On Thu, 2007-12-27 at 13:45 +0530, Saurabh Nanda wrote: > > 1. Free knowledge! > > a. Using free formats e.g. ODF, PDF, etc. > > b. Using non-free formats e.g. .DOC, etc. > > > 1a. Free knowledge using free formats > > i. Using free tools - e.g. OOo > > ii. Using non-free tools - e.g. Wordperfect > > In my opinion, free knowledge can only be obtained by 1a. However, > free knowledge can be manipulated using 1a-i and 1a-ii both. And if > Freed is focusing on knowledge, as such, using non-free tools should > also be discussed to reach out to a broader audience. > Freed is an event of the FOSS community. Talking about non-free tools is a non-starter, except perhaps to showcase FOSS alternatives - largely because this is not an event hoping to focus on comprehensively defining free knowledge or the "Knowledge Ecosystem"
I would prefer to use the term "focus" with FOSS s/w rather than Education with reference to Freed.in/2008. There is a parallel group discussing the "Knowledge Commons", which will meet sometime in January more interested in policy. Some of us overlap in both forums. Creating a pressure group from the FOSS community to focus on education was not even the intention of Freed.in. > > Lets say we are talking about (1). To many people, using 1a and 1b are > > good enough. > > To these people we might need to explain why open formats and > standards are so important for knowledge. That could be a tangible > goal for Freed -- workshops/discussions on how closed formats are > harming the knowledge economy, especially in the Indian scenario. > > But, yes -- I agree with Kenneth and Sandip. Focusing completely on a > social revolution is not what can be achieved by such a forum. > Probably Freed 2008 can have a large number of > discussions/presentations discussing the application of FOSS in the > knowledge economy. It can kick start a parallel forum/body to take > this initiative forward -- if one does not already exist. But as an > ongoing event, Freed should remain a FOSS (focusing on s/w) event. > One of the catch-phrases suggested for Freed.in/2008 was "The Systems and Tools in building the Knowledge Ecosystem". The document on the wiki is itself raw and diffused, as expected from the initial round of brainstorming, during which we listed possible IT systems and tools to serve as a seed for the community to build on and refine. Raj has already given a response with the answer to why-open-content, and why-education in our country. A few specifics to show that the government is seized by the issue: (1) The Knowledge Commission has listed a set of recommendations under (a) Access to knowledge, (b) creation of knowledge, (c) knowledge concepts, (d) the delivery of services, and (e) the application of knowledge. [1] (2) The Indian Government will allot 19.7% of the plan resource (approximately 2,20,000 crores) for education in the next plan.[2] The first four of the recommendations made by the Knowledge Commission are almost entirely dependent on ICT, and have FOSS based components available. Can we define them? Can we participate more fully in their successful implementation? The FOSS community has voices which largely belong to system administrators and software developers. I am sure that the application of these areas would be the backbone of the systems and tools in building the Knowledge Ecosystem of our country. The difference with the organisation of Freed.in this year is not that a focus on Education has been imposed, but tracks have been left nebulous for the community to define. In parallel, a conclave on building the Knowledge Ecosystem is also proposed. Andrew Ref: [1] http://knowledgecommission.gov.in/report2006/default.asp [general report ] and http://knowledgecommission.gov.in/downloads/recommendations/OERPM.pdf [sketch specific to open knowledge and access] [2] http://www.rediff.com/money/2007/nov/07edu.htm _______________________________________________ ilugd mailinglist -- [email protected] http://frodo.hserus.net/mailman/listinfo/ilugd Next Event: http://freed.in - February 22/23, 2008 Archives at: http://news.gmane.org/gmane.user-groups.linux.delhi http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
