On 23/04/2008, Rony <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > That is great. However I feel their decision to use Libre software may > have to do more with costs than freedom. They must have saved lakhs of > donor rupees on legal OSs and Office suites. (25+40) * 10 computers per > school = 650 computers. 650 * Rs. 12,000 = 78 Lakhs. Just an estimate. > Anyway it is a good thing. > for them it may as well be that reason but the end result is freedom for the schools. and by the way there has been enough discussion about cost and other things which I can declare officially on this list. and we must not be under the impressions that free software advisers may not charge. they do charge and pritty heavy at that. this is because our time is costly.
> The point I was making is about Microsoft spending crores of rupees to > donate computers to rural people and the opposition to this initiative. > In poor countries it is a dicey situation where help is pouring in but > one group does not want it to happen ( For good reasons of course ). yes and we must be prowd of that *one group * because they don't want any country to go on a wrong path and invite another east india company who claimes to do good for the poor but we very well know it is actually taking disadvantage of the poor not helping them. what good will it do if any huge company puts some pieces of paper called money or some hardware junk called computers just to take away my knowledge and my personal information and in turn also take away the nations security? I agree fo the common man it is no big deal. because he is not aware of all this and *one group * wants to make them aware and distributing small handbills in news papers as suggested before was a good idea. > And it is not drug money or some blood stained wealth thats pouring in. For > the general public it is just a software giant doing its bit for > society. In poor regions, such initiatives are difficult to oppose > unless there is an alternative arrangement possible. > of course it is like adicting people to druggs. for common public it is a software giant doing its *bit for the society*. but that is the difference between us and them. our work is to make people aware and know that it is exactly the opposit. it is us who are doing a good bit for that giant, and not the other way round. yes in poor countries alternatives are there and poor countries must also not waist their money on dirty licenses where people don't get books for their schools. better spend what ever money we have on the right IT resources. > My choice would be that the Govt. makes it mandatory for all hardware > donations to be independent of riders on software that can be installed > on them. Legal experts could site some clause about not allowing MRTP in > education. Last time we met, Nagarjuna had mentioned about school > syllabus having to be independent of brand identities. Then let the > donors (anyone) decide whether they can operate under this rule or want > to back out. That will also help the public get a better understanding > of the benefactors. As an organization, FSF India could prod the Govt. > into making this rule. We can write a letter with all our signatures and > send it to the PM and other Ministries. We could all meet at HBCSE to > sign this letter. > that is exactly why I said our job is not providing infrastructure. our job is to show the way to freedom and brandless education. and above ideas are the once which should be considered seriusly. happy hacking. Krishnakant. > -- > Regards, > > Rony. > > GNU/Linux ! > No Viruses > No Spyware > Only Freedom. > > -- > http://mm.glug-bom.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxers > -- http://mm.glug-bom.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxers
