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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. | 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 someone use Microsoft's products , which do not gives the 4 essential freedoms in Computing (Right to study, Right to Copy, Right to modify and Right to Redistribute software), we are | When someone use Microsoft's products , which do not gives the 4 essential freedoms in Computing (Right to study, Right to Copy, Right to modify and Right to Redistribute software), we are becoming helpless creatures. non-free softwares like Windows , designed to keep users helpless and prohibit cooperation. So Uers are | ||
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] | Microsoft -the company with which u planned to sign contract- have a track record of being fined($1.35 billion) for Antitrust Charges in European Union for not complying with EU standards and trying to avoid giving essential information required for interoperability to others by asking for a huge price. As the report says, "Microsoft was the first company in 50 years of EU competition policy that the commission has had to fine for failure to comply with an antitrust decision," [http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/28/stories/2008022854441401.htm The Hindu February 28, 2008] | ||
Revision as of 20:44, 17 April 2008
Open Letter to Mammootty to Stop Promoting M$ and and their Proprietary Softwares
(Draft of open letter.)
Context
Microsoft will be signing up Malayalam movie star Mammootty as one of the brand ambassador for the Computer Literacy programme that will soon organize in Kerala, a Southern Indian State well known for its pro-free software policies. This is an open letter by Free Software Activists, Supporters and Users of Kerala to Mammootty.
English
Open Letter to Mamootty from Free Software Community
Dear Bharat Mammootty,
This letter is to express our deep disappointment in your involvement with Microsoft to launch their e-literacy program in Kerala.open letter is based on the belief that you have social convictions and commitment to people of kerala.
kerala's civil society had in the past been delighted by your decision to dissociate with the coco cola advertisement project as a response to the resource exploitation and pollution caused by the corporate body. However, people of Kerala will be bewildered to see that you is lending your name and fame to support a devastatingly nefarious techno-monopolistic campaign unleashed by Microsoft in our state. We feel your move is both illadvised and harmful.
Being the Diretor of a majour media initiative(Kairali TV, Malayalam Communications Limited) that claims to be people-oriented both in terms of its initial resource mobilization tactics as well as its professed comitment to people's causes, it is embarassing to see that such concerns are completely sidelined in favoue of a hideous agenda of a major US based IT giant, despised even in its homeland for its monopolostic tendenices
We are assuming that you were not given enough information about the IT Scenario we live.
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 someone use Microsoft's products , which do not gives the 4 essential freedoms in Computing (Right to study, Right to Copy, Right to modify and Right to Redistribute software), we are becoming helpless creatures. non-free softwares like Windows , designed to keep users helpless and prohibit cooperation. So Uers are
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," The Hindu February 28, 2008
The 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 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 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
since he has several times expressed his support to the causes upheld by left forces in the country, we hope that it will not be news to you that CPI (M) and other progressive forces in the country have been ardent supporters of free software and as a matter of principle detest Microsoft's monopoly built through trecherous market machinations that even the developed countries unbearable.
it is high time that you need to understand the implicatrions and ramifications of your support for Microsoft. It seriously undermines your role role as a socially committed artist, progressive media leader and sympathiser of leftist politics
We hope that being a thinking man, you will realize the error in endorsing proprietary software and will persist in your mission of bringing about IT to the common man via free software and open standards.As a great man who has added to the culture of Kerala and India , please do set an example by using and promoting Swathanthra Software.
We as a body that strives to support free standards and free society through free software , request you to reconsider your decision and be a proponant of Swatanthra software to achive your mission to help make all sections of the society IT literate
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.
Malayalam
പ്രിയപ്പെട്ട മമ്മൂട്ടി,
ഒരു സുപ്രധാനകാര്യം താങ്കളുടെ ശ്രദ്ധയില് കൊണ്ടുവരുന്നതിനാണു് ഈ കത്തു് ഞങ്ങള് സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയര് ഉപയോക്താക്കള് എഴുതുന്നതു്.മൈക്രോസോഫ്റ്റിന്റെ e-literacy പ്രോഗ്രാമിനു് താങ്കള് പിന്തുണ നല്കുന്നതായി http://www.aol.in/bollywood/story/2008040806139012000006/India/index.html എന്ന വാര്ത്തയില് നിന്നറിയാന് കഴിഞ്ഞു ഇതു് അന്ത്യന്തം ഖേദകരമാണെന്നും സംസ്ഥാനത്തിലെ പൊതുജനതാത്പര്യങ്ങള്ക്കും എതിരാണെന്നും പറഞ്ഞുകൊള്ളട്ടേ.
താങ്കള്ക്കറിയുന്നപോലെ സംസ്ഥാനത്തെ വിദ്യാലയങ്ങളില് പൂര്ണ്ണമായും സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയര് ഉപയോഗിച്ചുള്ള അധ്യായനമാണു് നടക്കുന്നതു്. സംസ്ഥാന വിവരസാങ്കേതികനയവും സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയര് അടിസ്ഥാനമാക്കിയുള്ള ഒരു നയമാണു് മുന്നോട്ടു വെയ്ക്കുന്നതു് ഇതു അട്ടിമറിക്കാന് മൈക്രോസോഫ്റ്റ് പല ഗൂഢശ്രമങ്ങളും നടത്തുന്നു.കേന്ദ്ര വിവരക്കമ്മീഷനും അവരുടെ റിപ്പോര്ട്ടില് സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയര് ശുപാര്ശ ചെയ്യുന്നു. ഈ അടുത്തകാലത്തു് BIS മൈക്രോസോഫ്റ്റിന്റെ ഡോക്യുമെന്റ് സ്റ്റാന്ഡേര്ഡ് ആയ OOXML തള്ളിക്കളയുകയും സ്വതന്ത്ര ഡോക്യുമെന്റ് ഫോര്മാറ്റ് ആയ ODF സ്വീകരിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്നു.
ഇങ്ങനെ ഗവണ്മെന്റും ജനങ്ങളും സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയറുകളുടെ സാങ്കേതികതയില് നിന്നുപരിയായ ഗുണങ്ങള് തിരിച്ചറിയുകയും അവ ഉപയോഗിക്കാനും പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കാനും തുടങ്ങിയിരിക്കുന്നു. വിദ്യാഭ്യാസത്തിലും സംസ്ഥാനഭരണത്തിലും സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയറുകളെ പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിക്കുന്നു എന്നതു് കേരള ഗവണ്മെന്റിനെ ആഗോള പ്രശസ്തി നേടാന് സഹായിച്ച ഭരണ നേട്ടങ്ങളാണു്.
ഇത്തരമൊരു സാഹചര്യത്തിലാണു് പിന്വാതിലിലിലൂടെ സ്വന്തം കുത്തക സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയറുകള് പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കാനുള്ള കുത്സിത തന്ത്രങ്ങള് മൈക്രോസോഫ്റ്റ് രൂപം കൊടുക്കുന്നതു്. അത്തരത്തിലുള്ള ഒരു തന്ത്രത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗമായാണു് താങ്കളുടെ ജനങ്ങളുടെ ഇടയിലുള്ള പ്രശസ്തി അവര്മുതലെടുക്കാന് ശ്രമിക്കുന്നതു്. അതു് താങ്കള് മനസ്സിലാക്കുമെന്നു വിചാരിക്കുന്നു.
താങ്കള് പറയുകയുണ്ടായി, ജനങ്ങളുടെ ഇടയില് വിവരസാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യ പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കുക താങ്കളുടെ ഉദ്ദേശ്യാമാണെന്നു് നല്ല കാര്യം തന്നെ. പക്ഷേ അറിവിന്റെ കുത്തകവത്കരണവും നിഗൂഢവത്കരണവും പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിക്കുന്ന കുത്തകസോഫ്റ്റ്വെയര് കൊണ്ടു തന്നെ വേണോ അതു്? അങ്ങനെയെങ്കില് അറിവിന്റെ സ്വതന്ത്ര പങ്കുവെയ്ക്കലിനെ പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിക്കുന്ന സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയറിനെയാണു് താങ്കള് പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കാന് സഹായിക്കേണ്ടതു്.
അതുകൊണ്ടു് താങ്കള് ഈ ഉദ്യമത്തില് നിന്നു പിന്തിരിയണമെന്നും മറ്റുള്ള സംസ്ഥാനങ്ങള്ക്കും വിദേശരാജ്യങ്ങള്ക്കും മാതൃകയായിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്ന ഇവിടുത്തെ സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയര് പ്രചാരത്തിനെ പരിപോഷിപ്പിക്കാന് സഹായിക്കണമെന്നും അഭ്യര്ത്ഥിക്കുന്നു.
Relates Links
- Microsoft, Mammootty to launch Kerala e-literacy programme
- CPI(M) supports Free software
- Globalization Institute's submission to European Union
- Kerala schools use free software
- What is Free Software?
Signed By
Can we Stop signing till finishing the Drafting? --Anivar Aravind 12:11, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
- I think that would be better. BaijuMuthukadan 12:13, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
- Santhosh Thottingal
- Baiju M
- Chandrasekharan Nair S