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===Open Letter to Mammootty to Stop Promoting M$ and and their Proprietary Softwares===
'''Open Letter to Mammootty to Reconsider Promotion of Microsoft and their Proprietary Softwares'''


'''Draft of open letter.'''
We request all of you to blog on this and add your link to [[/Protest_Blog_Posts| Protest Blog posts]] page.


All, please make modifications ASAP. Correct me if i have gone wrong , even provide an alternate content if you think better. We need to get this online and have to send this to mass media. -Ashik
A malayalam version of this letter is available [[മമ്മൂട്ടിയ്ക്കൊരു_തുറന്ന_കത്തു്|here ]].
=== Context ===


Microsoft will be [http://www.aol.in/bollywood/story/2008040806139012000006/India/index.html signing up] Malayalam movie star [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammootty Mammootty] as one of the brand ambassadors for the Computer Literacy programme that is to be organized soon 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.


Dear Mammootty
===Open Letter to Mamootty from Free Software Community===


This letter is to express our disappointment in your involvement with Microsoft to launch their e-literacy program in kerala in spite of you being the brand ambassador to Akshaya. We are assuming that you were not given enough information about the IT Scenario in the state.
Dear Bharat Mammootty,


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 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 subject to the whims of a private company.
This letter is to express our deepest disappointment in your involvement with Microsoft to launch their [http://www.aol.in/bollywood/story/2008040806139012000006/India/index.html e-literacy program in Kerala] and is based on the belief that you have high social convictions and commitment to the people of Kerala.


Kerala's civil society had in the past been delighted by [http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/03/26/stories/2004032600971500.htm your decision to dissociate with the Coca-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 are lending your name and fame to support a [http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20070923170905803 devastatingly nefarious techno-monopolistic campaign] unleashed by Microsoft in our state. We feel your move is both ill-advised and harmful.


When we use Microsoft's products , which do not comply to open standards and are never owned in the true sense , 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 ) . we will be left without a choice. We do not want a society dependent on a company for any need.
Being the Director of a major 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 commitment to people's causes, it is embarrassing to see that such concerns are completely sidelined in favor of a hideous agenda of a major US based multi-national IT giant, despised even in US for its monopolistic tendencies. In fact there are records of this company [http://www.wired.com/software/coolapps/news/2007/08/ooxml_vote using underhanded tactics to enforce its views] on an organization like ISO which maintains international standards for public benefit.


There are equally good , community owned alternative to Microsoft products, which comply to open standards ( which means that anyone can make software that implement them , without licensing costs and be assured that it will remain interoperable with other similar software ) and we have succesfully introduced it to our children and students ( tomorrow's citizen's ) in schools. At this stage , your actions endorsing Microsoft's products will be damageing to efforts that strive to bring about open standards and free society.
We are assuming that you were not given enough information about the IT Scenario we live in.


As a great man who has added to the culture of Kerala and India , kindly set an example by using Swathanthra Software as our government has done.
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 of that road and the terms of usage of that road will be subject to the whims of that private agency alone, however insane it may be. Free Software is like an alternate road , with equal or better quality. It is community owned - public property. What modifications have to be done, and where it has to be done is driven by public need and is not influenced by a private party.


We as a body that strives to support open standards and free society through free software , request you to reconsider your decision. We will provide more information should you require it.
When we use Microsoft's products, which do not give the four 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 are designed to keep users helpless and prohibit cooperation. On the other hand, Free software believes in sharing and cooperation.  
===Malayalam===


പ്രിയപ്പെട്ട മമ്മൂട്ടി,
For your kind attention, Microsoft, the company with which you plan to sign the contract, has 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].
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 ms പല ഗൂഢശ്രമങ്ങളും നടത്തുന്നു.കേന്ദ്ര വിവരക്കമ്മീഷനും അവരുടെ റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ടില്‍ സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയര്‍ ശുപാര്‍ശ ചെയ്യുന്നു. http://www.indianexpress.com/story/280323.html 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
The [http://keralaitmission.org/web/main/ITPolicy-2007.pdf Kerala state IT policy] says motto of Akshaya project is ‘making technology and e-government services accessible to common man’. For making technology and e-governance accessible to common man without vendor lock-in, Free Software (Swathanthra Software) is the only solution available.
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
In the [http://www.aol.in/bollywood/story/2008040806139012000006/India/index.html IANS Report], you said that you want to launch the project "to help make all sections of the society IT literate". We understand and appreciate your genuine spirit. But selecting Microsoft as an accomplice would be the wrong choice. Making people literate benefits the 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 ignorant of how technology works. The people and Government of Kerala understood it and has already [http://www.indianexpress.com/story/280323.html introduced it in our schools] and government institutions. So we request you to stand for free software and essential freedoms in computing to fulfill your mission.
അത്തരത്തിലുള്ള ഒരു തന്ത്രത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗമായാണു് താങ്കളുടെ ജനങ്ങളുടെ ഇടയിലുള്ള പ്രശസ്തി അവര്‍മുതലെടുക്കാന്‍ ശ്രമിക്കുന്നതു്. അതു് താങ്കള്‍ മനസ്സിലാക്കുമെന്നു വിചാരിക്കുന്നു
 
താങ്കള്‍ പറയുകയുണ്ടായി, ജനങ്ങളുടെ ഇടയില്‍ വിവരസാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യ പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കുക താങ്കളുടെ ഉദ്ദേശ്യാമാണെന്നു്
Since you have on several occasions expressed your 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 treacherous market machinations that even the developed countries find unbearable.
നല്ല കാര്യം തന്നെ. പക്ഷേ അറിവിന്റെ കുത്തകവത്കരണവും നിഘൂഢവത്കരണവും പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിക്കുന്ന കുത്തകസോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയര്‍ കൊണ്ടു തന്നെ വേണോ അതു്?
 
It is high time that you understood the implications and ramifications of your support for Microsoft. It seriously undermines your role  as a socially committed artist, progressive media leader and sympathizer 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 enriched the culture of Kerala and India, please do set an example by using and promoting free 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 proponent of free software to achieve your mission to help make all sections of the society IT literate.
 
Let us build your dream together with free software.
 
A group of free software activists, supporters and users who believe in freedom, free society and free expression of ideas.
 
=== Endorsed by ===
 
==== Organisations ====
 
#[http://fci.wikia.com FOSS Communities in India]
#[http://ilug-tvm.org GNU Linux Users Group- Thiruvanathapuram]
#[http://smc.org.in Swathanthra Malayalam Computing]
#[http://fci.wikia.com/wiki/Malappuram Swathantra Software User Group Malappuram]
#[http://plus.sarovar.org Palakkad Libre Software Users Society]
#[http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gluc GNU/Linux Users Group Calicut]
#[http://bangalore.gnu.org.in Free Software Users Group Bangalore]
#[http://www.ilug-cochin.org Indian Linux User Group Cochin Chapter]
#[http://www.php-trivandrum.org/pleading-to-bharat-mammootty/ PHP Trivandrum]
#[http://fsugtsr.org/ Free Software Users Group Thrissur]
#[http://gnu.org.in Free Software Foundation of India]
#[http://opensource.org.in Open Source Foundation of India]
#[http://movingrepublic.org Movingrepublic]
#Global Alternate Information Applications(GAIA)
#[http://vibgyorfilm.com ViBGYOR Film Collective]
#Keraleeyam Magazine
#[http://Thirdeyefilms.org Third Eye Films]
#[http://visualsearch.org Visual Search, Bangalore]
#samalochana
#[http://space-kerala.org SPACE]
#Forum Kerala
#[http://cinemela.blogspot.com Cinemela Film Festival], New Delhi
#[http://sacw.net South Asia Citizens Web]
#[http://konangalfilmsociety.blogspot.com KONANGAL FILM SOCIETY, COIMBATORE]
# BMS Libre Software Users' Group (BMSLUG)
#[http://swatantra.org Swatantra Kannada Localisation Project]
#[mailto:chrfindia@hotmail.com COIMBATORE HUMAN RIGHTS FORUM]
# Malayala Kalagramam Film Society,New Mahe
# Kerala Society for Theatre Research,Sree Sankaracharya University,Kaladi.
# Padhabhedam magazine, Calicut
# [http://http://info.ibon.org/ IBON South Asia]
# [http://www.fossmeet.in/nitc FOSSMeet@NITC]
#[http://www.fireflies.in/ Fireflies- an ngo for children and youth]
#[http://subalternstudies.com/ Subaltern Studies. An open-access media, communications, and cultural studies collective]
 
==== Individuals ====
 
# [http://kareemsblog.blogspot.com Abdulkareem UK]
# [http://abhi.totalh.com Abhinandh]
# [http://kavoor.info Aditya Kavoor]
# Afthab Ellath
# Ajai Joseph
# [http://ajoaugustine.wordpress.com Ajo Augustine]
# Amel Mathai
# Amey Jahagirdar  (One Happy Linux Mint User)
# [mailto:narkaramit@yahoo.com Amit Narkar]
# [http://suranaamit.blogspot.com/ Amit Surana]
# [http://ab.freeshell.org/ Anand Babu Periasamy]
# Anand Haridas
# [http://ilug-tvm.org/ Anand S Babu]
# [http://www.astro.psu.edu/users/anand/ Anand Narayanan]
# Ani Peter
# Anish Bhaskaran
# [http://anivar.movingrepublic.org Anivar Aravind]
# Anoop C Jacob
# [http://www.thondomraughts.com/ Anoop John]
# [http://anoop.caremedia.org/ Anoop Jacob Thomas]
# [http://gnusys.net/ Anoop P Alias]
# [http://gnuism.blogspot.com Anoop Panavalappil]
# [http://ilug-tvm.org/ Anoop V Muraleedharan]
# [http://www.ilug-tvm.org Anto Jose]
# [http://www.ilug-tvm.org Anu James]
# [http://www.chintaadaara.blogspot.com Arun.K.R]
# Arun Eapen
# Asha Gopinathan IISc
# [http://www.ilug-tvm.org Ashik Salahudeen]
# baburajbhagavathy
# [http://baijum81.livejournal.com/ Baiju M]
# [http://360.yahoo.com/basilappackan Basil Baby]
# [http://bipinthayyullathil.tk Bipin Thayyullathil]
# Birenjith P S
# [http://tuxychandru.blogspot.com Chandra Sekar.S]
# [http://keralafarmer.wordpress.com/ Chandrasekharan Nair S]
# [mailto:cibucj@gmail.com Cibu C J]
# [http://sarkkaarkaryam.blogspot.com/ Chandra Kumar]
# [http://ernakulam.sancharnet.in/doxa/ CK Raju]
# [mailto:sarat@thirdeyefilms.org C.Saratchandran]
# [[User:Desertwind|desertwind]]
# DileepRaj, Resident Editor, Penguin Malayalam
# Dinesh Joshi
# [http://mayyazhi.blogspot.com/ Dr. Mahesh Mangalat]
# [http://openspace.org.in Edwin]
# Fr. Benny Benedict
# [mailto:brucemathew@gmail.com/ Mr. Bruce Mathew]
# Geethika G.
# George John
# Gopal menon, Film maker
# G. Palaniappan
# [mailto:gpramachandran@gmail.com G.P Ramachandran]
# [http://blog.uiandtheworld.com Hafiz A Haq]
# Harish Veeramani
# [http://college-memories.blogspot.com Hari Vishnu]
# [http://sacw.net Harsh Kapoor]
# [http://versuslinux.blogspot.com/ Hiranjyoti Mahanta]
# [http://hiraneffects.blogspot.com Hiran Venugopalan]
# Indu.R.Nair
# [http://nedumpala.blogspot.com Jaisen Nedumpāla]
# [http://jsureshkumar.blogspot.com/ J Suresh Kumar]
# [http://www.ilug-tvm.org/ Jagadish S]
# Jayakumar Thazhath
# Jayesh V
# [[User:jinesh.k|Jinesh K J]]
# [mailto:asunnyk@gmail.com/ Dr. Sunny Kuriakose Alwaye]
# Jithu Sudhakar
# Joby John
# [http://infochangeindia.org John Samuel], Convenor, National Social Watch Coalition
# Joice Mulanthanam
# Joseph John (Saji)
# Justin Joseph
# [mailto:kmenonsen@gmail.com Kalyani Menon-Sen]
# karthick.n(linux loves me)
# [[User:kishoreasok| Kishore.A]]
# [[User:Kmvenuannur|K.M Venugopal]]
# K.P Sasi, Filmmaker
# K.Satchidanandan, Poet
# [http://www.ilug-tvm.org Kurian John]
# [http://subalternstudies.com/?author=1 Kishore Budha]
# M Jayadev
# [mailto:gladmuthambi@gmail.com Madhusoodanan P]
# [http://maravind.blogspot.com/ Mahesh Aravind]
# [http://libregeek.blogspot.com Manilal K M]
# Manish Sharma
# Kiran Chand
# [http://manusmad.blogpot.com Manu S Madhav]
# [http://ilug-tvm.org Manuel Jose]
# Mathew Chacko
# Mohana Krishnan
# Mustafa Desamangalam
# Nimesh V
# [http://www.ilug-tvm.org Nishan Naseer]
# Nishanth Dhar
# Noor Manseel Mohamed
# [http://look-pavi.blogspot.com Pavithran S]
# [mailto:pandavathbaburaj@gmail.com P.Baburaj]
# P.K.Pokker, Director, Keralabhasha Institute
# [http://pramode.net Pramode C.E]
# Prashant Shah
# [http://njaan.blogspot.com Pratheesh Prakash]
# [[User:Pravs|Praveen A]]
# Praveen Gopinath
# Praveen Kunjapur
# Praveen P
# Prakash Kumar Ray, Cinema Studies, SAA, JNU, New Delhi
# Prinson.P.J
# [http://www.rahul-ghose.co.cc/ Rahul Ghose]
# [mailto:raja.swamy@gmail.com Raja Swamy], Austin, Texas
# [http://ilug-tvm.org/ Rajiv R Nair]
# [mailto:rakeshfilm@gmail.com Rakesh Sharma] Film Maker
# [http://www.ilug-cochin.org Reju Rajeev]
# Ranjith S. Kumar
# Ravi Chandra Padmala
# Renni P Mathunny
# Sajeer.A.R
# Sajina Raman
# Sajith VK
# Sam Albuquerque
# [http://www.ilug-cochin.org Sameer Mohamed Thahir]
# Sandeep Jairam Web Developer
# Sanju Surendran
# [[User:gameon|S.Anoop]]
# Santhosh Kurian
# [http://santhoshtr.livejournal.com Santhosh Thottingal]
# [mailto:seetheskybelow@gmail.com Sarah Singh]
# [http://sarathlakshman.info Sarath Lakshman]
# [http://swatantryam.blogspot.com Sasi Kumar, V.]
# Seena Sreevalson
# [mailto:shabnamhashmi@gmail.com Shabnam Hasmi]
# Shailesh Kumar Soft Developer
# [[User:Shashank | Shashank Bharadwaj]]
# Sheshu K R
# [[User:aeshyamae| Shyam.k]]
# [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Sibi_antony Sibi Antony]
# Siddhartha Brahma
# [http://raw-ev1l.blogspot.com Sp^wN_0F_S^T^N ]
# [http://www.ilug-cochin.org Sreenadh H]
# [[User:Barar | Sudev]]
# Sudhang Shankar
# [http://sujith-h.livejournal.com Sujith Haridasan]
# Sujith S
# Sushovan Dhar
# [http://samastham.wordpress.com/ Thanesh Thampi]
# [http://thejeshgn.com/ Thejesh GN]
# [http://overclockedfragger.wordpress.com/ The Overclocked Fragger]
# [mailto:sreekumartt@gmail.com T.T Sreekumar]
# Thomas Mannuthy
# [http://www.iiitmk.ac.in/~choppell Venkatesh Choppella] IIITM-K
# [[User:Vincentvikram|Vikram Vincent]]
# Venu V.K
# Vimal Joseph
# Vineesh Thalethodi
# Vipin Vincent
# [http://www.bombay-arts.com Vishal Rawlley]
# [[User:Vivekkhurana| Vivek Khurana]]
# [http://blogbhoomi.blogspot.com/ V K Adarsh]
# [http://yadu.deviantart.com Yadu Rajiv]
# Yesudeep Mangalapilly
# [http://www.gnu.org Zaheer M Kozhakkaniyil]
# Mohan R
# Sabeel
# [http://anishsamuel.blogspot.com/ Anish Samuel]
# KamalHariMenon
# Lijeesh S D
# Alfahed P M
# PON.CHANDRAN, COIMBATORE
# Pramod G Menon
# [http://www.annyann.blogspot.com Dr Haroon Ashraf]
# Praveen K. Prasad
#[mailto:girish.gg@gmail.com Girish G G]
#Sreekumar R
#[mailto:cyber.arunmurali@gmail.com Arun Murali]
 
=== Relates Links ===


===Relates Links ===
# [http://www.aol.in/bollywood/story/2008040806139012000006/India/index.html Microsoft, Mammootty to launch Kerala e-literacy programme]
# [http://www.aol.in/bollywood/story/2008040806139012000006/India/index.html Microsoft, Mammootty to launch Kerala e-literacy programme]
# [http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/04/stories/2007030411510400.htm CPI(M) supports Free software]
# [http://www.globalisation.eu/briefings/competition-policy/unbundling-microsoft-windows-200709231241/ Globalization Institute's submission to European Union]
# [http://www.indianexpress.com/story/280323.html Kerala schools use free software]
# [http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html What is Free Software?]
# [http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/09/stories/2008030953940500.htm ORUMA: the result of KSEB’s concerted efforts]
===Press Release===
[http://www.ilug-tvm.org/content/open-letter-mammootty-press-release-0 Open letter to Mammootty - Press release]
==Mammootty's Response==
'''
'''
May 07, 2008
Dear Sir,
'''Sub: Computer Literacy Programme for computer illiterates of Kerala, India:
Greetings'''''' from Mammootty’s Office, Kochi!'''
This is in response to the fire ignited by free software lovers of the state against Mammootty’s alleged association with Microsoft for the Computer Literacy Programme for computer illiterates of Kerala.
In this regard Mammootty would like to make it clear that Mammootty is in no way a part of the project. Mammootty has in no way associated with Microsoft nor held any discussions with them. Mammootty Fans and Welfare Association & Microsoft are envisaging the Project. As a person Mammootty is against any kind of monopoly in any area.
Mammootty Fans and Welfare Association is a registered society, which is independent and Mammootty by no means a part or office bearer of it. Mammootty Fans and Welfare Association is working for the upliftment of marginalized sections of the society. As per our knowledge their major works include ‘Kazhcha 06-07’ – An eye care programme for the poor sections of the society. Through this they provided free eye surgeries & treatment to thousands. Recently announced ‘Heart to Heart’ a free open-heart surgery scheme for 100 hearts patients who are unable to afford the treatment.
Mammootty believe that the reason for the Mammootty Fans and Welfare Association associating with Microsoft is a genuine one. It seems that its aim is to orient computer illiterates of Kerala. It will be a great step, if it achieves its fruit. We, Keralites can again be proud about the fact that we will be first state in India to become 100 percent computer literate like our former literacy programme. It will bring accolades to the state from worldwide and will help in increasing the reputation of the state. Mammootty is ready to join hands with any one interested in the welfare of the public.   
Yours sincerely
Robert Kuriakose


P R O to Mammootty
[[Category:Campaigns]]
[[Category:Campaigns]]

Latest revision as of 15:23, 15 February 2017

Open Letter to Mammootty to Reconsider Promotion of Microsoft and their Proprietary Softwares

We request all of you to blog on this and add your link to Protest Blog posts page.

A malayalam version of this letter is available here .

Context

Microsoft will be signing up Malayalam movie star Mammootty as one of the brand ambassadors for the Computer Literacy programme that is to be organized soon 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.

Open Letter to Mamootty from Free Software Community

Dear Bharat Mammootty,

This letter is to express our deepest disappointment in your involvement with Microsoft to launch their e-literacy program in Kerala and is based on the belief that you have high social convictions and commitment to the people of Kerala.

Kerala's civil society had in the past been delighted by your decision to dissociate with the Coca-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 are 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 ill-advised and harmful.

Being the Director of a major 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 commitment to people's causes, it is embarrassing to see that such concerns are completely sidelined in favor of a hideous agenda of a major US based multi-national IT giant, despised even in US for its monopolistic tendencies. In fact there are records of this company using underhanded tactics to enforce its views on an organization like ISO which maintains international standards for public benefit.

We are assuming that you were not given enough information about the IT Scenario we live in.

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 of that road and the terms of usage of that road will be subject to the whims of that private agency alone, however insane it may be. Free Software is like an alternate road , with equal or better quality. It is community owned - public property. What modifications have 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 give the four 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 are designed to keep users helpless and prohibit cooperation. On the other hand, Free software believes in sharing and cooperation.

For your kind attention, Microsoft, the company with which you plan to sign the contract, has 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 motto of Akshaya project is ‘making technology and e-government services accessible to common man’. For making technology and e-governance accessible to common man without vendor lock-in, Free Software (Swathanthra Software) is the only solution available.

In the IANS Report, you said that you want to launch the project "to help make all sections of the society IT literate". We understand and appreciate your genuine spirit. But selecting Microsoft as an accomplice would be the wrong choice. Making people literate benefits the 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 ignorant of how technology works. The people and Government of Kerala understood it and has already introduced it in our schools and government institutions. So we request you to stand for free software and essential freedoms in computing to fulfill your mission.

Since you have on several occasions expressed your 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 treacherous market machinations that even the developed countries find unbearable.

It is high time that you understood the implications and ramifications of your support for Microsoft. It seriously undermines your role as a socially committed artist, progressive media leader and sympathizer 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 enriched the culture of Kerala and India, please do set an example by using and promoting free 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 proponent of free software to achieve your mission to help make all sections of the society IT literate.

Let us build your dream together with free software.

A group of free software activists, supporters and users who believe in freedom, free society and free expression of ideas.

Endorsed by

Organisations

  1. FOSS Communities in India
  2. GNU Linux Users Group- Thiruvanathapuram
  3. Swathanthra Malayalam Computing
  4. Swathantra Software User Group Malappuram
  5. Palakkad Libre Software Users Society
  6. GNU/Linux Users Group Calicut
  7. Free Software Users Group Bangalore
  8. Indian Linux User Group Cochin Chapter
  9. PHP Trivandrum
  10. Free Software Users Group Thrissur
  11. Free Software Foundation of India
  12. Open Source Foundation of India
  13. Movingrepublic
  14. Global Alternate Information Applications(GAIA)
  15. ViBGYOR Film Collective
  16. Keraleeyam Magazine
  17. Third Eye Films
  18. Visual Search, Bangalore
  19. samalochana
  20. SPACE
  21. Forum Kerala
  22. Cinemela Film Festival, New Delhi
  23. South Asia Citizens Web
  24. KONANGAL FILM SOCIETY, COIMBATORE
  25. BMS Libre Software Users' Group (BMSLUG)
  26. Swatantra Kannada Localisation Project
  27. COIMBATORE HUMAN RIGHTS FORUM
  28. Malayala Kalagramam Film Society,New Mahe
  29. Kerala Society for Theatre Research,Sree Sankaracharya University,Kaladi.
  30. Padhabhedam magazine, Calicut
  31. IBON South Asia
  32. FOSSMeet@NITC
  33. Fireflies- an ngo for children and youth
  34. Subaltern Studies. An open-access media, communications, and cultural studies collective

Individuals

  1. Abdulkareem UK
  2. Abhinandh
  3. Aditya Kavoor
  4. Afthab Ellath
  5. Ajai Joseph
  6. Ajo Augustine
  7. Amel Mathai
  8. Amey Jahagirdar (One Happy Linux Mint User)
  9. Amit Narkar
  10. Amit Surana
  11. Anand Babu Periasamy
  12. Anand Haridas
  13. Anand S Babu
  14. Anand Narayanan
  15. Ani Peter
  16. Anish Bhaskaran
  17. Anivar Aravind
  18. Anoop C Jacob
  19. Anoop John
  20. Anoop Jacob Thomas
  21. Anoop P Alias
  22. Anoop Panavalappil
  23. Anoop V Muraleedharan
  24. Anto Jose
  25. Anu James
  26. Arun.K.R
  27. Arun Eapen
  28. Asha Gopinathan IISc
  29. Ashik Salahudeen
  30. baburajbhagavathy
  31. Baiju M
  32. Basil Baby
  33. Bipin Thayyullathil
  34. Birenjith P S
  35. Chandra Sekar.S
  36. Chandrasekharan Nair S
  37. Cibu C J
  38. Chandra Kumar
  39. CK Raju
  40. C.Saratchandran
  41. desertwind
  42. DileepRaj, Resident Editor, Penguin Malayalam
  43. Dinesh Joshi
  44. Dr. Mahesh Mangalat
  45. Edwin
  46. Fr. Benny Benedict
  47. Mr. Bruce Mathew
  48. Geethika G.
  49. George John
  50. Gopal menon, Film maker
  51. G. Palaniappan
  52. G.P Ramachandran
  53. Hafiz A Haq
  54. Harish Veeramani
  55. Hari Vishnu
  56. Harsh Kapoor
  57. Hiranjyoti Mahanta
  58. Hiran Venugopalan
  59. Indu.R.Nair
  60. Jaisen Nedumpāla
  61. J Suresh Kumar
  62. Jagadish S
  63. Jayakumar Thazhath
  64. Jayesh V
  65. Jinesh K J
  66. Dr. Sunny Kuriakose Alwaye
  67. Jithu Sudhakar
  68. Joby John
  69. John Samuel, Convenor, National Social Watch Coalition
  70. Joice Mulanthanam
  71. Joseph John (Saji)
  72. Justin Joseph
  73. Kalyani Menon-Sen
  74. karthick.n(linux loves me)
  75. Kishore.A
  76. K.M Venugopal
  77. K.P Sasi, Filmmaker
  78. K.Satchidanandan, Poet
  79. Kurian John
  80. Kishore Budha
  81. M Jayadev
  82. Madhusoodanan P
  83. Mahesh Aravind
  84. Manilal K M
  85. Manish Sharma
  86. Kiran Chand
  87. Manu S Madhav
  88. Manuel Jose
  89. Mathew Chacko
  90. Mohana Krishnan
  91. Mustafa Desamangalam
  92. Nimesh V
  93. Nishan Naseer
  94. Nishanth Dhar
  95. Noor Manseel Mohamed
  96. Pavithran S
  97. P.Baburaj
  98. P.K.Pokker, Director, Keralabhasha Institute
  99. Pramode C.E
  100. Prashant Shah
  101. Pratheesh Prakash
  102. Praveen A
  103. Praveen Gopinath
  104. Praveen Kunjapur
  105. Praveen P
  106. Prakash Kumar Ray, Cinema Studies, SAA, JNU, New Delhi
  107. Prinson.P.J
  108. Rahul Ghose
  109. Raja Swamy, Austin, Texas
  110. Rajiv R Nair
  111. Rakesh Sharma Film Maker
  112. Reju Rajeev
  113. Ranjith S. Kumar
  114. Ravi Chandra Padmala
  115. Renni P Mathunny
  116. Sajeer.A.R
  117. Sajina Raman
  118. Sajith VK
  119. Sam Albuquerque
  120. Sameer Mohamed Thahir
  121. Sandeep Jairam Web Developer
  122. Sanju Surendran
  123. S.Anoop
  124. Santhosh Kurian
  125. Santhosh Thottingal
  126. Sarah Singh
  127. Sarath Lakshman
  128. Sasi Kumar, V.
  129. Seena Sreevalson
  130. Shabnam Hasmi
  131. Shailesh Kumar Soft Developer
  132. Shashank Bharadwaj
  133. Sheshu K R
  134. Shyam.k
  135. Sibi Antony
  136. Siddhartha Brahma
  137. Sp^wN_0F_S^T^N
  138. Sreenadh H
  139. Sudev
  140. Sudhang Shankar
  141. Sujith Haridasan
  142. Sujith S
  143. Sushovan Dhar
  144. Thanesh Thampi
  145. Thejesh GN
  146. The Overclocked Fragger
  147. T.T Sreekumar
  148. Thomas Mannuthy
  149. Venkatesh Choppella IIITM-K
  150. Vikram Vincent
  151. Venu V.K
  152. Vimal Joseph
  153. Vineesh Thalethodi
  154. Vipin Vincent
  155. Vishal Rawlley
  156. Vivek Khurana
  157. V K Adarsh
  158. Yadu Rajiv
  159. Yesudeep Mangalapilly
  160. Zaheer M Kozhakkaniyil
  161. Mohan R
  162. Sabeel
  163. Anish Samuel
  164. KamalHariMenon
  165. Lijeesh S D
  166. Alfahed P M
  167. PON.CHANDRAN, COIMBATORE
  168. Pramod G Menon
  169. Dr Haroon Ashraf
  170. Praveen K. Prasad
  171. Girish G G
  172. Sreekumar R
  173. Arun Murali

Relates Links

  1. Microsoft, Mammootty to launch Kerala e-literacy programme
  2. CPI(M) supports Free software
  3. Globalization Institute's submission to European Union
  4. Kerala schools use free software
  5. What is Free Software?
  6. ORUMA: the result of KSEB’s concerted efforts

Press Release

Open letter to Mammootty - Press release




Mammootty's Response


May 07, 2008



Dear Sir,

Sub: Computer Literacy Programme for computer illiterates of Kerala, India:

Greetings' from Mammootty’s Office, Kochi!

This is in response to the fire ignited by free software lovers of the state against Mammootty’s alleged association with Microsoft for the Computer Literacy Programme for computer illiterates of Kerala.

In this regard Mammootty would like to make it clear that Mammootty is in no way a part of the project. Mammootty has in no way associated with Microsoft nor held any discussions with them. Mammootty Fans and Welfare Association & Microsoft are envisaging the Project. As a person Mammootty is against any kind of monopoly in any area.

Mammootty Fans and Welfare Association is a registered society, which is independent and Mammootty by no means a part or office bearer of it. Mammootty Fans and Welfare Association is working for the upliftment of marginalized sections of the society. As per our knowledge their major works include ‘Kazhcha 06-07’ – An eye care programme for the poor sections of the society. Through this they provided free eye surgeries & treatment to thousands. Recently announced ‘Heart to Heart’ a free open-heart surgery scheme for 100 hearts patients who are unable to afford the treatment.

Mammootty believe that the reason for the Mammootty Fans and Welfare Association associating with Microsoft is a genuine one. It seems that its aim is to orient computer illiterates of Kerala. It will be a great step, if it achieves its fruit. We, Keralites can again be proud about the fact that we will be first state in India to become 100 percent computer literate like our former literacy programme. It will bring accolades to the state from worldwide and will help in increasing the reputation of the state. Mammootty is ready to join hands with any one interested in the welfare of the public.


Yours sincerely

Robert Kuriakose

P R O to Mammootty

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