Vijay Kumar wrote:

We(the GNU/Linux User Group of Trichy) are working on the Tamil Translation of the GNU Manifesto. It is almost complete. But we have a few problems...

RMS writes: ------------------- Manifesto Begins ---------------------------------- "We need the programmers desperately. If they demand that we stop helping our neighbors, we have to obey."

You're never so desperate that you have to obey this sort of demand. Remember: millions for defense, but not a cent for tribute! ------------------- Manifesto Ends -------------------------------------

What is the meaning of "millions for defense, but not a cent for tribute!"? We do not understand it to the point of being able to translate it to tamil. Can somebody tell us the meaning of this line?

Vijay

The expression appears to have a history dating back to 1800: http://www.evote.com/features/2001-09/091801barbarywar.asp

<quote> Faced with a choice between the exorbitant costs of tribute and having U.S. interests in the Mediterranean attacked by pirates, President Thomas Jefferson dispatched U.S. naval vessels to the region. </quote>

I guess, similarly, we should defend free software even though it may cost us millions/crores, but not a cent/paise to proprietary software that demand licence fees which is as bad as demanding tribute [here tribute has the same meaning as kappam in Tamil]

I suggest this translation: ninaivirukkattum: kappam kattuvathu vida sudandirathukku poriduvathu mel

Instead of poriduvathu mel, padupaduvathu mel could also be used.