[Fsf-india] [Sorry a bit long] Government, Freedom, People and other things.

[Khuzaima A. Lakdawala]

Arun M <arun@freedevelopers.net> writes:

> We had a lot of discussion regarding Ethics of Freesoftware user,
> IT Policy so on and so forth. I tried to stay away from all these
> discussion. 
>  
>  - I was sure that they were not going to help the development of 
>    Free Software Movement. 

Please don't belittle other people's attempts to sharpen our advocacy
approach. If you don't want to take part in the discussions for your
own reasons, that's very well, but I don't think anybody has given you
the right to sit in judgment over other people's attempts and desires
to take the movement forward by glibly stating the above.

>  - Emotion can destroy your ability to think rationally.

Please don't equate emotion with the desire to stay true to
fundamentals. And if you think that a particular point is irrational
then please join in the discussion and point it out in context rather
than making such a sweeping statement.

>  - Worried that my comments would be taken out of context and
>    misinterpreted, and didnt wanted to go on clarifying them.
> 
> Today after going through several mails I had in queue i felt 
> i should speak up (My words dont value much, just consider it as ideas of 
> a freesoftware enthusiast nothing more). 
> 
> Let me start with the latest event.
> 
> 
> IT Policy, Kerala Government and Free Software.
> ----------------------------------------------
> 
> Government of Kerala is saying use Free Software because it costs less.
> Is it good for free software ? 
> 
>     " No its not, the government should be bashed, who ever worked 
>       get 'Free Software' in the policy document did some bad job.
>       It is a bad step for the Free Software Movement"
> 
>      * Disclaimer again, I wasnt involved with any discussion with Government.
> 
> Yes, its not how we (people in FreeSoftwareMovement) wanted it to be.
> But it is not *nothing*, may be it's first time in India government
> asking to support Free Software in policy document. If you are
> saying its *nothing* you are making fun of a lot of people who worked for 
> getting the government support free software.

That is a ridiculous interpretation. I don't believe anybody here is
out to make fun of fellow free software advocates. On the contrary, I
am sure everyone must be having a lot of hidden respect for the people
who have taken it upon themselves to advocate to the
government. Criticizing the advocacy approach (and pointing out its
negative repercussions) for the betterment of the cause is "making
fun" ? By what reasoning?

-- 
Khuzaima A. Lakdawala