[FSUG-Bangalore] slashdot article "Boycott Novell ProtestersManhandled In India"

Mon Nov 17 13:43:03 IST 2008

Hi,

"Where are the advocates of freedom in the new digital society who have
not been decried as pirates, anarchists, COMMUNISTS?"  Have we not seen
that many of those hurling the epithets were merely thieves in power,
whose talk of ``intellectual property'' was nothing more than an attempt
to retain unjustifiable privileges in a society irrevocably changing? "
- Prof Eben Moglen 

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---------------------------------------------

We are newbies..but this doesn't mean we can be called names by FSF
board memebres  - in their personal capacity - whenver its convinient

This is becoming a habit..in FSF .. And makes we very sad .. That I have
to post this..inspite of all the restraint..
As the double speak is becoming unberable - as we in blr have been
called names - in some magazines by kerala

I infact spoke to anivar and arun yday to make things better in blr -
but it doesn't seem that anyone is bothered - even at the highest levels
- and we agreed to regularly communicate - but I see this deplorable
article in slashdot.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------

..Last time it was Sasikumar sir with all due respects. Is Anivar part
of FSF or not..please clarify..why these dual roles..

Why is FSF going back and forth on this 'hijack' - cpim - Please take a
stand and don't confuse us with silence like last time...or else don't
spread this hijack stories  - in whatever capacity 

-S

James Mathew full timer of fsf, india writes the following in slash dot

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?no_d2=1&sid=08/11/17/0120203

Sasikumar sir writes :

http://www.mail-archive.com/fsf-friends@mm.gnu.org.in/msg00704.html

I am writing this mail since my earlier mail is being interpreted to
mean that the CPI(M) is trying to sabotage the Free Software Movement in
the country. That was not at all what I meant. Since I wrote it in a
hurry as I am on the verge of leaving on a rather longish journey. I
don't think a large party like the CPM would try to capture a small
organisation like FSF India. But the convention has several known CPM
leaders (such as Dr. Debesh Das) and CPM supporters (such as Sri N.
Ram). So it would appear that the people who are doing this have a CPM
background. Why they would want to create such a problem, god only
knows. I am sure the top brass in the party would never knowingly permit
such activities. I am sorry if I sounded otherwise.

Best
-- 
V. Sasi Kumar
Free Software Foundation of India

Then I see Shyam K , from MES - say the following in slashdot :: 

"HI, Myself one of the protestors of boycottnovell protest happened in
kerala. I would like to summarize some points here. 
The event was not organized by the Communist Party. Communist Party is
promotting Free Software on several occasions and they have a good stand
on Free Software. The event organizers are as seen here at the event
site http://nfm2008.atps.in./ [nfm2008.atps.in] Some of the organizers
were not having enough exposure to the Free Software world. That
actually led to the situation of Novell being the platinum sponsor of
the event. The whole problem is because of the igorance of the
organizers on the subject. The organizers mishandled the subject without
realizing the issue, as they have little knowledge about the issue
raised by us. 

Our concern was about Novell, and we wanted the general public to know
the truth. For that we raised the posters telling them the reasons of
boycott Novell. We didnot boycott the event. We did participate the
event and tried to correct the organizers and tried to pass the correct
information to the public. The organizers didnt realize this and they
took their position with Novell due to their ignorance. and this
mishandling of this issue caused the problems. 

Anyway the organizers [nfm2008.atps.in] (CP(I)M is not among the
organizers ) owe an appology to free software community regarding this. 
I think the way slashdot presented the issue is misleading. This is not
an issue between Communist party and Free Software people. 
On behalf of the protestors "

Shyam K

-----Original Message-----
From: fsug-bangalore-bounces at mm.gnu.org.in
[mailto:fsug-bangalore-bounces at mm.gnu.org.in] On Behalf Of James Mathew
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 1:33 PM
To: Free Software Users Group - Bangalore
Subject: Re: [FSUG-Bangalore] slashdot article "Boycott Novell
ProtestersManhandled In India"

On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 1:09 PM, Vikram Vincent
<vincentvikram at gmail.com> wrote:
>

>>
>
> It seems that "hijacking" is such a catchy phrase nowadays.
>
> Hijacking means to take over by force.Hijacking may refer to: In 
> property:* Aircraft hijacking or 'skyjacking'* Carjacking* Credit card

> hijacking en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijack
>
> HOW the hell can anyone hijack a peoples' movement?
> I saw that James Mathew used his gnu.org.in id to post this slashdot 
> message.
> Why is FSF-India promoting this "hijack" theory everywhere?

Dear Vikram,

The fact that i used the official id for the slashdot post was a slip
from my part and i apologize for the same.
I would also like to clarify that the opinions stated in the post has
nothing to do with FSF-India and are entirely my own. The rest of the
mail, it think stands answered with this clarification.

> I remember seeing the important people of FSF-India sharing the dais 
> with the Left, holding important positions in the Left Govt. in 
> Kerala, using the Left whenever some help is needed and then this dual
standards...
> FSF-India cannot even get an appointment with a Minister without the 
> help of the Left.
> It was the Left backed school teachers' assn which promoted free 
> software in Kerala.
> It was because of the Left that patents in software were not adopted 
> in Parliament...
> What does FSF-India have to say for itself?
>

James

-- 

HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE!
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