[Fsf-friends] And now the Kerala Electricity Board goes Microsoft

[Amol Hatwar]

Suraj spake:
> All of this means the politicians get to launder lesser money and that
> means smaller  scope for their corruption to  flourish. Corruption and
> the race for  power needs to be eliminated  without which the benefits
> of free software would only be  a threat to them (the politicians) and
> hence they would seek quicker  ways to eliminate us.  More quicker and
> more desperate than proprietary software giants.

Eliminate? Free Software is irreversible, there won't be me... there won't
be you but Free Software is here to stay. _That_ is the power of the
movement.

Let us look at things this way... You are Bill Gates from M$ and there are
people out there who happily peddle CDs and make software without much
financial incentive and things like IP in mind. And moreover you wouldn't
know where to attack! All that we do is legal! _That_ is the power of the
movement.

We don't market our software, we just put them on the board for others to
use as-is. We have more than friendly people who support users old and new.
_That_ is the power of the movement.

In India, people are just starting to get aware of what Free Software and
GNU/Linux is. Till a couple of years ago the average college grad. didn't
know what GNU/Linux is. Today I see people writing TCP/IP suites for
processors with diverse architectures. _That_ is the power of the movement.

And how we should bell the Indian Government is another issue that needs
serious thinking and strategy. But I'll keep that as another issue. Moral of
the story: Things aren't bad as they look. In fact, you and I are just at
the cusp of a new wave of happenings.

What do I suggest? Stay the course. You've helped us a lot, and I'll need
you even more on the FM board in a few days from now.

Best wishes,

Amol Hatwar.