[Fsf-friends] Comrades’ new-found love with IT

Anivar Aravind anivar.aravind at gmail.com
Thu Jan 8 14:50:59 IST 2009


On Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 10:23 AM, justin joseph
<justinjoseph007 at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 4:15 PM, Anivar Aravind <anivar.aravind at gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 2:21 PM, haynes davis <haynesdavis at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> right now non-cpim is a big vacuum regarding free software as far as
>>> political and government support is considered. Why our struggle does not
>>> seem to be productive in the other states and the central government?
>
>> And Left's adoption of Free Software Policy in Kerala is also a
>> logical follow up of various actions & discussions initiated by Free
>> Software Activists. Even the decision to adopt Free Software in
>> IT at School was decided in an SCERT meeting (with the support of 85% of
>> teachers) much before  2006 elections. But the govt came after
>> election got the political advantage of this decision. and we are very
>> happy about that because they are also helping FS movement by adopting
>> new policies .
>
> From http://blue-gnu.biz/content/fsf_india_039_s_impact_far_reaching
>
> Answering to question "Can you tell me some of the key events that
> have brought FSF India to the present?"
>
> Sasi Kumar _also_ said:
>
> "This was supported by other organisations also, especially the Kerala
> School Teachers' Association and the then Opposition Leader (current
> Chief Minister) Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan. As a consequence of these
> pressures, the textbook was changed in the second year to include Free
> Software also. Eventually, the government decided to use exclusively
> Free Software in schools. Thus Kerala became the first state in the
> country (and possibly in the world) to use exclusively Free Software
> in schools."

Who denys this?
What I am Pointing is succes stories of Free Software came through the
struggles of a Social Movement. It was not a gift from Governments. A
lot of Civil Society movements helped the process. KSTA & VS
achuthananthan surely have a prominent role in this.

> Anivar, you are also talking binary.  "Left" on one side and "Free
> Software activists" on other side.

Thins only shows you didn't get my point. I was Opposing the Only-CPIM
position used in the list to sabotage the merits of a Social Movement
. At First  i am not equating All Left  with CPI(M).  Various left
forces in Kerala  (As a left leaning state) like KSSP, KSTA etc & CPIM
(at least some leaders like VS, Yechuri etc) subscribed the values of
Free Software Movement in a good way. This is the way a movement is
growing. But when they are saying we need to Control/hijack/co-opt
(use whatever words you feel suitable) Free Software Movement  to CPIM
we have to remind the history

> Are you saying that the _Kerala School Teachers Association_ (your
> (teachers)are entirely composed of free software

Not Entirely . FSF India distributed Debian based Custom branded CD's
to school teachers through KSTA (After IT at School Refused to conduct
TYrainings on GNU/Linux). And Offered Training to teachers with the
help of KSTA.  In SCERT meeting Most of the teachers agreed with the
New IT at School Distro. But the Only Opposition was against branding it
with KSTA Logo. Supported Teachers includes KSTA +Other Teachers.
Supporting Good educational tools is not in the basis of a Party. And
FSFI made new CD  with IT at School Branding

> activists and that V.S Achuthanandan was also a "free software activist"

Off course. I hope he will continue to be

> Out of the four gains that Sasi kumar has mentioned in his answer, he
> gives credit to left parties directly in two.
>
> The other being:
>
> "The left parties, which are partners in the present coalition
> government, were sympatheric to our cause and expressed their views to
> the Minister. Eventually, the government decided to drop the
> provisions that were most harmful."
>
> Sympathies of the left parties does not come out of charity or
> emotion.  It comes out of
> ideological positions and understandings.

Totally agree . It must be based on understanding the Concept of Free
Software & Its Freedom

> If there is no
> understanding of these then at least do
> not try and play a disruptive force in the left - free software
> alliance by suggesting that left and
> free software activism of kerala are _totally_ mutually exclusive and
> that the only interconnection
> between them is through "follow up", "political advantage", "help" etc..

I think you touched the key issue here
I dont agree with the terms like  "alliance" & "Mutally exclusive".
Because, this is based on One point. understanding & Supporting the
cause of Free Software & Freedom in Computing. FSM is not endorsing
CPI(M)'s view on any other issue or Any act.   FSM is only concerned
with the Freedom in Computing. It can take support from any Political
Parties (and any Organisation) for  promoting the cause of Free
Software. "alliance" is limiting a movement with a single political
party & supporting each and every act by the party.  FSM is growing by
taking more support from more people. Not through alliances. It also
have the freedom to criticize its supporters if it they are going
against the goals of FSM. The current thread is also a reflection of
this lack of understanding some people. "You have taken our support.
So You dont have any right to speak against CPIM" was the spirit
behind it. We have to oppose it.


>>
>> But when people are pushing Bush's binary logic of "Either you are
>> with us or You are against us" (only-cpim positions and branding
>> everything else as Anti-CPIM) we have to remind history.
>
> It is better for the free software ecosystems that you stop playing
> its official historian.
> Report is a different thing and _history_ is a totally different thing.
>
> http://mm.gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-friends/2008-November/005850.html
>

Official Historian? Really Funny,
It was my Presentation in Kochi Conference. I have all rights to make
my presentation as an article. and I posted it in this list for
comments . What is your Problem?

> Anyone can be with the left and still be a free software activist and
> their  contribution
> and the contributions of their likes,

Off Course.  The most positive thing about Free Software Movement is
it is not asking people to believe in an Ideology. Anyone, let it be a
capitalist or communist, let it be Hobbyist or Hacker, The Code they
Produce will be automatically become a  Social Product by Choosing the
Free Software License. That is the most positive thing about this
movement

> you have no right to appropriate
> as you wish and write histories
> as you wish.

If you are pointing the presentation in Kochi Conference, You didn't
raised any valid critique on that yet. If you have any specific errors
to mention and any points to add please let me know. Presentation is
http://anivar.movingrepublic.org/wp-content/uploads/storydom.pdf

But above sentences is questioning my right.  The intention of posting
the slide to this list is taking comments on that. And this is not my
Immediate important job. I still dont know why you are afraid of this
presentation.

Anivar

-- 
Any responsible politician should be encouraging a home grown Free
Software industry because it creates the basis for future jobs.
Learning Windows is like learning to eat every meal at McDonalds.


More information about the Fsf-friends mailing list