Kerala Tips

Just few days back I wrote why free software enthusiasts should be ashamed of the immature protest they did at the National Free Software conference held at CUSAT in Cochin. They went on to do things that clearly was criminal in nature. Police had to be called in to throw them out. What was the whole protest for?  They were irritated that Novell was one of the sponsors of the event. It was unforgivable that Novell had a business relationship with Microsoft (The Great SATAN).

Now let us look at what happened at the “Free Software Free Society“  conference held at Trivandrum last week. It turns out there was no Novell to be seen! But behold! Windows & Microsoft is everywhere!   As this guy points out, there were numerous seminars and display stalls running Windows software!  There was no one to protest.

Here is some food for thought,

• I think a large majority of so called ‘hardcore free software fanatics’ use pirated Windows at home. Otherwise how will they play latest computer games (which also is pirated)?
• Most of them have no clue what the word “Free” in the Free software means.
• The free software movement is being hijacked for political purpose as Kenney points out.
• When I went to the expo I could see a lot of government departments participating. Even the white elephants like KSEB (who can’t even properly run the electrical distribution network) is focusing on free software movement. If these guys start contributing, I guess it will be the end of  FSF movement.

Here are some interesting comments from the FSF India mailing list,

Cannot show my face now to all our student activists here.. What you said is true.. in the phase of engineering colleges turning to GNU.. students of the respective colleges taking care of their labs.. we might be having a tough time.. once we go into people… and they ask…. ” Is it true that free software can’t do with out prop..?” I pray GOD this doesn’t happen….

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THIS IS AN INSULT TO RMS…. THIS IS AN INSULT TO FREE SOFTWARE MOVEMENT…. we always showed alternatives and better software to people stuck up with proprietary software.. but WE DON”T FIND ONE FOR OURSELVES ???? that too in an international conference ( questioning the movement in India at a global scale )…..  UNACCEPTABLE…

– Siddhartha M.

If  u want to advice others not to drink alcohol, then first you should not
drink alcohol. If u already drinking alcohol and advising others not to
drink the same, then who will listen to ur words? And also this will spoil
all the efforts of other GOOD ADVISERS

If u r a die-hard fan of those proprietary softwares, then please stay away
from all free software activities……….dont spoil the free software
philosophies any more

– Yaanilan

I was at the exhibition hall . It was a real waste of money. The venue was originally made for AITUC national  conference. By the present Kerala standards the bill for AITUC event must go to free software account. Most of the government stalls were manned by known CPIM members who have no clue on free software.  I also spotted a couple of windows machines.   They spent  a lot of money putting out cut outs and posters across the city. What is the use of all this waste to free software. As some one mentioned previously   the free software movement in Kerala has been  hijacked by CPIM and co. This event has proven it.     The event was conducted in a typical communist manner.  Good food for all comrades at Muscot and some free pass to party members. Free software is really free beer. 

– Aby

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