[FSF India] (no subject)

[Vivekananda Prabhu]

Hi,

Those who are bullish on Free Software & GNU/Linux
system, please take time to read what happened to the
efforts to replace Windows with GNU/Linux in Mexican
schools.

( Mexican schools embrace Windows -
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,45737,00.html
)

Despite the best intentions & efforts, the move to
GNU/Linux & freedom *did not* succeed.Though several
reasons have been cited, I think the major issue has
been with the lack of device drivers. All other
problems like lack of experienced admins, lack of
political will etc. are *not* that un-solvable

I am sure any similar move to popularize GNU/Linux in
any developing country including India will meet the
same fate for the very same reason (lack of device
drivers)

Yes, the goal of Free Software Movement has never been
to be successful, but to give the users choice &
freedom. But that cannot become the *excuse* to be a
*failure*

If people keep facing failure after failure in
embracing free software, finally they will get
de-motivated & give up. Do we want that to happen?

The only practical solution seems to support WinDDK
a.k.a Windows Device Driver API on top of GNU/Linux
systems

Though the idea might seem a taboo to "Linux" purists
& lovers of Free software, IMHO this seems the only
practical solution for now

Yes, the support for Win XX device drivers is
"Crutches" & not the final solution.(The final
solution should be to have Free drivers for *all*
available hardware)

But we should not forget that crutches *have* played
an important role in Free Software history.
RMS/FSF/GNU Project developed many of their GNU tools
on top of non-free Unix OSes.Linux kernel itself was
developed as a part by part replacement of non-free
Minix kernel

For FSF/RMS the issue has been philosophical i.e.
non-encouragement of non-free Win device drivers. For
Open Source/Linux camp the issue has been economical
(they earn thier bread writing Linux device drivers) &
not philosophical (it is ok if Linux runs non-free HP,
Compaq device drivers, but MS Win XX device drivers
are verboten)

I am *not* a fan of MS or Windows. But it looks odd to
me that we have free software projects like WINE to
port Windows API to run MS Office, Notepad & other
Windows applications on top of GNU/Linux, but none to
run Windows device drivers which appears more critical
to me.

If someone can't run MS Office, Corel Office on
GNU/Linux he can always run Star Office, GNOME Office,
KOffice etc. which are providing more & more features
by the day (Ofcourse this was not true when these
projects started)

But if someone can't run GNU/Linux on his system for
lack of device drivers he will run Windows on it,
instead of GNU/Linux

Unless there are copy-right, licence & patent issues,
I don't know why someone doesn't start a project (say
'Wind-Tunnel' :))to port Windows device driver API to
GNU/Linux? We anyway already are supporting MS
proprietory SMB protocol (Samba)on GNU/Linux



Regards,
Vivek






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