood for, is also the founder of the GNU software project out of which has emerged the Linux operating system -- available free or in low-cost software packages. Clad informally, Stallman seemed every inch the man he is reputed to be. After walking to the podium sans his shoes, Stallman said: "This is a struggle for freedom and independence. Non-free software, like the ones sold by Microsoft, divides people. "It is like not being allowed to share your favourite cooking recipes with your friends. One cannot exchange recipes, one cannot change the cooking nor does one know anything about the ingredients - that is the world of non-free software, developed by Microsoft. "It doesn't allow any software to be shared and one has to pay for running these programmes. In India, it would cost an enormous amount and a big drain on resources. "Non-free software violates the spirit of goodwill that is so important for human society and civilization. It is akin to the exploitative colonial system. "When Bill Gates donates computer systems to schools, it is like gifting cigarettes. It is initially free but when you get hooked you have to pay for it. Non-free software programmes are like that. It will be available free of cost but for a couple of years only." Gates is pledging a large donation to health projects in India through his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Said Stallman: "Gates is donating a small fraction of what he has squeezed out of computer users." "What India should do is to resist against non-free software collectively. The good effects of globalisation can come about only through the use of non-free software," Stallman argued. In India, Linux is used by less than 10 percent of the country's personal computers and server computers. India has an estimated half-million individual software developers. There are an estimated four million PCs in use in India among the nation's billion people. --Indo-Asian News Service

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RE: Writing a text book for Free Software
by Andrea Goetzke 14 Nov '02

14 Nov '02

Dear Frederick, dear Baiju, this is an assignment that could definitely be posted as an online volunteering assignment into our website. A colleague of mine recently recruited online volunteer advisors on Linux questions for our ICT volunteer programme (UNITeS). Those online volunteers answered Linux related questions of the ICT volunteers that were placed into projects via UNITeS, and that are linked up via an online community. She had mentioned that she got some highly qualified people involved into this assignment. - In order to post your assignment into our website, and recruit online volunteers from all over the world, you need to create a NetAid account first. You do this here: http://www.netaid.org/membership/join.pt. - After that you need to register your organization, i.e. "Create a Group". You find the registration forms either in your personal page (My NetAid, that you get after creating your account) in the right column ("Create a Group"), or here: http://www.netaid.org/groups/create_group_instructions.pt?ctx=member_home (you can only access this link after creating your account). - Please indicate in your registration that you are registering because you would like to post an online volunteering assignment. This triggers an alert to us, so that we can review your registration. If everything is ok, we publish your assignment the next day. - I encourage you to read all the material about Online Volunteering that we offer in our website: http://www.netaid.org/ov/index_html, especially the section for online volunteer host organizations http://www.netaid.org/ov/hosts/index_html, and the FAQ http://www.netaid.org/ov/faqs/index_html. Please don't hesitate to contact me for any questions, concerns, suggestions etc. Best regards, Andrea Goetzke -----Original Message----- From: Frederick Noronha [mailto:fred@bytesforall.org] Sent: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 8:20 PM To: baiju(a)sdf.lonestar.org; fsf-friends(a)gnu.org.in Cc: Andrea Goetzke Subject: Writing a text book for Free Software o Baiju M <baiju(a)sdf.lonestar.org> reports from the South Indian state of Kerala (November 2002, email): "We have required volunteers for textbook preperation in Kerala (9th standard). Please see: http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-edu/2002-November/000091.html Its very urgent, please come forward to volunteer." - - - - - - - - Baiju, I wonder if this could be a possible activity for NetAid, run by the UN volunteers. What do you feel Andrea? It's possible that someone out there has good GNU/Linux skills, the creativity and the time? A worthy cause indeed. FN -- Frederick Noronha * Freelance Journalist * Goa * India 832.409490 / 409783 BYTESFORALL www.bytesforall.org * GNU-LINUX http://linuxinindia.pitas.com Email fred(a)bytesforall.org * Mobile +9822 122436 (Goa) * Saligao Goa India Writing with a difference ... on what makes *the * difference >From Andrea.Goetzke(a)unvolunteers.org Thu Nov 14 00:45:54 2002 > Dear Frederick, > nice to meet you. > I think the tasks you are looking for volunteers for can be performed well > by online volunteers, i.e. volunteers who engage in the task from anywhere > in the world, through the Internet. > Online volunteers can do research for you on Indian language solutions for > computing, and maybe you also find an expert who can advise you on how to > implement/programme Indian language solutions. > Also, online volunteers are perfectly suited to research GNU/Linux groups > and to reach out to them, and tell them about your group, build links, > maybe build and moderate online discussions etc. > > You can find online volunteers by publishing your needs in the Online > Volunteering section of the NetAid website (http://www.netaid.org/ov). > All published assignments can be found via a search engine. The number of > people looking for volunteering assignments exceeds the number of > organizations looking for volunteers, so the probability that you findgood > candidates quickly is quite high. > We don't pre-select applications,but the applications are emaileddirectly > to you, i.e. the organization that posted an assignment. > > In order to publish your online volunteering assignments in the NetAid > site, you need to: > - First register with NetAid (in the "Join" section). > - As a registered member you have your personal "My NetAid" page. Fromhere > you can register the organization that you would like to publish > assignments for. You need to post assignments on behalf of an officially > registered non-profit organization. You register your organization via > "Create A Group" from your "My NetAid" page. > - As a registered, and vetted (this just takes 1-2 days) organization you > can go ahead and publish your online volunteering assignment in the site. > > If you would like a volunteer to get involved with you on-site, there are > possibilities as well. But how I understand your question, I think "online > volunteering" is the first option to try. Let me know if you are more > interested in the on-site alternative. > > Please also let me know if you have more questions. To get a good sense of > what Online Volunteering means in practice, and to read good examples, I > suggest you browse our site: http://www.netaid.org/ov. > > Greetings from Bonn, > > Andrea > > -----Original Message----- > From: Frederick Noronha [mailto:fred@bytesforall.org] > Sent: Saturday, September 21, 2002 8:05 PM > To: andrea.goetzke(a)unvolunteers.org > Subject: From India > > Hi Andrea Goetzke, > > Could you find volunteers who could (i) help us take further plans to find > Indian language solutions for computing (ii) help build links between > GNU/Linux groups in India and abroad? ...

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Is this true?
by Frederick Noronha 14 Nov '02

14 Nov '02

From: "Roberto Verzola" <rverzola(a)gn.apc.org> There is already an internationally-recognized mechanism for bringing down prices of proprietary software (in fact, all items protected by IPR). Any government with the political will can use compulsory licensing to permit third parties to copy and distribute Microsoft products while compelling that third party to pay royalties to Microsoft, at rates set by the government. WTO has weakened compulsory licensing, but it is still there; it just needs a stronger political will from governments. Roberto Verzola Philippines

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Re: [gscp] Goa Syllabus for Linux
by Frederick Noronha 14 Nov '02

14 Nov '02

Two points: (i) The syllabus does not need to be "Linuxised", it just needs to be made product-neutral and OS-neutral, and task-oriented. (ii) Secondly, apart from just doing the above, it also needs to be reevaluated. Look at the crap they're being taught in schools in Goa! I could easily volunteer anytime. But educationists are going to turn around and say that the syllabi was framed by people without a background in pedagogy. Apparently Dr Nagarajuna of the TIFR is working on collating comparative syllabi of different institutions (if I recall right... my 'hard-disc' is too cluttered). We need to see what the others are doing, and perhaps go in for a best-case practise. FN On Wed, 13 Nov 2002, Daryl Martyris wrote: > While Kerala forges ahead on developing a Linux computer curriculum, our very own Goa computer syllabus needs to be Linux-ized. Linux is de-facto being used in all the 18 schools we have finished setting up with LTSP, but we need a volunteer to go through the syllabus and replace the MS terms with Linux ones e.g. Windows with Linux, Ms Office with abiword, Excel with Gnumeric, so that it can be presented to the Goa Board. > ..about 1 hour's worth work..any takers..? > > Syllabus attached if anyone's up for this. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Frederick Noronha > To: Arun M > Cc: gscp(a)yahoogroups.com > Sent: Monday, November 11, 2002 10:53 PM > Subject: [gscp] LINK: Volunteers required for textbook preperation > > > This is for both English and Malayalam. FN > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > Section on Wordprocessing, programming, spreadsheet(partial),desktop > (partial) done. Materials on Freesoftware needs to be made so that it > can be added as boxes. Write up on tools like Dr Genius has to be made. > > More important is support service network. Arranging for training master > trainers. Providing distro CDs. > > > Can you put up the syllabus also, so that we know what exactly is the > > scope of the text book? > > Area & sub Area > --------------- > > * Word Processing > > + technological terms & tools > > > Curriculum Objectives > --------------------- > > + To open word processor > + To format typed text with an aesthetic sense and accuracy > + To insert clip arts and word arts appropriately > + To identify the situation where the templates can be used. > + To use template as part of the day day to activity. > + To edit and modify text and graphics so as to suit individual > situation. > + To insert table in a document, and format it. > + To select the most appropriate tool for specific task. > + To check spelling and grammar > > > * Spread sheet > > + tools and methods > + technological terms & tools > + practical issues > > Curriculum Objectives > --------------------- > > + To open Spread sheet > + To use appropriate &n various tasks. > + To identify most suitable method to navigate through cells > + To apply formula in a cell and bring its relation to other cells. > + To format cells and sheets. > + To apply logic in accomplishing a task. > + To aesthetically arrange a work book. > + To use graph and charts using wizards. > to enhance communication efficiency. > + To easily prepare summary and & statistics. > + To insert hyperlinks to other documents. > > > * Presentation software > > + tools and methods > + technological terms & tools > + practical issues > + As a powerful teaching and learning tool > > Curriculum Objectives > --------------------- > > + To open presentation software > + To use appropriate tool for various tasks. > + To identify the most suitable method to prepare > slides > + To insert and format texts in slides. > + To insert pictures in slides > + To insert word art on slides > + To apply colours,textures designs and pictures as background. > + To apply background designs. > + To use graphs and charts to enhance communication efficiency > + To use custom animation and sound > + To use slide transition > + To insert sounds videos motion clips etc. in presentation > + To insert hyper links to other slides, other presentation > and other documentation. > > > * Introduction to Graphical Desktop (GNOME ?) > > + tools and methods > + technological terms & tools > + practical issues > > Curriculum Objectives > --------------------- > > + Logging in to the graphical desktop. > + To navigate through the desktop > + To create a graphical file and save it. > + To delete, copy, move, rename and change attribute. > + To create a directory and move its location. > + To customize desktop. > > > * Learning support applications > > > Curriculum Objectives > --------------------- > > + To identify the power of the mathematical > drawing tools available in Dr. Genius > + To enable the student to use IT tools and applications > for effective learning and communications if various subjects > like physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, SS etc. > > > * Introduction programming. > > + Basic Elements > + Syntax > + Conditional > + loops, functions > + simple program > > > Curriculum Objectives > --------------------- > > + To understand basic elements ( variables, statements, expressions ) > + To understand basic structure of a program (syntax) > + Basic functions (I/O , Maths) > + Control structure. > + To understand iteration. > + To understand structured programming. > + To use programming for solving simple problems (maths) > and to write, run and debug simple programs. > > * Introduction GNU/Linux > > + History of GNU > + Ethical issues & free software concepts. > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Fsf-edu mailing list > Fsf-edu(a)mm.gnu.org.in > http://mm.gnu.org.in/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fsf-edu > > > Yahoo! Groups Sponsor > ADVERTISEMENT > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > gscp-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. > >

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NEWS: Gates says philanthropy not related to Microsoft
by Frederick Noronha 14 Nov '02

14 Nov '02

Gates says philanthropy not related to Microsoft (LEADS) By Mohammed Shafeeq, Indo-Asian News Service Hyderabad, Nov 14 (IANS) Visiting IT czar Bill Gates has said his philanthropic activities are in no way connected to the operations of his company Microsoft. "The (Bill and Melinda Gates) Foundation is something for which myself and my wife personally provided resources. It is completely independent," Gates said at a brief interaction with the media here Thursday morning. He was answering a question on whether his philanthropic activities were aimed at restoring the sheen that Microsoft lost due to anti-trust proceedings against it. "Microsoft has enabled us to do this but there is no connection between the activities of the foundation and the software activity," said Gates shortly after launching the second phase of a children's vaccine programme funded by the foundation in Andhra Pradesh. "It was our commitment 10 years ago that whatever wealth we earn we will give back to the society," said the world's richest man. Gates, who arrived here Wednesday night on a daylong visit, revealed that the urgency of health issues forced him to start the foundation early. "This what something I wanted to do in my 60s, but the urgency of health issues made me start this activity at a younger age," said 46-year-old Gates. He said the foundation has committed at least $1.2 billion worldwide to support the prevention and control of infectious diseases by either strengthening existing immunisation programmes or by developing new vaccines. --Indo-Asian News Service

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Link to... Association of Progressive Communicators
by Frederick Noronha 14 Nov '02

14 Nov '02

---------- Forwarded message ---------- Hi Frederick and everyone This is the first time I've heard the expression FLOSS :) FOSS yes, but FLOSS no, and it's quite good! Free/Open source software is really important to APC. Infact our own content managent system - the APC ActionApps http://www.apc.org/actionapps/ - which was devised to help civil society groups pool their content online and create shared portal websites - was launched under the GNU GPL last year. We see FOSS as a real and tangible way for moving towards attaining the right to communicate for all. In our "Internet Rights charter" one of the points is specifically on FOSS: Theme 4: The licensing and control of Intellectual property 4.1 Proprietary solutions and intellectual property: Policy and regulation that govern public access and dissemination of public information need to discourage the use of proprietary software and systems. Governments that make use of proprietary systems to disseminate information or for educational purposes, encourage others to purchase legal licenses or violate intellectual property regulations. This discourages local innovation and learning and enriches privately owned corporations, usually based in the North. APC calls for the use of open source and free software solutions. Working with open source options is empowering, it builds skills, is more sustainable, and it encourages innovation at the local level. Many APC members have been real advocates for free software and also open content since they started working online in the mid 1980s for some. Now I'd say our most avid advocates are based in Colombia and Ecuador. Others such as members in Brazil and Argentina tend to be more pragmatic than political in their use and advocacy of FOSS. As one of the technical directors said recently: "we will be happy to support and disseminate [the software as long as it is ] free to copy, redistribute, change, and run." Let me know what it is that you need for your study and I'll see what I come up with. I'd also suggest that you take a look at the back issues of APCNews, the latest of which Frederick attached. http://www.apc.org/english/news/apcnews All the best Karen Karen Higgs, APC Communications Manager Tel: +598 - 2 - 400 6460 (GMT -3) APC: http://www.apc.org ______________________________________________________ APCNews: Civil society's monthly e-bulletin on strategic uses of the Internet to promote social justice and equality. From the APC, an international online community or peace, human rights, development and the environment since 1990. To receive the news direct, write to: webeditor(a)apc.org or visit: http://www.apc.org/english/news ______________________________________________________ APCNoticias: Un bolet�n electr�nico dirigido a la sociedad civil, enfocado en el uso de Internet para promover la justicia e igualdad social realizado por APC. Para recibir las noticias directamente, escribe a: webeditor(a)apc.org o visite: http://www.apc.org/espanol/news

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Gates gives $100m to fight HIV, $421m to fight Linux (fwd)
by Ajit Ranade 14 Nov '02

14 Nov '02

FROM THE REGISTER By Thomas C Greene in Washington Posted: 13/11/2002 at 04:22 GMT We do hate to rain on a high-profile corporate love-fest, but we have to point out that in addition to the much trumpeted $100 million Billg has donated to India's fight against HIV, he's funding the Microsoft jihad against Linux to the far more impressive tune of $421 million. Billg's personal $100 million goes to health initiatives over ten years, while $421 million of Microsoft's money goes, over a mere three years, to support MS-friendly development and 'educational' initiatives. And being a monster MS shareholder himself, a 'Big Win' in India will enrich him personally, perhaps well in excess of the $100 million he's donating to the AIDS problem. Makes you wonder who the real beneficiary of charity is here. Oh, and let's not forget the five, count 'em, five, vanity puff-pieces appearing in the New York Times this week glorifying Billg's generosity, one of which he wrote himself. That's worth quite a lot too, in PR brownie points for both him and his company. It's far better than free advertising; it actually looks like news and therefore has immensely more persuasive value. Interestingly, the NYT neglected to mention the gargantuan MS marketing tie-in and obvious bribe against, and obstacle to, Linux adoption in India. Certainly they've been falling all over Gates in their eagerness to give him ink, so we're at a terrible loss to explain why they could find no place, among those thousands of words, to plug in a brief mention of the $421 million in anti-Linux ammo he's delivering. Readers see greene-eyed monster Now for some reader feedback. Admittedly, criticizing a man who's giving a vast sum of money to needy people has its pitfalls, though since Biblical days the hypocrisy of rich men conspicuously giving away what they can't use has been a constant, exemplary theme, often treated with acidic and sarcastic language. Nevertheless our notoriously sharp-eyed and sharp-tongued readers have detected both bitterness and envy in my recent article criticizing Billg's pledge of $100 million to fight the spread of HIV in India, and the media blitz which the New York Times so graciously provided him.

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Writing a text book for Free Software
by Frederick Noronha 13 Nov '02

13 Nov '02

o Baiju M <baiju(a)sdf.lonestar.org> reports from the South Indian state of Kerala (November 2002, email): "We have required volunteers for textbook preperation in Kerala (9th standard). Please see: http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-edu/2002-November/000091.html Its very urgent, please come forward to volunteer." - - - - - - - - Baiju, I wonder if this could be a possible activity for NetAid, run by the UN volunteers. What do you feel Andrea? It's possible that someone out there has good GNU/Linux skills, the creativity and the time? A worthy cause indeed. FN -- Frederick Noronha * Freelance Journalist * Goa * India 832.409490 / 409783 BYTESFORALL www.bytesforall.org * GNU-LINUX http://linuxinindia.pitas.com Email fred(a)bytesforall.org * Mobile +9822 122436 (Goa) * Saligao Goa India Writing with a difference ... on what makes *the * difference >From Andrea.Goetzke(a)unvolunteers.org Thu Nov 14 00:45:54 2002 > Dear Frederick, > nice to meet you. > I think the tasks you are looking for volunteers for can be performed well > by online volunteers, i.e. volunteers who engage in the task from anywhere > in the world, through the Internet. > Online volunteers can do research for you on Indian language solutions for > computing, and maybe you also find an expert who can advise you on how to > implement/programme Indian language solutions. > Also, online volunteers are perfectly suited to research GNU/Linux groups > and to reach out to them, and tell them about your group, build links, > maybe build and moderate online discussions etc. > > You can find online volunteers by publishing your needs in the Online > Volunteering section of the NetAid website (http://www.netaid.org/ov). > All published assignments can be found via a search engine. The number of > people looking for volunteering assignments exceeds the number of > organizations looking for volunteers, so the probability that you findgood > candidates quickly is quite high. > We don't pre-select applications,but the applications are emaileddirectly > to you, i.e. the organization that posted an assignment. > > In order to publish your online volunteering assignments in the NetAid > site, you need to: > - First register with NetAid (in the "Join" section). > - As a registered member you have your personal "My NetAid" page. Fromhere > you can register the organization that you would like to publish > assignments for. You need to post assignments on behalf of an officially > registered non-profit organization. You register your organization via > "Create A Group" from your "My NetAid" page. > - As a registered, and vetted (this just takes 1-2 days) organization you > can go ahead and publish your online volunteering assignment in the site. > > If you would like a volunteer to get involved with you on-site, there are > possibilities as well. But how I understand your question, I think "online > volunteering" is the first option to try. Let me know if you are more > interested in the on-site alternative. > > Please also let me know if you have more questions. To get a good sense of > what Online Volunteering means in practice, and to read good examples, I > suggest you browse our site: http://www.netaid.org/ov. > > Greetings from Bonn, > > Andrea > > -----Original Message----- > From: Frederick Noronha [mailto:fred@bytesforall.org] > Sent: Saturday, September 21, 2002 8:05 PM > To: andrea.goetzke(a)unvolunteers.org > Subject: From India > > Hi Andrea Goetzke, > > Could you find volunteers who could (i) help us take further plans to find > Indian language solutions for computing (ii) help build links between > GNU/Linux groups in India and abroad? ...

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LINK: Don't Bill the Gates
by Frederick Noronha 12 Nov '02

12 Nov '02

From: "Mahesh Murthy" <mahesh(a)passionfund.com> To: <india-gii(a)lists.cpsr.org> Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 09:44:49 +0530 Subject: [india-gii] Sneak Preview of Business Today Column on Gates' visit Since we are on the topic, and at least some of us seem to be thinking alike, here is the column that should appear in Business Today next Monday: ----- Don't Bill the Gates. Let's take the billionaire's healthcare handouts, and turn down the software handcuffs. By the time this article comes out, the world's richest man would have been here and gone. From what I hear around me, our state governments are in a tizzy, competing to outdo each other to dazzle the gent. All in a hope to get some of his cash into their state. Nothing wrong with any of this. But let's look a little closer at why the Chief Software Architect is taking 4 days out of that hyper-valuable time to hobnob with our CMs and CEOs. He's not really here because we need his money. He's here because he needs ours. Think about it - Microsoft has seen off legal challenges to its Windows monopoly. But never before has it seen such a strong marketplace challenge - in the form of the open source operating system called Linux. Linux is all the things a developing economy like India needs - open, well-documented, stable, secure, accepted worldwide - and, best of all, virtually free. Governments around the world, from Peru to the United Kingdom have begun insisting on open source to power their national initiatives. India is not far behind - Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were among the first to direct atleast some of their IT buyers to first look at open source for solutions, and only later, at proprietary systems like Microsoft before placing orders. This worries the famously paranoid Redmonders. Small wonder that the CMs of these very states are on Bill's list of people to schmooze on this trip. "Hey buddy, I'll come and throw a few scraps your way from my private jet - but, pal, you gotta buy Microsoft." Governments and their directives are not Bill's only worries. India isn't that large a market for software - we barely account for 1% of Microsoft's sales. But the fact is that we are home to 10% of the world's software developers - and Billy boy just doesn't want Coder Coomaraswamy to go over to the Linux side of the development fence. Corporations around the world want lower cost, more supportable and stable solutions. And the nightmare of India becoming one of the world's strong Linux-based development centers has ensured that our Ambanis, Tatas and Narayanamurthy's get treatment on par with our Chief Ministers. The message again: "Stay with Microsoft and we can beat off those Open-source Outlaws and bring the world back to a place where a monopolist can still make a decent living." The trip is done and over with now - and hopefully some of the glamour and space-cadet glow would have faded from those who wanted to be photographed with His Billness. Time for a reality check. For buyers, it's time to consider how the very nature of software is changing. From a point where the internet offered the ultimate open, extensible infrastructure we now have offerings like Microsoft's Palladium which, in the supposed name of security, takes the free, open nature of TCP/IP: the platform under the internet, and adds proprietary bits that will ensure that Microsoft controls and gets paid virtually every time you go out of the gate onto the net. You will also see new Microsoft licensing models that force you to pay subscriptions from now till forever for whatever you use. You don't have to accept it if you don't want to. There are alternatives. Further, you will hear standard Microsoft FUD, as they call it themselves (rumours that add to Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) that Linux is more expensive than Windows to implement. This is Redmond's new global anti-Linux positioning - once they realized their earlier "Linux is un-American and un-capitalistic" line actually ended up making it more popular. Don't take anybody's word for it. Do your own study, arrive at your own conclusions. More FUD is expected that Linux is insecure - but this coming from notoriously bug-infested Microsoft is like Saddam suddenly evangelizing humane democracy. If you're a developer, keep an equally open mind. There are advantages to being part of the Microsoft camp, especially if you want framed photographs you can show your grandchildren - or your customers live under a rock and will buy MS, no questions asked. For others, there is a global market for Linux-based solutions that is rapidly developing. You will have to re-adjust your thinking. And as far as the Bill and Melinda Foundation to eradicate AIDS? A wonderful effort by all means. The NGOs among you should strive to seek connections and funding. And having to write up your reports in Word or Excel is a small price to pay. --------------------- From: "Mahesh Murthy" <mahesh(a)passionfund.com> To: <india-gii(a)lists.cpsr.org> Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 23:59:55 +0530 Subject: [india-gii] Reposting column on BillG's visit A few of you have asked for permission to repost this column. Please feel free to do so at will, <with attributions to Business Today and hopefully, me;)> Also there's a rabid discussion on /. about the general topic: http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/11/11/185237&mode=nested&tid=109 Mahesh mahesh(a)passionfund.com

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