This reminds me of an equally horrible poem.

"I couldn't go, I was sad. But if it was like this, I am glad." [yuck]

But I wonder why there was no "Boycott Microsoft" protest/campaign?? These days school kids even know how to install GNU/Linux, but probably there were no schools nearby!

On a serious note, whats more disappointing is that the event is said to have attended by guests like RMS, Eben. This is an insult to those people, who came all the way down here to advocate Free Software, Free Society.

We always ensure that we don't use even "less-known" proprietary software (forget M$ Windows) in smaller GLUG level events, workshops or presentations. But an International event on Free Software showcasing proprietary software is, bad.

Well now, Good Morning, Organizers, what happened?

On Sat, Dec 13, 2008 at 12:06 AM, siddhu soso sid.fuser@gmail.com wrote:

:( Disappointing to see this... the organisers should have atleast taken help of a school kid to get GNU installed there.. ( heard from my friend that school kids also use GNU/linux there)..

On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 9:23 PM, cherian aby abyhome@yahoo.com wrote:

...

Even die hard fans cannot live with out win :D

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33286987@N04/3102771534/

Aby

-- Sarath M S

2008/12/12 siddhu soso sid.fuser@gmail.com:

SOFTWARE MOVEMENT.... we always showed alternatives and better software to

Please use the word replacement. There is no alternative to Freedom.

See http://lists.sarovar.org/pipermail/plus-discuss/2007-January/000624.html for a previous discussion we had on this topic.

- Praveen

2008/12/13 siddhu soso sid.fuser@gmail.com:

Please go through the mail.. the context in which I use the word Movement is not in the context that u r mentioning..

I was not referring to the Movement, but to the word alternative. Because there is no alternative to freedom. We should use "replacement to proprietary software" rather than "alternative to proprietary software". There are many alternatives to some Free Software like Thunderbird is an alternative to Evolution or Kontact. But Thunderbird is a replacement to Outlook Express. I hope it is clear now.

RMS reminds us to be careful about every word we use. Some other words to be careful about are given here http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html

- Praveen

  im surprised to see that.. all those "BOYCOT NOVEL' protests didnot

come out..(IM NOT SUPPORTING NOVEL, BUT QUESTIONING THEIR SILENCE ) this time.. why didn't the blogs speak ths time ? why didnot.. the statement come out.. ???

Your mail clearly shows free software community is vigilant. In National Free Software Conference Community tried to make people aware about Novell's anti community practices and use of Microsoft windows and Other non free stuff in exhibition. In FSFS Free Software community is vigilant enough to find the usage of windows by speakers in One session. There is no need of same people always. It is good that the concern is spreading. That means our movement is growing. And this time Organizers are admitting their mistakes. In Cochin, we were not succeeded in that.

But I found Some blog posts that criticising the good job done by Free Software Community stalls . Those are not helping the movement. i feel. The stalls like FSUG-TVM, SMC, FSUG-thrissur, ILUG-Cochin, MES College etc did a great work by explaining Free Software Philosophy to technical doubts common publicAnd some blog was posted the use Windows theme in Gnome on FSUG-TVM stall. Those kind of fanatic critics will not help our movement

Anivar Aravind