[FSF India] Talking about free software in schools

[Khuzaima A. Lakdawala]

Hello,

My proposal has nothing to do with individual GNU/Linux distributions
or with any particular piece of free software for that matter. I am
only suggesting that we enlighten young and impressionable minds about
the *simple* philosophy of free software. I think this can certainly
be done without raking up distribution wars etc.

The only reason I am proposing to do this under the "banner" of
FSF-India is because it exists! If there is another non-profit Indian
organisation whose purpose fits with the ideals of free software and
which wants to lend its name to this campaign then we will do it under
their banner, no problem.

But I think it is very important to do this under the aegis of a
country-wide organisation. If a school principal receives a letter
from me as an individual, stating "I, a proponent of free software
hereby request you...", she will probably discard it without reading
further. But if she receives a letter from an organisation on its
official letterhead signed by an authorised signatory, it will make a
world of a difference.

Regards,
Khuzaima

"Nagarjuna G." <nagarjun@hbcse.tifr.res.in> writes:

> On 6 Nov 2001, Khuzaima A. Lakdawala wrote:
> 
> ->Friends,
> ->
> ->Last month I had posted a draft proposal for an advocacy project on
> ->fsf-edu (http://gnu.org.in/pipermail/fsf-edu/2001-October/000010.html)
> ->to which there was an overwhelming response (none :)
> ->
> ->I point you to it again in the hope of eliciting some inputs,
> ->comments, suggestions or pointers to similar projects which may be
> ->already going on and which I could join.
> ->
> 
>    We are not doing in a systematic manner, as you have
>    suggested, in Mumbai, but we are doing for the last three
>    years, workshops, giving lectures etc.  There are effects.
>    There is also greater demand.  Presently it looks like if we
>    could harness merely the demand created, we are already doing
>    what we should be doing.  But I do agree with you that we
>    should do it professionally.  However the problem is that we
>    are functioning mostly as individuals, though we sometimes
>    exhibit good coordination, I should admit that we are a
>    heterogenous group.  May be we need more ideas about how we
>    impliment this in a larger country like ours.
> 
>    There is another problem.  The Mumbai group particularly
>    started as a GNU/Linux Users Group, and not as FSF - India.
>    When we went out and started talking about Freesoftware we
>    talked about everything under the sun, such as Free/Open RH,
>    SuSE, Caldera, Mandrake etc, including of course GNU/Debian.
>    We do have a big group, but if we start an explicit campaign
>    under the banner of FSF-I, I am afraid, I may be excluding a
>    few of the core members.  So the numbers that remain may not
>    be sufficient to support a movement.  On the otherhand, it is
>    wise to be with the heterogenous group and continue to talk
>    about the ethics and politics of free software as and when the
>    opportunity arises.  E.g., I dont refuse to install RH or SuSE
>    in a workshop, though I would love to show them Debian.  I do
>    make use of the opportunity to talk about the differences both
>    in substance and spirit.  I want to know whether others also
>    face similar situations.
> 
>    Nagarjuna
> 
> _______________________________________________
> http://gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-india
> 
> 

-- 
Khuzaima A. Lakdawala