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Why Free Software won't work in the mainstream
by Siddhesh Poyarekar 04 Sep '06

04 Sep '06

Hi, There's an article in The Times of India (page 23, "No Free lunches for me") by Charles Assisi, who describes himself as "A socialist turned capitalist". He makes an argument about why Free Software will not work in the mainstream market. His argument is that if he writes something and gives it away to a community, the community is free to improve it and distribute it. But at the same time, he stands to lose his livelihood as he becomes a disposable commodity in the face of the hundreds in the community. He also cites an example made by RMS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Stallman , just in case ;) ), wherein he had stated that if one doesn't buy a car when he can't open its hood, the same should apply for software too. If one buys software but is not allowed to modify it, improve it then it's simply not enough. Charles says that while that is true in principle, the comparison cannot be made between the two very different industries. The difference here is that while car mechanics may tinker around with cars to repair/enhance them, they simply cannot build one themselves. The same is not true for software as a collective can modify the software beyond recognition. Also, it doesn't increase cost to replicate the software as it does in case of cars, hence in the car industry there is no case for "stealing livelihood" if one could call it that. Regards, -- Siddhesh Poyarekar http://siddhesh.tk http://siddhesh.phpnet.us

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[Commercial] Content Filtering Internet Proxy
by Sachin Purohit 04 Sep '06

04 Sep '06

Dear all, Since this group is all about sharing Linux based applications, I would like to bring to your attention a Linux based content filtering Internet proxy software - SafeSquid. A FREE version is available. SafeSquid is the first INDIAN software product that is being used around the world (85% of the users are US and UK based). It has been developed by Office Efficiencies (India) Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai. SafeSquid, arguably, is the world's most feature-rich proxy server. Following, in brief, are it's features - - Browser based GUI Interface - Cluster friendly - A multi-tier, md5-encrypted, totally manageable cache - Supports ICP & CARP - Request forwarding - Transparent Proxying - Reverse Proxying - Secure Web Servers - Provides simultaneous virus scanning at the gateway using any number of Antivirus softwares of your choice - Generate virus signatures on-the-fly for undetected viruses while you wait for updates - Ready-to-use connectivity to ICAP Servers, the latest in Antivirus Technology - Built-in connectivity to PAM - Authenticate users from ADS, POP3, Radius, MySQL Database, Flat File Database, etc. - Bandwidth Management based on Users, Time, Web Sites or a combination of all - Block web-sites using URL Blacklist, DNS Blacklist, MySQL Database, Category DNS and the database-independent - Weighed Keyword Scoring Method - Filter unwanted contents like ActiveX Controls and Java Scripts from unknown sites (Ads, Banners, Pop-ups, spy wares, etc.) - Prevent access / downloads based on MiMe type - Prevent users from logging into unwanted sites - Cookie Filter - Increase enterprise privacy - Header Filter - Prevent access to applications like chat & IM - User Agent based access control - Generates log reports in Firewall and Squid format compatible with many open source and paid Log Analysers like Sarg, Calamaris, Squint, Webalizer, Sawmill, SquidTaild, etc. A FREE version with limited features for non-profit / non-commercial organisations, is available for download at http://downloads.safesquid.net You need to register on the SafeSquid Forum (free) at http://www.safesquid.com/html You can use the forum's username and password to access the download site. Fully functional trial versions, with limited time period, are also available.

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Re: [ILUG-BOM] Re: Directional Radio Signposts.
by VKB 04 Sep '06

04 Sep '06

Friends, warning: longish email I share my thoughts-in-context with all of you, partly at the risk of making it non-relevant to the gnu/linux/tech kind of focus of this forum. If so, please excuse my articulation and/or intrusion. Thanks to Krishnakant, jtd and Dinesh, besides many others, who have/are contributing to this thread. I have been working with electronics and IT for over two decades and feel that jtd's comments reflect a great deal of practicality and real-life experience. Thanks jtd for your time and mindshare on this and to this forum :-) More of my thoughts in context... Perhaps the focus may be (partly) redefined if were to reword "digital assistance" in Dinesh's well summarized metrics, to "viable assistance", "digital" should be a subset of "viable" if/when/where found relevant and useful. Real-life is analogue (not digital ;-) Can we request or work towards getting local authorities and/or sponsors to install hand/guide rails (say some 4 feet tall and 6 feet long) say within the first 18 feet of each street of each intersection ? (numbers are indicative and can be redefined to some agreed and conformable standard). These rails would typically located at the edge of the kerb/footpath. No rocket science here... it is common to see such railings at various intersections and places, installed at various times, by various local authorities, mostly with the intention of attempting to guide pedestrian traffic. Now to make the difference and add value : 1. The guide rail size/proportions must be standardized, consistent or predictable (say within one or two flavours of sizes). 2. These guide rails to be embossed with markings (braille or otherwise recongisable by the visually impaired). 3. The embossing may be on the under-side of the rail or upper side or whatever outdoor-egronomics for such a purpose recommend. 4. The exact embossing patterns/style should be defined and guided by recognised/specialist agencies who work in the domains for the visually impaired. 5. For those who are not visually impaired, these "embossed guidance" rails are colour coded/painted with the colour scheme which is akin to the classic red-white-blind-person-stick scheme. This will easily convey to the sighted persons that these guide rails serve a special/additional purpose for the visually impaired. 6. If this kind of deployment can happen with some volumes that make a difference to society, then at this stage, we have in effect something that already delivers some greater value and conforms to the KISS principle.... * low-tech * little or no maintenance, * easily installed * represents incremental costs over what local authorities already (are supposed to) do in (m)any case. 7. If we are unable to make this much happen, more technology and/or non-KISS schemes will find it even more difficult to be widely adopted and to become viable and succeed. 8. When the creation (or upgradation of existing) guide rails happen, figure how to drive towards ensuring that those making these also make provisions for electric/energy supply and a small weather proof contaner (like at traffic signals but much smaller I hope) 9. Stage one gadget, FM broadcast device, fixed frequency, emits predetermined beep/pattern signal to only indicate presence of sign-post-guide-rail for a short radius of say 10-20 feet. 10. Alternate/stage two gadget, FM broadcast device, fixed frequency, emits pre-recorded voice guidance signal, indicates presence of sign-post-guide-rail, and tells you few more words about the area... 8. Based off this infrastructure, redploy whatever guidance systems that are catalysed partly by all the discussions that have happened in this context on this forum, further tempered by whatever resources and political-will and technology can/will permit. 9. Caveat 1: I do not know if any such schemes already exist or are in use, (The Lord has been kind to me in that I do not have any known physical impairment, and thus have not studied or dwelled much on these kind of needs or domains). 11. Caveat 2: If this embossed guide rail (iron tubes and cement masonry) solution is the way to take off, probably this conversation may not have a place on this forum, Thanks for your time. vkb On 03/9/06, <dineshah(a)gmail.com> wrote: <snip> The project is to provide digital assistance to visually disabled person digital locational and guidance system. The system should be simple to implement. it should be low cost. is simple to use. should be maintenance free should be expandable? should be commercially viable? </snip>

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[job] LAMP developers for tutorvista.com
by PV Sundarram 04 Sep '06

04 Sep '06

*Want to Work for a Fast Growing e-learning company* ** *Company: TutorVista.com Location: Bangalore* We are looking for Software Engineer ============= Min Qualification: *Graduate *Experience: *1+ yrs * *of development experience in building web applications using LAMP* Technical Lead =========== Min Qualification: *MCA, BS(Comp),B.E.,Graduate* Experience: *3+ yrs of development experience in building web applications using LAMP * *please email your resume to * *careers(a)tutorvista.com*<careers(a)tutorvista.com> ** -- keep klickin' P.V.Sundarram -- pvsun.blogspot.com -- Relax... you are entering a windows free zone...... 8-)

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Re: [ILUG-BOM] Re: Directional Radio Signposts.
by Vic Cris 04 Sep '06

04 Sep '06

> > From: jtd <jtd(a)mtnl.net.in> > Use a gprs / cdma cell phone. You can never hope in > hell to get a > better price, availability and service which would > be the exact > opposit of any custom 802.11 device which a person > has to carry > merely to find dirctions that he may require > occasionally. Devilish thought. I can just see thousands of liberated visually handicapped people roaming free in the city - and becoming totally helpless the next time some babu decides to shut down cell services because some cop discovers there is a village in Maharashtra named Pakistan Pada, and they fear a riot. Essentially, any switch-based service is at the mercy of a central controller. I don't know how the wifi/rfid concept will pan out, but it has the enormous advantage of being unstoppable. I do believe we are debating new ideas, not old ideas in a new wrapping. --- Vickram ___________________________________________________________ To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Yahoo! Security Centre. http://uk.security.yahoo.com

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oops in Dapper at shutdown
by Mohan Nayaka 03 Sep '06

03 Sep '06

Hi all I got an oops recently when shutdown my machine. As I remember perhaps gaim was running at that time. I am running Dapper (i386). uname -a gives: Linux ZION 2.6.15-23-386 #1 PREEMPT Tue May 23 13:49:40 UTC 2006 i686 GNU/Linux Please advise if i should report this to linux-kernel. If so, please suggest a good email service provider to use for the purpose. I do not wish to use gmail for that. Leaks too much personal info. I have uploaded the oops at : http://mohansn.blogspot.com/2006/09/oops-in-dapper-at-shutdown.html Regards, Mohan S N -- "The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne, the' assay so hard, so sharp the conqueryinge" -- Geoffrey Chaucer

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Re: [ILUG-BOM] Re: Directional Radio Signposts.
by Vic Cris 03 Sep '06

03 Sep '06

> > From: "krishnakant Mane" <researchbase(a)gmail.com> > I am not claiming here that this is the > perfect solution. Please do not stop this discussion here, but I have started a focused mailing list "abletools(a)googlegroups.com" whose archives are public, with five members, four from this list and one from india-gii. We are pooling resources and want as many as possible who are interested to contribute in any way to come in and be a part of this. So please do sign up there and add your ideas and doubts too - a well argued idea is better. And hopefully the meeting at HBCSE on the 16th will bring out even more, but please keep the flow going. --- Vickram ___________________________________________________________ All new Yahoo! Mail "The new Interface is stunning in its simplicity and ease of use." - PC Magazine http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html

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Re: [ILUG-BOM] Loss of memory on just installation of RedHat 9 / Fedora Core 3
by Philip Tellis 02 Sep '06

02 Sep '06

Sometime on Aug 25, rc cobbled together some glyphs to say: > Then monitor the memory usage , you will find that your > memory is just utilized without starting any services . it's not. run free and see exactly where your memory is being allocated. remember that there's no point having 'free memory'. if your memory is unused, then you bought too much. linux will use up all available memory for buffers and cache and release that when required by an application. -- Death is life's way of telling you you've been fired. -- R. Geis

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Loss of memory on just installation of RedHat 9 / Fedora Core 3
by ryan coelho 02 Sep '06

02 Sep '06

Hi, What I am trying to tell you , is that if you just perform a plain installation of Fedora Core 3 OR RedHat 9 without configuring any services Then monitor the memory usage , you will find that your memory is just utilized without starting any services . This is bad because if you want to insatll this as a server for Oracle / Weblogic / Mail / Postgresql Or any services the application cannot be used for production. Plz Help To solve this issue Regards Ryan Coelho

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Fwd: Response to Charles Assisi's Article
by Nagarjuna G. 02 Sep '06

02 Sep '06

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Nagarjuna G. <nagarjun(a)gnowledge.org> Date: Sep 1, 2006 3:49 PM Subject: Response to Charles Assisi's Article To: toieditorial(a)timesgroup.com Dear Editor, This is in response to the article "No Free Lunches for Me" written by Charles Assisi, Times of India, 31th August 2006. The author is either 'blind' or irresponsible or both. If this article were written by a newbie journalist, I would not have reacted this way, but Charles Assisi is a known name, also because he interwiewed me once or twice. He may be a popular technical writer, he may claim that he was once a socialist now a capitalist, or he was once convinced about free software but not now anymore etc. This style of writing informs some readers that the author has experienced both worlds and then writing with experience. What this journalist lacks, now I realize after reading the article, is a sense of responsible journalism. He is essentially reacting to the decision Kerala Govt is going for free software in place of proprietary software. The only reason that he says free software should not be used is because it is backed by a very good ethical principle of sharing and "nice guys finish last". So this irresponsible journalist is asking people to be bad guys and finish first. If this wasn't the message, what was it? Let me demonstrate how blind this journalist is. First: he assumes that nice guys don't finish. The already successful operating system, the only competitor for the proprietary software today, is the GNU/Linux operating system with a large number of applications for almost every purpose, including computing in Indian languages. If this operating system is not complete, how is this system being used by millions all over the world. Which concept of computing does this operating system does not implement, except possibly viruses, that the system be declared unfinished? The system is not only finished, several millions all over the world use it exclusively. That is not to say that the system is not evolving, it is evolving at a pace that people already began to call it a revolution. The second point of the argument made by the author is that it does not feed programmers, or why would software programmers work for free software without incentive. Again, this is entirely baseless. Save one major company, which other major company does not use or depend their business on free software? If there is no money why did RedHat, Novell, IBM, Sun Microsystems etc. ventured to business by supporting free software. Even the exceptional major company, saved above, is known to use whatever is borrowable from the free software world. True, free software business doesn't happen by selling what is essentially and eminently shareable entity called code. But, people who make money in free software make money by providing various services: making a free software accessible in the form of distributions, helping in installation, customization, maintenance, documentation, training and so on. In the case of propreitary software both the things happen, namely selling what is not sellable, as well as servicing. In free software only one of them is possible. Therefore it is true that one cannot make as much money as one would make with propreitary software. The reason why free software community chose to give up on the additonal profit is due to ethical committment, to live a moral life. A lot of service business in propreitary software also happens by providing service to fix vulnarabilities, such as software viruses, which were fixed by free software by choosing a secure multi-user file system. It is an open question: Why wouldn't a proprietary company doesn't fix a fixable vulnarabilty? It is true that several hackers (not crackers) who contributed to free software were hobbyists and worked out of their free time and without much in expectation. That is because they were intervening in a system that is ridden with evil practices. They are sacrifycing their time to give the world and its people freedom, a better and healthy place to live in future. No freedom movement will win without sacrifice. This jounralist is pleading the Govt and people not to go for free software because good things never win. What a hopeless irresponsible suggestion? He writes: "Take away their incentive to create it and the world will have fewer peices of software to work with." The author assumes that their incentives were taken away, which is a baseless. If you ask the users of proprietary software, who created the application they are using, they will be mum. You ask the same question to the users of free software, they will tell who the original contributors are. Even if they are ignorant, may be they didn't pay attention to it, they can find out by visiting their favourite search engine and will answer in a jiffy. In the case of proprietary software, even if you give them the library and also the Internet, it is very difficult to find out who contributed what. Acknowledgement and maintaining authorship is the real incentive any author, including journalists, would ask for. How many journalists will find their job worthwhile if they were to write articles without their names printed along with the articles. Reporters on the street do not get enough attention, true. But they continue to report with the assumption that one day when they become a known writer they can imprint their name with each article they write. This is the incentive that an author always asked for, which makes each of the authors immortal, for they wish to make their mark in the history. Proprietary software companies don't create any history by masking the code as well as the contributions of millions of programmers who work for them. This is the culture that free software movement is trying to correct in the society, among others. As scientists, we may never publish a paper in a journal if the publisher asks us to be anonymous, or intends ot use another person or company's name instead. The incentive we get is citation, readership, and name, apart from the salary that we draw for our service. Thisculture already exists in the traditional knowledge business, free software business follows and embellishes this tradition. Thus, the author's view that there exists no business model for free software is not true. What is true is, free software does not produce billionaires in half a generation time. Proprietary software was created by converting knoweldge into a commodity. This happened by encoding electronic documents in a format that only their systems can decode. By asking people to pay for decoding these documents for life is unethical lockin policy. This is, by ethical standpoint, an illegal activity, for knowledge doesn't continue transmission by privately locked code. Free software momevent is asking the policy makers, Government bodies all over the world, to correct this mistake too, and that is why we demand for all electronic documents to be in open standards. An unrepairable technology is evil. Proprietary software is unrepairable since the source code is not made public. No 'garages' are possible in this model. But we need garages for software too, since no software can be perfect. Free software is repairable just any system of ideas. Unless people at large participate knowledge does not evolve. If Kerala Govt. took the decision to change their schools to free software, that is a very wise decisiion. We wish that all other governements all over the world follow them to create a better digital world. I would request the editor to publish this response to correct the misunderstanding the article by Charles Assisi would create about free software movement. -- Dr. Nagarjuna G. Scientist, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Eduation, TIFR, Mumbai Chairman, Free Software Foundation of India, http://www.gnu.org.in/ -- Nagarjuna G. http://www.gnowledge.org/ http://www.hbcse.tifr.res.in/Data/Objects/n/nagarjun/viewObject

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