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

[Nidhin Sasi]

On Thu, Mar 19, 2009 at 11:07 AM, Raj Mathur <raju at linux-delhi.org> wrote:

> On Thursday 19 Mar 2009, V. Sasi Kumar wrote:
> > [snip]
> > 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.
>
> As noted earlier, that was a digression, and I don't really know if this
> is the right forum to continue this debate (but am doing so anyway :) .
> If I had to restate my point in a more palatable fashion, (speaking
> purely for myself), I'd happily vote for party FOO who had introduction
> of software patents and banishment of all FOSS in its manifesto, as
> long as they promised to rescind the TRIPS clauses related to
> agricultural and pharmaceutical patents.  In my scale of things (and in
> yours too I bet!), lack of freedom in agri and pharma nullifies even
> perfect freedom in any intangible field, e.g. software, music or books.
>
> Note that this is a moving target: as India (and Indians) grow more
> wealthy, the relative importance of food and drugs vs software and
> music keeps declining.  When all 1.2 billion of us have enough food and
> adequate health care, software will be the overriding battle to be
> fought; until then, I will try to keep my outlook a bit wider.


India is home to world's largest severely noursihed children, 77% spends
less than Rs. 20 a day, those unable to consume 2200 calories have increased
from 57.5% in 1993-94 to 2004-05. As per Sainath's article in Hindu
yesterday India as further moved down the HDI (Human Development Index) from
128 last year to 132 now...

Still I wonder how people in teh same country fighting endlessly for
software thinks "*When all 1.2 billion of us have enough food and adequate
health care, software will be the overriding battle to be fought*"

What Vikram said is perfectly what any activist who fights for "TRUE"
freedom contrary to "Psuedo" freedom advocates and preaches. If you are
fighting for freedom and believes that a country like India needs freedom in
software more than in drugs, pharmceuticals etc. , I think I need to know
the meaning of "Freedom" which you are advocating ......


>
>
> Of course, all this is hypothetical and we can keep discussing this
> endlessly, so, while I look forward to your response(s), no more from
> me on this subject :)
>
> Regards,
>
> -- Raju
> --
> Raj Mathur                raju at kandalaya.org      http://kandalaya.org/
>       GPG: 78D4 FC67 367F 40E2 0DD5  0FEF C968 D0EF CC68 D17F
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