01.25.09
Update from Kerala (re: EDGI, Expelled Leaders)
ONE IMPORTANT STORY that we looked at before involves India and the hostile dumping of Microsoft software to combat Free software and GNU/Linux over there. We wrote about this in:
- Is Microsoft ‘Pulling an EDGI’ on Kerala? (Updated)
- Microsoft Dumps on India, South Africa, Malta
- Microsoft’s Dumping Strategy Versus GNU/Linux (EDGI Continued)
- Microsoft Chief: “Under NO Circumstances Lose Against Linux”
- Microsoft’s EDGI in India: Fighting GNU/Linux in Education
- EDGI Finale: Microsoft’s “Linux Compete Squad”
- Has Microsoft Just ‘Pulled an EDGI’ on 72,000 Schools?
The press has just published the following article.
In order to comply with fair use doctrine, here is just a portion of the text.
Kerala Marxists see red as ‘free’
software drive goes out of control
“FREE SOFTWARE activists fear that the Marxists are trying to hijack their movement in Kerala.
“The CPM- led state government recently sacked two proponents of the movement, who had formulated the state’s information technology policy based on free software. This follows attempts by the CPM to form networks in Chennai and Bangalore in the name of free software, but strictly under party control.
[...]
“However, he was not sure what had led to his ouster.
“CM’s political secretary, K. N. Balagopal, said he had asked Arun to resign as the CM directed, but refused to comment on party influence. Secretariat sources, however, said the officials had to leave because they spoke against the party line.” █
From the Campaign for Document Freedom
aeshna23 said,
January 25, 2009 at 7:52 pm
I don’t care what Marxist say about their religion, but “monopoly” is that first word that comes to mind when I hear the word “Marxism”. “Genocide” is a close second.
Roy Schestowitz said,
January 25, 2009 at 7:59 pm
How is this related to the story that involves software?
twitter said,
January 25, 2009 at 8:53 pm
The relation, I presume, is that most people calling themselves “Marxist” in the 20th century were autocrats and responsible for some of the largest mass murders in history. I don’t know enough about Kerala to know how and if the Marxists there are like those others but I can say that I don’t like their collusion with M$/Novell and their poor treatment of free software advocates. Boycott Novell has told the story well so far and the situation is worth monitoring.
Autocrats will always oppose software freedom along with other freedoms but they will happily appropriate your work then jail, beat or murder those who protest. It is not surprising that autocrats gravitate towards M$ and other non free software because these are excellent tools to control press and monitor communications. GNU/Linux, pollluted by M$ and other wise without freedom, can be just as bad as M$ Windows.
Roy Schestowitz said,
January 26, 2009 at 3:10 am
Prebuilt GNU/Linux can be used in the same way (like in China where they force use of one distribution).
aeshna23 said,
January 26, 2009 at 10:07 am
To answer Roy, I agree with what Twitter said, but I also was thinking of the huge state-run monopolies that were characteristic of all Communist governments except debatably Yugoslavia. A single operating system to rule them all and in the darkness bind them is exactly what a Communist regime would want.
Of course, there is a slight difference that the Communist Party in India has been elected democratically in a few states and can be voted out of power. Their hand isn’t as free as in Stalin’s Russia. Still, a Communist Party isn’t going to encourage diversity in thought or the empowerment people to make their own decisions–which makes them natural allies of Microsoft.
Roy Schestowitz said,
January 26, 2009 at 10:18 am
Diversity in thought is hardly encouraged in any society for that matter. People are tamed, or made indoctrinated.