On Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 10:23 AM, Vickram Crishna <[email protected]>wrote:
> It's not often I get a chance to disagree with @Sajan Well, I never get a chance to disagree with Vickram at all, and I think he has a valid point -- several valid points -- here. It would be just peachy fine and dandy if totally GUI, foolproof, plug and > play solutions came out of the FOSS world and plonked down for free to run > our hopefully burgeoning CR stations. That seems to be pretty much what Aaditeshwar Seth, IITD and 'GRINS' aim to do, if I am not mistaken. Over to you, Aadi. Sajan > "That doesn't leave them much time to wrestle with technology, and I am not > sure they'd get much tech support in places like Pastapur and Garhwah." > > One of the striking differences between the FOSS and proprietary ethos' is > the fact that so much of FOSS stuff is community driven. Yes, in totally > poverty-stricken areas, it is unlikely there would be any kind of > groundswell for doing anything but getting the next morsel of food. However, > as I mentioned, the license conditions are so complex and difficult, and the > technical constraints so unreal, that the typical 'successful' (by which I > mean one that doesn't collapse under the weight of its good intentions) > station will be located in an area that has some evidence of money as well > as a decent amount of electricity, which just happens to be the conditions > needed for a computer-aware situation. > > It is not a given (or there would be no need for the FOSS community to get > into antagonistic situations with the state or with vendors of proprietary > solutions) that computer usage and community thinking go hand in hand, but > it just happens that one of the benefits of CR is itself community > awareness. > > It would be just peachy fine and dandy if totally GUI, foolproof, plug and > play solutions came out of the FOSS world and plonked down for free to run > our hopefully burgeoning CR stations. The reality is that these new stations > will redefine the needs of radio stations themselves, which will not run > like AIR clones. > > From redefining needs to working on satisfying those needs oneself is one > small step for (a rural wo-)man, and a giant step for mankind. That's the > FOSS spirit! > > On Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 10:05 AM, sajan venniyoor <[email protected]>wrote: > >> >> On Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 7:56 AM, Vickram Crishna <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> Also, over and above the links Sajan has quoted, there is an IITD based >>> development under way (led by Aaditeshwar Seth) for a complete integrated >>> FOSS radio station operating system. Whatever we understand by 'complete', >>> of course. I think it is called Gyaanvani. >> >> >> The software is called 'GRINS <http://gramvaani.org/news/software/>' (Gramin >> Radio Inter Networking System (GRINS) v0.1) and Aadi's agency is called >> 'Gram Vaani' (www.gramvaani.org) . They tested it out recently in 'Radio >> Bundelkhand', a community radio station in Orchha, near Jhansi. >> >> >> Incidentally, I find the idea that geeky things are beyond rural >>> understanding rather discriminatory, if not downright snobbish. >> >> >> I thought you might say that. Snobbishness apart, geeky things are >> difficult in rural areas, not because they are beyond rural understanding, >> but because they really don't have the time or energy to expend on such >> things. By and large, rural CR stations run on shoe-string budgets (the >> staff at 'Namma Dhwani' in Budikote told me a couple of years ago that they >> managed on Rs.15,000 a month, though this must be singularly low even by CR >> standards) and practically all the 'staff' hold other jobs to make a living. >> That doesn't leave them much time to wrestle with technology, and I am not >> sure they'd get much tech support in places like Pastapur and Garhwah. >> >> Maybe if they had a substantial FOSS environment, like in Kerala, it might >> work. >> >> Good point about the snobbishness, though. >> >> Sajan >> >> >> Please note that the T&C for obtaining a CR license are so onerous that >>> only places reasonably well served by money and electricity can get through >>> the licensing process. >>> >>>> >>>> -- >>> Vickram >>> http://communicall.wordpress.com >>> >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> network mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://lists.fosscom.in/listinfo.cgi/network-fosscom.in >> >> > > > -- > Vickram > http://communicall.wordpress.com > > _______________________________________________ > network mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.fosscom.in/listinfo.cgi/network-fosscom.in > >
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