[resending since the mail did not make it to the list, there are problems with my postfix config..]
abhas> It would be nice if all of us could post a small introduction about abhas> ourselves here - that will ensure that we can have more meaningful abhas> discussion! And can depend on each others' respective strengths and abhas> resources to grow Free Software usage around here.
I am Ramakrishnan. I write non-free software for a living, specifically I do digital signal processing software which goes into VoIP gateways and IP Phones. I had been Free Software user and advocate since 1996. I am also a volunteer for the FSF (I help maintain the gnu.org webpages) and for the Debian Project. I am single till June 24th (I am getting married on 25th June). I am also interested in Amateur Radio (waiting and waiting for the license to come from Govt of India).
Apart from technical activities, I am also interested in carnatic music. I studied carnatic music for about 14 years and was a B-grade artist at All India Radio, Trichur (kerala) back when I was a student. I don't have time for music now a days, but hope to spend more time on music than on free software in the coming days.
Though this was meant to be an intro, I am going to talk about something not fully unrelated...
I am not very active in any mailing lists related to Free Software now, partly because of lack of time and partly because I am sad at the state of affairs with the way things are done, particularly the way FSF-India conducts itself. The webpage is sloppy and so is its conduct. Everything seem to be done in secrecy and afew individuals think, Free Software is a god given gift only to them. I have pointed out many issues with FSF in the past, and all have fallen on deaf ears, as is the case with anything done in India. The attempts to fix webpages (try browsing the archives of fsf-friends) have been met with counter questions instead, asking me to fix it. Isn't it not fair to file bug reports without patches? Anyway, it is clear that the gang in trivandrum and elsewhere are trying to add one more line in their resume rather than work for the good of free software. Many people whom I know are "officially" part of FSF-India talk "open source" and "linux" elsewhere. I do not want to point fingures at anyone though... FSF-India do not even publish a list of office bearers on their website (FSF boston has published it at member.fsf.org, you will see even more info there in the coming days), even after being pestered many times.
I am an associate member (membership #255) since Dec 2002 and have also helped atleast 5 people become associate members and am proud of it, because FSF got some money to defend the freedom of the users. FSF is going to be very relevant in the coming days, there is no doubt. If any of you can afford to shell out $10 a month (~ Rs.500), please become an associate member. One of the directors of the FSF-India promised us last year (or in 2003?) that an indian version of associate membership will be launched, but as usual, we didn't hear from him again.
I am going to be busy for the next 4-5 weeks, but I will try my best to attend the meeting, if it is going to be held this weekend.
best regards