Swathanthra Malayalam Computing on NCFS 2008
November 17th, 2008
Swathanthra Malayalam Computing community (SMC) has released a press note on the NCFS 2008 spectacle.
The National Conference on Free Software which holds the motto of Free Software, Free Knowledge and Free Humanity was held on Cochin University of Science And Technology (CUSAT). The main organizers of the event were CUSAT, Open Software Solutions Industrial Co-Operative Society (OSSICS), Appropriate Technology Promotion Society (ATPS) and Kerala State IT@School Project. In addition to the above mentioned organizations, Free Software Communities such as Swathanthra Malayalam Computing(SMC) and ILUG-Cochin were also invited to organise the event. The prime sponsors of the event were Keltron, C-DIT and Linux For You Magazine. A number of NGO’s and private organisations also participated in the four day exhibition and two day seminars. All of the sponsors and the participating members were listed in the website of NCFS(http://nfm2008.atps.in). However, one such organization was missing from the sponsor list, which is the notorious Novell Corporation.
After the evil agreement with Microsoft Corporation (MS), Novell betrayed the Free Software community by violating the spirit of the GNU General Public license, which is the corner stone of the Free Software movement and legitimizing the patent threats of Microsoft corporation. The protest against Novell have been in it’s peak since the inception of the Boycott Novell campaign which has been successful in making awareness about the evil hands of Novell and it’s ally MS. Novell was allotted a prominent position in the exhibition stall and they were allowed to place their posters at the prominent venues.
Members from SMC were part of the Programme Committee and the Souvenir Committee. There were no indication that Novell was the platinum sponsor of this Free Software Event. The organizers never communicated about the sponsorship and thus betrayed the whole Free Software community as Novell did. This is evident from the incidents that occurred after the peaceful campaign to boycott Novell by the SMC members & other Free Software Supporters present at the meeting.
SMC members including Anivar Aravind, Shyam, Hiran, Suresh, Jaisen and many others were busy in the first day with Localization track (full time) and sessions. After knowing Novell’s role SMC members planned a peaceful awareness campaign on second day urging end users to boycott Novell and posted a Charge sheet(http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/fci/images/0/00/Boycottnovell.pdf) against Novell. However, the organizers, primarily the CUSAT bureaucrats & Members of Students Union, (who does not have much exposure in Free Software) were harsh with the protesters after a verbal complaint from one of the Novell official present at the stall.
SMC takes this opportunity to deeply condemn the organizers decision to include Novell into the Free Software event. SMC urges the organizers of the event to apologize to the community on this dreadful alliance with the notorious Novell Corporation and the way the organizers treated Free Software Campaigners.
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November 17th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
There is much lie in the whole way this issue has been briefed up. I am also a viewer of the entire scenario. The freedom activists has posted notorious novell posters in the Novell corp owned standing flex banner and obviously they complained to the organisers. This pro gramme has happened in CUSAT where already there is police force since the chief ministers visit was confirmed within 3 hours. The organizing committee asked the protesters to showcase the protest in their stall if they have where in they have told that they will repeat the same if the posters will be removed from novells property. Watch closely, in the picture you are seeing the security incharge of cusat, not the police. check the uniform . others in white dress is the private security forces deputed by university. Freedom activists should show the dispute not through muscle power. They can showcase such difference of opinions in many other ways. making a problem , that too not cordinated by them is not justifiable. attacking the private properties and standing , talking for freedom is not acceptable. This is a problem planned by few who want to promote their name in an illegal route and this will damage the images of real freedom workers. Check with those who have directly saw the problems. Truth and the news is having much difference.
November 17th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
@mathew,
I agree. That is why I said in my earlier blog post that “Freedom of Speech” doesn’t give you the right to resort to “muscle power”. In this case Novell was a victim.
When asked SMC guys should have left the venue. They could have protested outside.
December 5th, 2008 at 9:57 am
This happens only in Kerala. Kerala is the only indian state where freedom is used abusivly.
Unless we change our attitude and come out of the well, malayalees will be jokers for rest of the world.