CDIT has distributed copies of RH9 to state IT mission. These CD's were labelled with redhat logo. Another CD which contains interactive study materials developed by CDIT for entry-level users is also distributed, This CD is not labelled with redhat logo or any thing else which has a reference of redhat.
The interactive CDs mainly contains audio-visual stuffs. There are some programs to render and present these stuffs plus some installation scripts. In addition, this CD contains, a program named Aksharavidya (an entry level editor package having Malayalam interface, with features like colour change, font change, Line alignment etc. ) and another program named 'Webdharsini' ( A highly featured browser based on Mozilla with Malayalam interface). All these programs are distributed in source tar balls. The installation scripts compile and load these program during installation.
Hence it is baseless to say that “They made packages which looked like redhat packages.”.
Let me briefly go through the incidents that lead to the distribution of free software for Akshaya. This may further lead to unmask the current campaign against free software in the state.
Initially CDIT was asked by state IT mission to develop a interactive CD for microsoft platform.
During the inauguration ceremony of Akshaya project, the opposition leader V S Achuthanandhan in the presence of President Abdul Kalam, has demanded the use of free software.
Due to this compulsion IT mission was forced to distribute free software stuffs for Akshaya projects. They have asked CDIT to replicate the CDs for Linux. So CDIT has gone through the above said exercises.
At the same time, the state microsoft lobby, is working hard to topple all the free software based projects in the state. The current manufactured reports on free software for Akshaya is one of their latest attempt.
The IKM ( Information Kerala Mission), after a long five year has almost surrendered their attempt to computerise the panchayaths. It would have been completed long back, it they had used the free software. Now microsoft lobby has to hide the failure of IKM and they had to ensure that this project should be done on microsoft platform. So they are attempting BOLT (built, operate, lease and transfer) for panchayath computerisation. They are in the process of fabricating the tender documents for BOLT agencies, so as to ensure its implementation using microsoft.
In order to hide these process they have to make some controversy and confusion over the use of free software. Hence the ill-motivated campaign against free software for Akshaya.
We should be very vigilant on these attempts by state microsoft lobby.
Regards,
Anil