[FSUG-Bangalore] Inaugural of Ambedkar Community Computer Center

[jaykumar hs]

Hi Harisingh,

THanx for the report on "opening ceremony of Ambedkar Community Computer
Center". I couldnot attend the programme due to my busy schedule.

regards
Jaykumar


On 7/7/08, Harish Singh <kumar.harish.singh at googlemail.com> wrote:
>
> All,
> Yesterday I attended the opening ceremony of Ambedkar Community Computer
> Center. The center is a volunteer effort from AID and Sthree Jagruthi
> Samithi providing free computer training to any young child in the area.
> There are many reasons why this event is path breaking, but their efforts in
> using GNU and Linux to teach the youth just goes to show that Free Software
> has now reached a maturity and ease of use that everyone claimed was a
> barrier to entry. A few years ago, everyone said Free Software was only a
> niche and could not cater to the general public.
>
> Well, what our friends have shown is this is quite not the case anymore.
> Children as young as 7 years work with computers and Free Software and
> understand how. I saw with some amazement that a young child of 10 (sorry
> don't have his name) start his computer and give a demonstration of his work
> without a single hitch. It was quite humbling to learn the difference in
> hardware and software as body and soul which he described with the help of a
> stand-in volunteer. There was a time when the screen paused for a second,
> and this kid did not blink; using the function key to reload the screen! For
> that this whole community needs to be congratulated. I guess any other child
> his age would have run to his tutor for support. Although there were many
> heroes for the day from among the AID volunteers and Sthree Jagruthi
> Samithi, this young man was the hero of the day.
>
> And the beauty of the approach in this center is that children are being
> taught to dig down and learn computing from the basics and by
> experimentation. By adopting Free Software, this center is teaching some
> higher goals of freedom and community participation (in learning and
> teaching) that Stallman would be proud of. They are being taught that
> software is not necessarily a black box that only a few can master or that
> the restrictions places on by big capital to prevent unrestricted access to
> computers and computing devices are not the only way forward. One day in the
> near future, these children will go into their own and profess the freedoms
> to build and use software as they choose and not as others have chosen for
> them. That indeed would be a solemn and worthy goal to pursue. I'd urge
> everyone in this list to take a trip to this center and give a little
> encouragement to these young people. Then come back and share your stories
> with everyone.
>
> There was singing and dancing with smiles all around. See the pictures<http://picasaweb.google.com/kumar.harish.singh>and
> video <http://www.youtube.com/v/Q3eVm10rf_c> to decide for yourself.
>
>
> Cheers,
> Harish Singh
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