FSUG-Bangalore November 2008

fsug-bangalore@mm.gnu.org.in

53 participants
115 discussions

slashdot article "Boycott Novell Protesters Manhandled In India"
by justin joseph 17 Nov '08

17 Nov '08

James Mathew writes "This is an interesting story from Kerala, India, where the ruling Communist Party organized a national conference in its efforts to hijack the Free Software Movement, which has enviable roots in the state. They got Novell to sponsor it. On the second day of the conference, a few free software activists who displayed posters against Novell were manhandled by the organizers and police — typical of what is expected from them. Most of the snaps taken during the scuffle were forcefully deleted by the organizers, after seizing the protesters' mobile phones. Still they couldn't delete all. Here is another low-by-blow account." Some of the responses, in no particular order( http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/08/11/17/0120203.shtml ) "Free Software activists start a protest on private property, are asked to leave by owners/organisers and forgo negotiation, instead opting for point-blank refusal. This leads to a confrontation because both of both parties being excessively stubborn. Sounds like 50/50 blame to me" "Thats not the point. There shouldnt be any freedom of speech limiting withing groups which both support open and free software. I know the organizers of the event didnt probably care about the free as in freedom idea so much, but there was absolutely no reason to use force. But again,this is India." "There shouldnt be any freedom of speech limiting withing groups which both support open and free software. Why not? Open source and free software events have rules and agendas like any other meeting. And participants have limited time to get the job done they came for. If participants or protestors won't shut up and keep disrupting the event, they should get kicked out by security. It doesn't matter who it is or what message they are pushing, and it doesn't matter whether it's in the US or India." "Sorry, but the Boycott Novell people are complete retards to begin with. To my knowledge they don't actually produce anything for the open source community, but they sit around and bitch and whine about Novell who employs all kinds of open source hackers; including kernel hackers, GTK and GNOME hackers, window manager hackers, Mono hackers, accessibility hackers, open source artists, and more. Sorry if I have very little sympathy for the situation. It's not that I think anyone should be 'manhandled' under any situation, but these guys are the most inconsiderate members of the "open source community" and it's hard for me to really take most things they say very seriously." "You know, the die-hard haters who come out of the woodwork every time Novell is mentioned, dredging up the years old Microsoft deal, which I predicted at the time would have zero impact on Linux and FOSS and have been vindicated in that prediction - except for the haters. These people really don't give a damn about Linux or FOSS - all they care about is establishing that they're more "moral" than everyone else by opposing any interoperability deals with Microsoft. The fact that the average corporation couldn't care less and only wants some assurance that their Linux deployment will work with their Microsoft deployment is ignored by these morons. The fact that this allows Novell to improve, however small, Linux's penetration into the data center and corporations doesn't interest them either. The fact that whatever Novell agreed to in the deal in terms of "patent protection" is overwhelmingly irrelevant to any future patent cases (which so far haven't materialized and are unlikely to - and unlikely to be won by Microsoft when they do, as countless people have pointed out) doesn't matter to these clowns either. Only their juvenile emotional well-being matters to them - and of course, damaging the emotional well-being of everyone else who disagrees with their fanaticism. Fuck 'em." "Lesson for next time: Use a phone with automatic blogging so the photos are off the phone and on the Net before they can stop you." "Oh noes, it's the communist boogey-man! They must be ideologically hard-core communists, worried about losing their sponsors and all (a little ironic, communists with sponsors). If you invited me over to your house and I started protesting you, putting anti-you posters on your wall, calling you a Microserf and generally being a douche then you would well be within your rights to call the police and have me removed. Of course, if the cops were heavy handed (they often are) I could pin everything on a conspiracy by the "man". I mean, if you're going to make it a story, someone at least has to get exposed to high voltage (hopefully while saying "bro")."

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Re: [FSUG-Bangalore] [Fsf-friends] slashdot article "Boycott Novell Protesters Manhandled In India"
by Vikram Vincent 17 Nov '08

17 Nov '08

2008/11/17 james mathew <james.infidel(a)gmail.com> > > > > HOW the hell can anyone hijack a peoples' movement? > My question still stands: HOW can anyone HIJACK A PEOPLES' MOVEMENT? > I remember seeing the important people of FSF-India sharing the dais with > > the Left, holding important positions in the Left Govt. in Kerala, using > the > > Left whenever some help is needed and then this dual standards... > > FSF-India cannot even get an appointment with a Minister without the help > of > > the Left. > > It was the Left backed school teachers' assn which promoted free software > in > > Kerala. > > It was because of the Left that patents in software were not adopted in > > Parliament... > > What does FSF-India have to say for itself? > > > Refering to V. Sasi Kumar's mail regarding the Chennai convention.. Was he speaking as a layman or member of FSF-India board? Does Anivar make his headline hijacking statements as a FSF-I member or in his own capacity? Is James Mathew not a FSF-I whole-timer? In fact I saw the FSF-I Chairman sitting on the dais with Left leaders on the first day of conference. I also remember the nuisance created on multiple mailing lists prior to the conference. Either way. All irresponsible statements are going to make you all OBSOLETE as you may end up being a not-for-profit company without a people. FSF-I still owes an explanation for this and previous issues and silence is NOT an option.

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On National Conference on Free Software at Kochi
by Vikram Vincent 17 Nov '08

17 Nov '08

After a good experience at the First National Conference at Hyderabad I had been planning to attend the Second Conference at Kochi from the time of its announcement a couple of months ago. Even my serious ill-health could not keep me away from the conference as many will vouch. After two weeks of bad health of which 5 days were spent on a hospital bed I woke up from the hospital bed and came straight to Kochi. The Conference was well organised and the 1000+ delegate participation from all over the country was magnificent. It was a representation of the growing peoples' mass movement which cannot be stopped or controlled by vested interests or power centres. What is obvious is the conscious conversion of a developers' movement to a peoples' movement. THE PEOPLE ARE TAKING CHARGE. The resolutions brought out at the conference are important and I hope that they will be released soon. One of the most important talks was the one by Sri. Sitaram Yechury where the issue of the crisis in global capitalism and its impact on people and the role of the Free Software Movement in building the resistance was presented in terms that even a 10th standard student could understand. A couple of years ago when organising the GPLv3 conference I noticed that only a small group of people took responsibility and organised the 'event'. But now the dynamics has changed. Events are being replaced by processes. The Karnataka team (I am not referring to FSUG-Bangalore because though I am an integral part of it I know that it is not representative of Karnataka but only a miniscule part of the Movement. A single community. FSUG B'lore is just a mailing list.) comprising of ordinary people from the slums, computer technical trainers from villages, academicians, IT employees, engineering students and others participated in the conference. The conscious effort to build a mass movement in Karnataka is bearing fruit and this was clear when almost one and a half bus loads of activists from Karnataka reached Kochi. Even the efforts to sideline genuine work and at various important protests/programs could not/cannot dampen our spirits. What struck me as odd was why FSF-India which claims to be THE free software community was not a part of this important process. While we will support causes which are just irrespective of individuals and banners we will definitely not allow elements to disrupt the movement here in Karnataka or anywhere in India and we will continue to work to build the movement the best way we know -- as a mass movement. Join us and you will be assimilated. In solidarity with the Free Software Movement, -- Vikram Vincent +919448810822 http://swatantra.org/

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2nd national conference
by Rakesh രാകേഷ് 17 Nov '08

17 Nov '08

The second national conference at Cochin was really a great experience not only in terms of number of delegates but also the variety and depth of topics… We around 50 from Bangalore participated in the conference... I think this is again a point to think and redefine the essence of this movement in Indian reality… Cochin conference will be remembered in history not just as another conference but as a conference in which the Indian free software movement has reshaped to a mass movement… People from all walks of life participated in this conference… All the socio, technical aspects of life were discussed including the cast discrimination in knowledge community and many more topics of this kind… The conference is definitely a reply to the mere technocrats and paper tigers reminding them about the essence of the movement...There was the real spirit of freedom in the conference... I would like to congratulate the organizers of Cochin conference... And hope they will continue with these kind of initiatives which would surely strengthen the secular democratic movements in India. I would like to mention one more thing- that is nothing but the dramas and silly stupid publicity stunt happened in the conference venue. I am not simplifying the reason which lead to some unwanted incidents... But what I am more concerned about is whether such incidents are really focusing the larger interests of our movement... The incident was something like killing our own baby... We(the free software activists in India and especially free software activists in Cochin university) organized such a great event and at the same time some activists of the same movement tried to kill the spirit of the same conference... Even if there were several small issues, everyone got enough space and voice to share their opinions... But despite of all these, creating such stupid undemocratic scenes and incidents will in no way help the growth and larger perspective of the movement in India... And we, the freesoftware activists should never allow the personal interests or egos of anyone to take higher priority than the priorities of the movement... Thanks a lot again to the organizers of 2nd national conference... Rakesh

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Paranoia of hijack
by Rahul Computerwala 17 Nov '08

17 Nov '08

Hi All, These days anything that has to happen has to be hijack..a lot of us went from blr to koch with mani mani , sarasu , the youth in slum computer center and many others who contribute to the free software cause many who came to ieee event have nothing do with any political party...there were college students , progessors we hear there is attempt my Sashikumar, Arun M, Anivar Aravind , Joseph Mathew - to call this a hijack - as for some iditotic reason their egoes were hurt - they are trying to spread this cpim phobia - in all kerala magazines i hear anivar went to the shameful extent of saying that there was a take over attempt in blr desparte folks..who dont believe in themselves or their work With Truth and Hatred against Vested Interests DEVILS ADVOCATE

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(no subject)
by Rahul Computerwala 17 Nov '08

17 Nov '08

Hi All, Paranoia of hijack these days anything that has to happen has to be hijack..a lot of us went from blr to koch with mani mani , sarasu , the youth in slum computer center and many others who contribute to the free software cause many who came to ieee event have nothing do with any political party...there were college students , progessors we hear there is attempt my Sashikumar, Arun M, Anivar Aravind , Joseph Mathew - to call this a hijack - as for some iditotic reason their egoes were hurt - they are trying to spread this cpim phobia - in all kerala magazines i hear anivar went to the shameful extent of saying that there was a take over attmept in blr desparte folks..who dont believe in themselves or their work With Truth and Hatred against Vested Interests DEVILS ADVOCATE

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Fwd: [Fsf-friends] Free Software Free Society
by Praveen A 16 Nov '08

16 Nov '08

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Arun M <arun(a)gnu.org.in> Date: 2008/11/13 Subject: [Fsf-friends] Free Software Free Society To: fsf-friends <fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in> Dear Friends, Kerala government is organising a conference on free software and free knowledge movements from 9th to 11th December. Please see http://fsfs.in for more details. We invite you to join us in this conference. Please inform other friends also about this conference. with warm regards, arun. _______________________________________________ Fsf-friends mailing list Fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in http://mm.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-friends -- പ്രവീണ്‍ അരിമ്പ്രത്തൊടിയില്‍ <GPLv2> I know my rights; I want my phone call! <DRM> What use is a phone call, if you are unable to speak? (as seen on /.) Join The DRM Elimination Crew Now! http://fci.wikia.com/wiki/Anti-DRM-Campaign

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__shashi wants to keep up with you on Twitter
by __shashi 16 Nov '08

16 Nov '08

To find out more about Twitter, visit the link below: http://twitter.com/i/447e3ea4894a734a7570bfc5716b07b97f7606de Thanks, -The Twitter Team About Twitter Twitter is a unique approach to communication and networking based on the simple concept of status. What are you doing? What are your friends doing—right now? With Twitter, you may answer this question over SMS or the Web and the responses are shared between contacts. This message was sent by a Twitter user who entered your email address. If you'd prefer not to receive emails when other people invite you to Twitter, click here: http://twitter.com/i/optout/b0692e60becfb8c2fd5131b6c3396cdfe3208e89

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National Conference on Free Software 2008 (Day 1)
by Rakesh 'arky' Ambati 15 Nov '08

15 Nov '08

Hi, A brief blog post about day one of the National Conference on Free Software 2008 in Cochin (Kerala). Cheers --arky Rakesh 'arky' Ambati Blog [ http://playingwithsid.blogspot.com ] National Conference on Free Software 2008 :: Day 1 ------------------------------------------------ http://playingwithsid.blogspot.com/2008/11/national-conference-on-free-soft… The YMCA camp building is just a stone throw away from the Cochin backwaters, I spent some time looking the slow churning waters and the sun rise above green coconut groves beyond it. Time it seems has a different pace over here, it is a far cry from the bustling city life. My reverie was broken with the arrival of the delegates from Karnataka and I was glad to few familiar faces from my adopted city Bangalore. Its been almost two years since I attended any of the free software events, I least expected the National Conference on Free software here in Cochin, kerala would see such a large gathering from from all over India. If there is something experience thought me, it is best to beat the crowds to the common bathrooms first thing in the morning. The organisers of the event certainly messed up the event, this is evident to me standing outside the YMCA camp until 9:00 waiting for the transit bus to arrive, I had already downed couple of tea's while I waited. We were expected to reach the CUSAT campus for the morning breakfast and registration. Even after the bus arrived, things didn't improve, there wasn't any sign of volunteers, I went around asking people to get into the bus so that we can make it to the event and have some chow. The bus dropped us off near the building where the breakfast was arranged, the sight of idly, vada and puri renewed my hunger pangs. Its 9:35 AM and I am so hungry, but the catering staff is asking me for the food coupons, Darn!, a good samaritan in form of event volunteer came to our rescue in time and explained that we haven't registered yet and requested the catering team to let us have our breakfast first. Registration for the event was no different, it was packed with people. Thank god there were counters for different states. And by the time I reached the registration counter with a filled form, the cost of the event increased. I had to shell out Rs.300 for registration, food and accommodation. Its not that its a huge amount but perhaps the organisers could have clearly stated so on their website and subsequent correspondence when we registered online. Most of the fellow delegates just payed the registration fee and choice to eat at the canteen anyway. The registrations were stopped midway so that people can attended the inaugural ceremony at the CUSAT Open Air Auditorium. The events keynote address was delivered by the octogenarian Justice V.R.Krishna Iyer over a video link. I won't be surprised if the video link was setup with proprietary software solution. The Minister for Education and culture M.A. Baby , Government of kerala and the Vice Chancellor of the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) addressed the gathering. There were the usual gaffs about free software and apologies for having to leave early to catch a flight and rants about the political injustices, but not in that order :p . The most exciting part of any free software conference for me is on the sidelines, I had a wonderful time meeting old friends and make new friends and associating faces to their cyberspace avatars. We headed to the Indian Coffee house for quick lunch, Anivar treated us to nice lunch of vegetable rice and I quickly downed it with a dash of lemonade. I choose to attend the 'Swathanthra Software Philosophy and its Relevance' in the free software stream at the SMS Auditorium, CUSAT. The first lecture was delivered by Dr.Nagarjuna Chairman of Free Software Foundation of India (FSFI). The talk titled 'On right to decode and encode and copyleft politics' is perhaps the best one yet in this event. I think the talk begs its own separate post so I choose not to write much about it here. The second talk of the session was given by Sasi P.M of CDAC, he briefly talked about the history and some key points of the free software. Perhaps the slides were prepared for some other event since it was generously peppered with 'open source' phrases all over it. Later Dr.Nagarjuna and I traveled to the STIC Auditorium for his 'Gnowledge' talk, the schedule of the conference is so baldly prepared that it was totally chaos. Reaching the STIC building we saw that there were anybody there to attend the talk. Sameer who guided us to the STIC building saved the day by going back and sending few students over to attend the talk while we grappled with issue of getting an Internet connection using our wireless Datacards. The Gnowledge talk was more informal with Dr.Nagarjuna engaging the students at the end of main talk with a conversation about his work at the Gnowledge knowledge labs, the SELF project, OLPC XO children's machine and the Open Moko Free Runner. We barely had time to make it the exhibition area, most of the stall had already cleared when we reached there. I spent the next few hours talking to new breed of free software advocates who took over the reins of the free software activities in Bangalore. Meanwhile I missed the Plenary session in the due course. The first day of the conference ended with the cultural program. Watching the graceful performances I wished I could stay back but my day isn't over till I blog about it :) Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/

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Fwd: [PRC] Freed.in 2009, Feb. 20th, 21st: Getting there together
by Anivar Aravind 14 Nov '08

14 Nov '08

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Gora Mohanty <gora(a)sarai.net> Date: Thu, Nov 13, 2008 at 10:42 PM Subject: [PRC] Freed.in 2009, Feb. 20th, 21st: Getting there together To: ILUGD main list <ilugd(a)lists.linux-delhi.org> Cc: Source Software Project List <prc(a)sarai.net>, General Freed list <freed(a)lists.linux-delhi.org>, Free/Libre(a)mail.sarai.net Hello everyone, Yes, it is that time of the year again, when there is a nip in the air, and a young person's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of Freed.in, http://freed.in The third iteration of the event has now been scheduled for Fri. and Sat., Feb. 20th and 21st, 2009, at the same venue as before: The School of Information Technology , Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. As with previous events, we seek to move beyond the confines of the software world, to join hands with like-minded people in other areas, and help share the ideals of Free/Open Source Software (FOSS). The focus on open content, and unfettered access to knowledge continues, and this time we have tangible projects in mind, including: o The Open Source Drug Discovery (OSDD) project (http://osdd.org) o Open content, and open access: * Wikipedia, and similar projects like OpenStreetMap * Open access to scientific data, and open publishing * Open courseware o FOSS technology o The community within, and beyond FOSS Freed.in (http://freed.in) is an event of, by, and for the community, and is open to all participants. All planning will be done through the public Wiki at http://wiki.linux-delhi.org/cgi-bin/twiki/Freed . Immediate collateral documents are under http://wiki.linux-delhi.org/cgi-bin/twiki/Freed/FreedDocs Each one of you is most cordially invited to participate in this event, and make it your own. You can take part as: o A speaker: Please see the call for papers at http://wiki.linux-delhi.org/cgi-bin/twiki/Freed/CallforPapers including a PDF copy. Please do circulate this far, and wide. o A volunteer: Add yourself to the topmost table at http://wiki.linux-delhi.org/cgi-bin/twiki/Freed/VolunteersList and we will be in touch. Freed.in meetings from tomorrow onwards are public, held every Friday, and will be announced here. o A participant: Come to the event, and bring your friends, and family. Registration on http://freed.in will open soon. o A sponsor: Please contact someone from the management team listed at http://wiki.linux-delhi.org/cgi-bin/twiki/Freed/FreedManagers Regards, Gora Knowlege is power... share it equitably! _______________________________________________ prc mailing list prc(a)sarai.net https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/prc -- Any responsible politician should be encouraging a home grown Free Software industry because it creates the basis for future jobs. Learning Windows is like learning to eat every meal at McDonalds.

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FSUG-Bangalore November 2008