Justin, if you still have some more patience left in your mind, please read what communist party thinks about freedom :

Tiananmen square: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiananmen_Square_protests_of_1989 About Stalin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Purge

Though I am not a member of FSF,I still don't think Stallman's view of freedom includes "Freedom to Kill"

Maxin,

Don't practice the way of communist bashing. Chinese Communist Party and CPI(M) are two different entities. If you want to really point out the way, the communist parties behave, take Indian examples. But probably, not it this thread and not in this mailing group for fsf-friends might not be interested in either glorifying or crucifying any political organisation. As you said, the left had once opposed computerisation. They haven't denied it. But as they realised it, they changed their stand. Its the greatest quality of the party and should be well appreciated.

Regarding Stalin and Stalinism, there may be many opinions. But he was instrumental in the organisational setup of the communist movement. Right and wrong are perceptions only.

Sebin

On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 1:13 PM, Maxin John maxinbjohn@rediffmail.com wrote:

Hi Justin,

I usually don't fall prey to the "Flame wars" strategy though I enjoy that most when it is related to technology like:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanenbaum-Torvalds_debate

As always, good example of good flame, what has always exited me about this is the time and the context.

...

Maxin another way of saying your opinion would have been to refer to this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem

Justin, Thank for the new word "Ad_hominem". Frankly speaking, I wasn't aware of this word till you pointed out.

Justin, one more thing.. I am not a politically biased person. I consider myself free from Politics, religion and above all, America ( I have the freedom to believe so, I guess)

But what you have said below shows a strong bias :-) which is allright in a democracy and defines it.

When I was 12 years old, I have participated in a Rally conducted by the Left wing people of Department of Telecommunications (My father works with BSNL and believes in the Left wing till MVR left the party). Then our slogan was:

I missed it Maxin, my father was always with the congress. Entire family was always with them :-)

"One computer will replace 10 workers. So prevent the computerisation in National Level ". I still remember me happily moving along with the crowd with my father with a red flag in my left hand :)

Am sure your father joined this rally because he genuinely believed that computers would replace him. The context and time in history is important, I would say. Still back in time we burned all foreign (British goods).

There was some other movement, forgot the name. In germany I guess, which stood for destruction of all machines, am sure this was not the intention of your father or the other people in that rally back then.

If we were successful then, now we won't have to write these mails supporting freedom and GNU/Linux.

Justin, if you still have some more patience left in your mind, please read what communist party thinks about freedom :

Tiananmen square: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiananmen_Square_protests_of_1989 About Stalin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Purge

Am very well aware of these, the same way am aware of the dropping of the Atom Bomb, The Nazi party, Gujarat riots.. the stilll on going "operation Iraqi freedom", Gaza!!...

Todays Hindu http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/06/stories/2009010654811300.htm

Though I am not a member of FSF,I still don't think Stallman's view of freedom includes "Freedom to Kill"

See this link: It is funny.. http://copyfight.corante.com/archives/2005/02/15/the_one_where_richard _stallman_calls_bill_gates_a_communist.php

Happy Hacking..

Thanks and Regards, Maxin B. John