On Thu, Mar 19, 2009 at 11:07 AM, Raj Mathur
<raju@linux-delhi.org> wrote:
On Thursday 19 Mar 2009, V. Sasi Kumar wrote:
> [snip]
> Having said that, let me say that I don't agree that the issue of
> software freedom is totally insignificant. It is important because
> the government is beginning computerise its work. And in that,
> transparency and security are important factors. There, the use of
> proprietary software could compromise various things that could
> affect not just some elites but everyone. Therefore, I believe,
> software freedom has a place, though not as high a place as food and
> health.
As noted earlier, that was a digression, and I don't really know if this
is the right forum to continue this debate (but am doing so anyway :) .
If I had to restate my point in a more palatable fashion, (speaking
purely for myself), I'd happily vote for party FOO who had introduction
of software patents and banishment of all FOSS in its manifesto, as
long as they promised to rescind the TRIPS clauses related to
agricultural and pharmaceutical patents. In my scale of things (and in
yours too I bet!), lack of freedom in agri and pharma nullifies even
perfect freedom in any intangible field, e.g. software, music or books.
Note that this is a moving target: as India (and Indians) grow more
wealthy, the relative importance of food and drugs vs software and
music keeps declining. When all 1.2 billion of us have enough food and
adequate health care, software will be the overriding battle to be
fought; until then, I will try to keep my outlook a bit wider.
India is home to world's largest severely noursihed children, 77% spends less than Rs. 20 a day, those unable to consume 2200 calories have increased from 57.5% in 1993-94 to 2004-05. As per Sainath's article in Hindu yesterday India as further moved down the HDI (Human Development Index) from 128 last year to 132 now...
Still I wonder how people in teh same country fighting endlessly for software thinks "When all 1.2 billion of us have enough food and adequate health care, software will be the overriding battle to be fought"
What Vikram said is perfectly what any activist who fights for "TRUE" freedom contrary to "Psuedo" freedom advocates and preaches. If you are fighting for freedom and believes that a country like India needs freedom in software more than in drugs, pharmceuticals etc. , I think I need to know the meaning of "Freedom" which you are advocating ......
Of course, all this is hypothetical and we can keep discussing this
endlessly, so, while I look forward to your response(s), no more from
me on this subject :)