[Fsf-friends] joining forces

[Ramanraj K]

Mahesh T. Pai wrote:

 > In fact, in  light of this event,  I think the time is  right now ripe
 > for this  community to  take the  initiative and ask  them to  open up
 > their previous works in localisation field.  The IBM sponsored project
 > will provide resources for the future. I am afraid that the past works
 > might  remain  locked, and  we  need to  ensure  that  it is  publicly
 > available.
 >
 > In light  of the recent  opportunity I had  to interact with  the NCST
 > division of C-DAC, I notice an enthusiasm among its staff and officers
 > who are well aware of the underlying philosophy and community building
 > aspects of the Free Software movement.  All that is required is only a
 > small nudge  and a bit of  push to institutionalise  the approach, for
 > the bureaucrats and the babus are no push overs.  Hence, we need to to
 > guide them in the right direction.
 >
 > How do we go about it?
 >

Raj Mathur has been asking for publication of accounts etc. If we could
dispose such requests first, then we should be able to ask others to do
the same, with more conviction. Having access to information would help
us to act upon it in a better way.

FSF India could play a major role in channelising dev and advocacy
efforts.  Drafting petitions and memorandums to have our requests
processed, would be the main channel of making suitable requests.

Yesterday, Raman.P., of ILUGC, suggested that free software user groups
in India join together to form an association.  While software cos. have
NASSCOM, software user groups have no corresponding association that
could effectively air their views and needs.  In the free software
community, the line between developers and users is virtually
non-existent, and FSF India could lead in co-ordinating all the free
software user groups, including LUGs that are willing to join.  Most
user groups meet once a month, and discuss over mailing lists also, and
hence important issues could be discussed at all LUGS and based on
consensus, better representations could be sent to authorities.