plans, patents and openeducation disc - Pune
Hi all, This is gonna be a longish post so please excuse. 1. Our plans have been put at http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/4424942/ Various talks related to free software and software freedom day will be held at various locations in Pune. Here are the details: Lokayat Hall: The hall is at Law College Road, near Nal Stop. The details of program are as follows -> Free Software and SFD - Abhijit M from Lokayat -> Power of Firefox - Amit K from PLUG -> A video film on relevant topic Date: Saturday, 19 September 2009 Time: 5 - 8 PM On the same day we will have some programs in colleges as well. Their details are as follows -> Program at COEP A talk on free software and SFD by Amit K A short video film -> Program at Modern Engg College ( Yet to be confirmed but it will happen most likely) A talk on free software and SFD by Rishikesh Y Business models in FOSS / Some other topic on technical aspect of FOSS - Shirish A Presentation on desktop env comparison of GNU Linux and Students - Some student of Modern Engg College -> Program at MMCC Engg College ( Yet to be confirmed ) A talk on Free Software and SFD by Sudhanwa J A talk on Localization/Indianization of GNU Linux -> Program at Sihagad Tech Instt ( Yet to be confirmed ) A talk on Free Software and SFD by Vaibhav G A talk on perl scripting by Amit K Website: http://plug.org.in Now one of the things is that most of the colleges seems to have made a holiday on 19th for something or the other. If this is so we would have to reschedule things a bit later, would inform the list as and when things happen. The second part is somehow this week there had been 2-3 talks on patents and patent-related stuff in my city 1 already over 2 still going to happen :- http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/4417676/ and http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/4417672/ this is a bit upsetting for me personally, as there are no good pre-made literature for fighting this FUD. Maybe somebody has ideas. The other part of the issue is there are two sorts of communities now developing in Pune. While one is more experienced and wiser as they have been when GNU/Linux had its share of growing pains and resources were limited There is a younger, more radical yet inexperienced and doesn't yet understand the implications of entering into a patent-copyright debate. Part of the problem is perhaps also the use of proxy war by patent-users (meaning playing in minds of people by literature and hand-waving rather than in court) to the copyright or copyleft stance of people . Other issues such as file-sharing, privacy, culture also enter the fair once you start engaging on those lines. The moot or most basic question is should software freedom day be limited to just speaking and showing Free software and talking about or use the larger canvass of free culture as well ? I felt the same question last year as well . Lastly, on a more practical note, the Openeducation Disc could do perhaps with having a release number put up on it. I just went to the site and saw there is OpenEducationDisc 09.07 http://www.theopendisc.com/education/ now is this the version in the discs given to us. Looking forwad for feedback. -- Regards, Shirish Agarwal My quotes in this email licensed under CC 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ http://flossexperiences.wordpress.com 065C 6D79 A68C E7EA 52B3 8D70 950D 53FB 729A 8B17
shirish wrote:
The moot or most basic question is should software freedom day be limited to just speaking and showing Free software and talking about or use the larger canvass of free culture as well ?
Softwarefreedomday is about letting know the worldwide public about FOSS. I don't think you need to oppose the 2 ideas you're mentioning as they don't oppose themselves. But you don't want to confuse your audience neither and send the wrong message (whatever that is). In short, make it simple and they might start to use FOSS. Make it complicated and you've probably lost your chances. I'm sure you already know the answer to your own question.
I felt the same question last year as well .
Lastly, on a more practical note, the Openeducation Disc could do perhaps with having a release number put up on it. I just went to the site and saw there is OpenEducationDisc 09.07 http://www.theopendisc.com/education/ now is this the version in the discs given to us.
It's actually based on 09.07 with VLC removed so not exactly the same. We also added some Linux ISO files so it's really not in line with the 09.07. I might even maybe have replaced the Firefox version to a newer one (or maybe not, can't remember). In fact it's the "SFD edition" and you have the 2009 SFD logo on it to remind you which one it is. Similarly giving away the latest version of everything is not as paramount as having someone trying the software (and he probably couldn't care less whether it's Firefox 3.0, 3.5.1 or 3.5.3 when trying out...). I believe that just like any Linux installfest a lot more goes into installing, than just clicking on the 'Next' button.
Looking forwad for feedback.
Great to know your event preparation is moving forward, we also have a few universities moving the date for several logistic reasons (no student back, H1N1, etc.) Fred
participants (2)
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Frederic Muller -
shirish