[smc-discuss] [fsug-tvm] Free Software and Open Source (was Re:Open Mobile Workshop)

Sun Mar 2 09:48:48 PST 2014

Ganesh,

I believe you had “SPACE” in your signature when you posted the email. Now
I see that you don’t have it anymore and you say you are not an employee.
ie. Earlier you were and now you are not ? Were you let go on Feb 28?
Well that's neither here nor there.

I think my main concern would be your opinions “against” ICFOSS. I am not
defending ICFOSS itself here, but I think SMC’s decision to take part in
ICFOSS program was meant to reach out to developers - non free or not - to
promote FOSS. (I am starting to sound like a religious preacher now, but
bear with me). So imagine an arena where you get to promote FOSS, with FOSS
alternatives rather than non free alternatives - to me, it is the only
track possible for SMC to collaborate because I've observed that that’s how
SMC has worked in the past.

As someone who watched SMC grow and sustain itself, and I repeat, ever
sticking to the Swathanthra notion, by spreading the message of freedom
including translation of Free Software Free Society and releasing its
content and code  under FOSS licenses, I don’t see any reason to suspect
that SMC endorses Open Source (as FSF defines) as opposed to FOSS. Did you
ask in the list as to what SMC’s plans where ?

Actually now that I think about it, you never raised a concern in SMC’s
list asking for SMCs plans there. SMC might have planned to structure it in
the same way as SPACE did with WoMoz 1st edition.  Your original email
looks like a willful, malicious email to me - especially how you raised the
whole issue without raising concerns on the SMC list, rather, emailing
every active FOSS list you could find.

This, I repeat, even after having seen how SMC has a strong track record of
sticking to FOSS. There is certainly malice here Ganesh. Calling my line of
thought “തറ” doesn’t make it go away.

On 2 March 2014 22:00, ganesh h <ganeshredcobra at gmail.com> wrote:

> I am sorry to say this, but i am not an employee of space ;-)
>
> If at all space sets out to promote open source, my response to space
> would be the same. I dont know why some took my statement to be
> against smc if now also someone thinks the same "അത്  ഇച്ചിരി  തറ ആയിപോയി "
> I spoke against the ICFOSS program on behalf of smc because i am also
> part of the community and no one raise concern about the issue.
>
> I hope this mail sets things straight.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ~/Regards
> >Ganesh.H
>
>
> On Sun, Mar 2, 2014 at 3:33 PM, Ashik Salahudeen <aashiks at aashiks.in>
> wrote:
> >
> > I believe Hrishi’s email was a tongue in the cheek response to Ganesh’s
> > previous email. Having said that, I have a few points to make here.
> >
> >
> > I thought when someone (Ganesh, with "SPACE" in his email signature)
> levels
> > accusations at a self sustaining organization like SMC (who has walked
> the
> > walk - writing and releasing Free and Open Source Software ) they'd have
> > examined their backyard a bit more closely.
> >
> >
> > Nikhil, are you saying that SPACE is not a collaborator of the WoMoz
> program
> > ? Or that SPACE has no idea someone used their logo ? Or that the
> organizers
> > of that program made an announcement without your knowledge ?
> >
> >
> > Because i found this :
> >
> >
> > http://blog.mozillakerala.org/2014/02/empower-womoz/
> >
> >
> > Quoting :
> >
> > <quote>
> >
> >
> > The event was handled by 4 volunteers from SPACE and 2 volunteers from
> > Mozilla Kerala.
> >
> >
> > Arun M (Executive Director | SPACE, Kerala)
> >
> > Nikhil C M (Project Manager | SPACE, Kerala)
> >
> > Indu Reghunath (Senior Software Engineer | SPACE, Kerala)
> >
> > Sairath N (Software Engineer | SPACE, Kerala)
> >
> >
> > </quote>
> >
> >
> > Are you saying that you guys have no idea about this program as well ?
> > Because I think its your name there.
> >
> >
> > Further (to stoop down to Ganesh's level - to make arguments and berate
> and
> > belittle programs that benefit community) - ""The mission of the WoMoz
> > Project, “is to promote and involve more women in the FLOSS world”, and
> in
> > Mozilla’s terms,  it is to increase the awareness of Mozilla’s programs
> and
> > web issues that regard to women, especially, regarding the privacy of
> women
> > using the Internet.""
> >
> >
> > In summary -
> >
> >
> > * Ganesh, you have  some serious questions to ask yourself about your
> > employer, and possibly to your employer. It is entirely up to you though.
> >
> > * Ganesh/Nikhil/SPACE do make a clear stance and stick to it. Make FOSS,
> > rather than make war about terminology. Open Source is a synonym for Free
> > Software, at least in Kerala. What you can do for organizations like SMC,
> > WMoz and Mozilla is far more important.
> >
> > --
> >
> > Aashik
> >
> >
> > On 2 March 2014 16:19, nikhil nambiar <nikhil at space-kerala.org> wrote:
> >>
> >> Dear Hrishi,
> >>
> >> SPACE is not aware of this programme. We will check with the organisers.
> >> SPACE will not promote any programme with Open Source ideology or
> >> propitiatory software.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Sat, Mar 1, 2014 at 12:03 AM, Hrishi <hrishi.kb at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Dear Ganesh,
> >>>
> >>> when I saw this poster on mozilla kerala's official facebook page[1] [I
> >>> am attaching the poster with this mail], this discussion came into my
> mind.
> >>>
> >>> Since this is co-hosted by your Employer SPACE,  an organization
> started
> >>> to promote Free Software, i thought about posting it on same thread. (
> >>> excuse me if SPACE is only putting a stall on the program venue ) Take
> a
> >>> look at the technologies and tools covered in the event. It is all
> about
> >>> Open source(with trade marked logo) .
> >>>
> >>> The real issue is about the perspective. Here I don't see Libre or
> >>> Swathanthra perspective which SPACE suppose to endorse. And this is
> >>> happening as a part of SPACE's 10th anniversary programs which is
> >>> inaugurated by none other than RMS. On the inaugural speech he clearly
> >>> spelled out the differences between the movements . SPACE is not
> willing to
> >>> take ethical position for free software shared by RMS on his speech.
> >>>
> >>> The poster is all about Open Source,  there is nothing about Free
> >>> software and Free software movement.  and why github is there? they
> should
> >>> teach git , not github - afaik most of the code used to run github is
> >>> Proprietary. (or they could have introduced gitlabs or gitorious). The
> term
> >>> Open itself it's eliminating Freedom. like you said - it will be good
> to do
> >>> a homework study in our future programs on before becoming part of any
> >>> program.;).
> >>>
> >>> This mail is not about teaching open source. - its not about  teaching
> >>> free software. It is about practicing what you are preaching.  If you
> are
> >>> concerned about it . please tell you employer to change the focus of
> this
> >>> event .
> >>>
> >>> [1] -
> >>>
> https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=527731364011923&set=a.399607260157668.1073741828.290667851051610&type=1&theater
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On Tue, Feb 25, 2014 at 12:17 AM, ganesh h <ganeshredcobra at gmail.com>
> >>> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> It's a welcome move from ICFOSS. Now its victory from the community
> >>>> side and community still has it's strength. In future also community
> >>>> members must raise their concerns to prevent misuse of community name.
> >>>> You may ask them to change the photo collage in the home page it will
> >>>> be good (http://programs.icfoss.org/omw/)
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> ~/Regards
> >>>> >Ganesh.H
> >>>> >SPACE
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> On Mon, Feb 24, 2014 at 5:53 PM, Anivar Aravind
> >>>> <anivar.aravind at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>> > ICFOSS changed the name of event as "Workshop on Free Mobile
> >>>> > Platforms"  as
> >>>> > per the community feedback
> >>>> >
> >>>> > http://programs.icfoss.org/omw/about.html
> >>>> >
> >>>> > Also received following mail
> >>>> >
> >>>> >
> >>>> >
> >>>> > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> >>>> > From: R. Srini <srini at icfoss.in>
> >>>> > Date: Mon, Feb 24, 2014 at 5:28 PM>
> >>>> >
> >>>> >
> >>>> > Dear Anivar,
> >>>> >
> >>>> > Thanks very much for informing us about the issues noted in web site
> >>>> > of the
> >>>> > event for mobile developers. We have made corrections as appropriate
> >>>> > to
> >>>> > positioning of the event.
> >>>> >
> >>>> > Please check the web site for updates done in this regard. Would
> >>>> > appreciate
> >>>> > if you communicate this among the community. As we have been
> >>>> > struggling to
> >>>> > find presentations on Replicant, and Ubuntu from the respective
> >>>> > project
> >>>> > teams, I suggest that we request the Free Software community to
> >>>> > volunteer
> >>>> > presentations. Hope you will be able to pass this request to
> >>>> > appropriate
> >>>> > communities immediately.
> >>>> >
> >>>> > Looking forward to have a very fruitful event for the Free Mobile
> >>>> > Platform
> >>>> > enthusiasts and developers in our region.
> >>>> >
> >>>> > Thanks.
> >>>> > Srini
> >>>> >
> >>>> > --
> >>>> > --
> >>>> > "Freedom is the only law".
> >>>> > "Freedom Unplugged"
> >>>> > http://www.ilug-tvm.org
> >>>> >
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> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> ---
> >>> Regards,
> >>> Hrishi | Stultus
> >>> http://stultus.in
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> --
> >>> "Freedom is the only law".
> >>> "Freedom Unplugged"
> >>> http://www.ilug-tvm.org
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> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> regards
> >>
> >> Nikhil Nambiar.
> >>
> >> “The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to
> >> make it fall.”
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Swathanthra Malayalam Computing discuss Mailing List
> >> Project: https://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/smc
> >> Web: http://smc.org.in | IRC : #smc-project @ freenode
> >> discuss at lists.smc.org.in
> >> http://lists.smc.org.in/listinfo.cgi/discuss-smc.org.in
> >>
> >>
> >
>
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