Raj's was one of the first few names I came across on the net. While I am in no way a software guy, (I am more a user who prefers to be free), I used to hand around in the IRC channels and mail lists even a few years back. Raj's mails and chat on the net were one of msot helpful, useful challenging and crispiest I came accross.
Couple of days back, when he asked about that choose the distro from a boot menu on a pendrive question, I was tempted to shoot off, "that is the next project for you". I held back; after all, I am no longer active in almost anything. Having to position a mere six inches from a 21 inch screen to be able to read anything is not exactly the best way to be active online. There were chances that there was a project somewhere, which I missed. But, the question was lying around in my mind. I too had felt a need for the problem, but I was deliberately keeping myself as far awayas I can from the screen. So, couple of days later, I came back to this list; to be greeted with a screenful of red letters. That meant a sudden flurry of activity on the list. (I still use console mode, and mutt shows unread messages in red). Heck, has somebody sent yet another invite to a social networking site?? Nah. The subjects are different. Slowly, realisation dawns. I am a bit perturbed. I look into other folders to check if this has come up in any other mailing list. I realise that I have unsubscribed from almost every other list - except this one. And remind myself why I stayed on here - I like the OldMonk. And his posts. I fired up my text editor and went to its news reader mode; I quit in disgust, except for hate mails "I hate XYZ"; "The ABC s/w is coming back" etc is not the kind of stuff I adored. One thing I learnt in life was to stop griping and doing something about things we detested. And I admired Raj for his technical, communicative and advocacy skills. He helped those who helped themselves. He wrote software and freely shared it with whoever wanted it. And he did his bit (actually, looots of "bit") to make the non-technical environment more conducive towards Free Software. Slowly, I recall the past few years. In a couple of weeks, I will be celebrating 13 years of being online. The news comes to me on the 13th day of the month. I recall the reactions in the fsug-kochi community when a certain Mr Raju Mathur has been nominated by the FSF to receive an award. And happiness when RMS explains (in a private mail) why Raj was selected. (hmm... was it for the award or was he in the jury?). Over the next couple of years, I note that RMS, as usual, was right. I recall, several years back, there was a person listed on the Debian's commercial services page as a consultant. It was Raj. I also recollect, how, Raj was able to maintain lists without bringing his personal (ie., commercial / business) interests into them. I also remember noticing how almost every other list (free software / Linux / GNU linux related ones, that is) was tainted or hijacked by commercial instrests. It was surprising how much technical details Raj was able to share and discuss with the community, without disclosing clients' identities. Those mails / writeups were very informative. One of the best ones was the one on implementing the latest, shiniest version of Samba for an organisation with few Ks of users. I note that he was one guy who bought his personal device for the freedom it offered (his first mobile was purchased, according to him, because it ran Linux - and those were the days when Motorola still meant that SM56 modem to me; and all that moolah would fetch quite a few square yeards of real estate in most parts of this country. He also started off the indroid list; and released probably first GPL'ed app for Android from this country. DNCViolations, the app written by Raj, is still of immense use to me - I need to use at least couple of times a month. I was wondering what we, the PC based listers will do with advent of the mobile avalanche. Raj's last thread was a reminder that the PC was not dead yet. And also a reminder that lots needs to be done to retain those luxuries of the technological world people like Raj have been figting for all these years. I know that te $diety will not allow that soul to rest in peace. I believe in the Indian philosophy, and am sure that it has merged with Him. What I hope for is that the $diety is good enough to send that soul back to the drawing board. And send us much more of them. We need more people like Raj. (apologies for grammar and typos; my eyes simply cannot bear the strain of re-reading this longish mail; though my mind wants to, so apologies if I hurt anybody). -- Mahesh T. Pai || Sent from my Gooseberry. _______________________________________________ Ilugd mailing list Ilugd@lists.linux-delhi.org http://frodo.hserus.net/mailman/listinfo/ilugd
