Open Letter To Mammootty: Difference between revisions

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Software is a tool and a means with which we can achieve a lot of things. In this respect , it is similar to infrastructure like roads and rails . Using Microsoft software is akin to using a road built by a private agency who levies a charge for its use. Any further development to that road and the terms of usage of that road will be subject to the whims of that private agency alone , however insane it be. Free Software is like an alternate road , with equal or better quality. It is community owned - public property. Which modifications has to be done , what has to be done and where it has to be done is driven by public need and is not influenced by a private party.

When we use Microsoft's products , which do not gives you the 4 essential freedoms in Computing (Right to study, Right to Copy, Right to modify and Right to Redistribute software), we are subjecting ourselves to what is called vendor lock in. They can end their support our computer systems whenever they will want to. We will be left hanging in the air when they demand more money for upgrades to their software ( which as past has shown , requires more expense in the form of hardware requirements also) . We will be left without a choice. We do not want a society dependent on a company for any need.

When someone use Microsoft's products , which do not gives you the 4 essential freedoms in Computing (Right to study, Right to Copy, Right to modify and Right to Redistribute software), we are subjecting ourselves to what is called vendor lock in. They can end their support our computer systems whenever they will want to. We will be left hanging in the air when they demand more money for upgrades to their software ( which as past has shown , requires more expense in the form of hardware requirements also) . We will be left without a choice. We do not want a society dependent on a company for any need.

There are equally good , community owned replacements to Microsoft products, which gives 4 essential fredom to users.

Microsoft -the company with which u planned to sign contract- have a track record of being fined($1.35 billion) for Antitrust Charges in European Union for not complying with EU standards and trying to avoid giving essential information required for interoperability to others by asking for a huge price. As the report says, "Microsoft was the first company in 50 years of EU competition policy that the commission has had to fine for failure to comply with an antitrust decision," [http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/28/stories/2008022854441401.htm The Hindu February 28, 2008]

The [http://keralaitmission.org/web/main/ITPolicy-2007.pdf Kerala state IT policy] says moto of Akshaya project is ‘making technology and e-government services accessible to common man’. Making Technology and egovernance accessible to common man without Vendor lock-in Free Software is the only solution available.

On [http://www.aol.in/bollywood/story/2008040806139012000006/India/index.html IANS Report] you are saying "your mission is to help make all sections of the society IT literate." So we understand your genuine spirit. But selecting the Microsoft help is a wrong choice. making people literate is a way benefit society as a whole.Proprietary software rejects their thirst for knowledge: it says, “The knowledge you want is a secret—learning is forbidden!” Free software encourages everyone to learn. The free software community rejects the “priesthood of technology”, which keeps the general public in ignorance of how technology works. The people and Government of Kerala understood it and has already [http://www.indianexpress.com/story/280323.html introduced it to our schools] and government institutions. So we request you to stand for free software and essential freedoms in computing to fullfill your mission

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Let us build your Dream together with swathanthra software

A group of Free software Activists, Supporters and Users who believe in freedom , free society and free expression of ideas.

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 Software is a tool and a means with which we can achieve a lot of things. In this respect , it is similar to infrastructure like roads and rails . Using Microsoft software is akin to using a road built by a private agency who levies a charge for its use. Any further development to that road and the terms of usage of that road will be subject to the whims of that private agency alone , however insane it be. Free Software is like an alternate road , with equal or better quality. It is community owned - public property. Which modifications has to be done , what has to be done and where it has to be done is driven by public need and is not influenced by a private party.
-When we use Microsoft's products , which do not gives you the 4 essential freedoms in Computing (Right to study, Right to Copy, Right to modify and Right to Redistribute software), we are subjecting ourselves to what is called vendor lock in. They can end their support our computer systems whenever they will want to. We will be left hanging in the air when they demand more money for upgrades to their software ( which  as past has shown , requires more expense in the form of hardware requirements also) . We will be left without a choice. We do not want a society dependent on a company for any need.
+When someone use Microsoft's products , which do not gives you the 4 essential freedoms in Computing (Right to study, Right to Copy, Right to modify and Right to Redistribute software), we are subjecting ourselves to what is called vendor lock in. They can end their support our computer systems whenever they will want to. We will be left hanging in the air when they demand more money for upgrades to their software ( which  as past has shown , requires more expense in the form of hardware requirements also) . We will be left without a choice. We do not want a society dependent on a company for any need.
 There are equally good , community owned replacements to Microsoft products, which gives 4 essential fredom to users.
 Microsoft -the company with which u planned to sign contract- have a track record of being fined($1.35 billion) for Antitrust Charges in European Union for not complying with EU standards and trying to avoid giving essential information required for interoperability to others by asking for a huge price. As the report says, "Microsoft was the first company in 50 years of EU competition policy that the commission has had to fine for failure to comply with an antitrust decision," [http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/28/stories/2008022854441401.htm The Hindu February 28, 2008]
 The [http://keralaitmission.org/web/main/ITPolicy-2007.pdf Kerala state IT policy] says moto of Akshaya project is ‘making technology and e-government services accessible to common man’. Making Technology and egovernance accessible to common man without Vendor lock-in Free Software is the only solution available.
 On [http://www.aol.in/bollywood/story/2008040806139012000006/India/index.html IANS Report] you are saying "your mission is to help make all sections of the society IT literate."  So we understand your genuine spirit. But selecting the Microsoft help is a wrong choice. making people literate is a way benefit society as a whole.Proprietary software rejects their thirst for knowledge: it says, “The knowledge you want is a secret—learning is forbidden!” Free software encourages everyone to learn. The free software community rejects the “priesthood of technology”, which keeps the general public in ignorance of how technology works. The people and Government of Kerala understood it and has already [http://www.indianexpress.com/story/280323.html introduced it to our schools] and government institutions. So we request you to stand for free software and essential freedoms in computing to fullfill your mission
@@ Line 46: / Line 43: @@
 Let us build your Dream together with swathanthra software
 A group of Free software Activists, Supporters and Users who believe in freedom , free society and free expression of ideas.