2006/10/8, Dinesh Shah <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
Hi!
On 10/8/06, Devdas Bhagat <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > Indeed... The question is can software be used for activism? and even
> > bigger question is should it be used for activism?
> >
> It's called the Free Software Foundation.
I know. I had posed those couple of questions and seeking the opinions
of LUGers (GLUGers?). :-)
Getting those opinions are quite important and should lead to healthy
discussion.
Good UI or technology is not really scarse. What is scarse is
awareness that freedom of the users is important. Several of you are
spreading the use of Linux[sic] among your friends, families. That is
really good work. But when you did that you are spreading it as
technology, saying we can do this, as well as this, and without
viruses etc etc. This does work in a pragmatic society. Seeing this
strategy working we feel this is sufficient, but no. It is not
difficult for a proprietary vendor to adapt the power of a free
operating system and wrap it up with applications and devices embedded
with DRM (digital 'restrictions' management). E.g. Apple. What will
be your argument in support of Linux[sic] as against Apple? When
govt offices, schools and colleges all over the country are given free
copies of M$, what will be your argument in favour of Linux[sic]?
Technical problems can be solved not only by us, by them as well, it
is not difficult for M$ to fix virus problem if they want to. What
they have no interest in fixing is the user's freedom, for it effects
the degree of profits they can earn. As long as user's are not aware
of this they will continue to exploit user's ignorance and rule the
world.
The alternative is, along with the best technology, which we have,
Linux, Mozilla, Apache, Xorg, ... and last but not least GNU. The
last one is not just a technology, but a way of life. As long as you
dont add this technology embedded with activism, you will not have any
argument against the two possibilities I raised above. That is why if
we promote GNU we will have won our freedom. The name matters,
because of the philosophy associated with it. GNU is not just a
idealogy, it is indeed very practical, it is the indispensable
bedrock of the systems that we are using.
We have to make best technology that is free of proprietary encodings
and DRM embedded devices. Our systems will invite parasites if we
dont protect our software with GPLv3. It is a minor fix to take care
of the current vicious environment. I am sure we may need future
revisions to take care of the continuing struggle for software
freedom.
Nagarjuna
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