[Fsf-friends] Fwd: [ilugd] CPI(M) manifesto calls for promotion of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS)

[V. Sasi Kumar]

On Thu, 2009-03-19 at 09:06 +0530, Vikram Vincent wrote:
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Raj Mathur <raju at linux-delhi.org>
> Date: 2009/3/19
> Subject: Re: [ilugd] CPI(M) manifesto calls for promotion of Free and
> Open Source Software (FOSS)
> To: ilugd at lists.linux-delhi.org


> I don't recall the BJP stating a position on patents in agriculture and
> pharmaceuticals yet.  However, at the risk of being forever banned from
> this list, I believe that openness and transparency in those sectors is
> orders of magnitude more critical than some piddly little software
> patent and FOSS vs proprietary software debate that only affects a few
> of us elite types.
> 
> People dying because of lack of food, farmers unable to use the seeds of
> their crop for their next sowing, patients not receiving treatment
> since they cannot afford patent-encumbered medicines -- these are
> issues that make intellectual debates about software seem as relevant
> as a dispute in a kids games of marbles during all-out nuclear
> conflict.  From that point of view, thank you CP/M for at least
> mentioning patents in agriculture on page 16.

Dear Raju,

I agree with Raju that there are matters that are much more important to
people, especially in India, than software freedom. Food and health are
two of the basic necessities of life and they are being threatened by
proprietarisation of knowledge and control by multinational
corporations. They are even trying to control the kind of food we eat.
These are very important issues and some of us, Free Software activists,
are involved in movements against these also, as you may know. Let us
thank the CPI(M) for making it a point in their manifesto.

Having said that, let me say that I don't agree that the issue of
software freedom is totally insignificant. It is important because the
government is beginning computerise its work. And in that, transparency
and security are important factors. There, the use of proprietary
software could compromise various things that could affect not just some
elites but everyone. Therefore, I believe, software freedom has a place,
though not as high a place as food and health.

Best
-- 
V. Sasi Kumar
Free Software Foundation of India
Please visit http://swatantryam.blogspot.com