anivar's posterous

Complaint to National Commission for Protection of Child Rights on UID enrollment of Kerala school children

To

Chairperson
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights,
5th Floor, Chanderlok Building, 36, Janpath,
New Delhi - 110 001

Complaint- Coercive Circular by the  Public  Education Department of Kerala Govt

We are deeply concerned at the circular passed by the Kerala Government No-No. 27207/G3/11 dated 20.06.2011 ( ATTACHED HEREWITH ) directing public education department to deploy online school management software called "Sampoorna" in schools across the state.

Click here to download:
Translation_of_GO_on_Sampoorna.pdf (29 KB)
(download)


According to the circular, details of as many as 60 lakh students from Standard 1 to 12 spanning over 15,000 schools in the state would be captured in this scheme. All schoolchildren will soon have unique identification numbers (UID), which will help in tracking their movements in educational institutions and academic records. Circular says , “The headmasters of the schools should ensure that all students have filled in the forms before 31/08/2011, ordered by class and division. The education officers are directed to monitor these explicitly.”

We  would like to draw your attention to some facts concerning the project:

 A law to govern the project is yet to be passed by Parliament. The National Identification Authority of India Bill 2010 was introduced in Parliament on 3rd December, 2010, and sent to the Standing Committee of Finance on 20th December 2010. The Standing Committee has been heard to be expressing serious reservations about the project (see, for e.g., report in the Indian Express, New Delhi) The project is, therefore, currently operating outside the protection of law.

It has been acknowledged that there are abiding concerns about privacy that the project has to address before it can be allowed to proceed. There is a Privacy Bill that has been drafted, but it has not yet been introduced in Parliament. There are, therefore, no protections that the law provides. There are no protocols about who can access the information, how the UID number may be used, what will happen if there is identity theft and identity loss. There are no protections against tracking and profiling. The collection of biometrics increases the concern.

 Biometrics is untested technology. It is known that fingerprints on a population-wide scale is tried and tested, and the project authorities have admitted that they are experimenting on the Indian population. It has been admitted that fingerprints do not work for children, that iris scan will not be used for authentication, and all this means that the chances of exclusion are extremely likely, with the error rate yet unknown. The Biometrics Committee set up by the UIDAI, for instance, found that 2-5% of the 25,000 people on whom they did their study of fingerprints "did not have biometric records". The problems with biometrics has been increasing in number and variety, and ad hoc remedies are being applied.

 Further, over time biometrics modify, thus re-enrollment will be required. The UIDAI states that given the changing nature of biometric data – biometrics would be collected every five years for children and every ten years for adults. The current project does not give us a clear picture as to what extent the re-enrollment will be required, and how the additional costs will be accounted for.

The UID working paper on UID and Iris says that collecting and de-duplicating the biometrics of children is a challenge – face and finger biometrics are not stable until the age of 16. The lack of de-duplication of a child’s biometrics would require that the child’s UID be linked to the parents’ UIDs in the database and the child’s ID is not issued on the basis of deduplication of his/her biometrics. This however, increases the risk of duplicates/fakes among UIDs for children. Such UIDs would represent a significant proportion of the UIDs issued, since the percentage of population below 15 years of age is 35.3% as per the 2001 Census.

The iris presents a potential means to issue the majority of children a unique number linked to their biometrics, since the iris stabilizes at a very young age. Unlike fingerprints, the iris is said to be fully developed at the time of birth itself. The limitation on iris capture of a child is due to the requirement for a child to follow the instructions of keeping his/her eyes open before the iris camera. On an average, the age at which the child can understand and follow such instructions will be around 4 years. If we use iris, we would be able to reduce the size of our inaccurate UID sub-set ( due to the inability to de-duplicate) from 35% to 11% (the percentage of population below four years of age as per the 2001 Census). This will be a significant gain in terms of accuracy.
Iris scans will not work in millions of cases because of malnutrition-induced cataract. Finger prints, too, would generate a lot of noisy data which may ultimately be unusable. There are no existing standards for the creation / collection of biometric data in India and consequently no way to monitor the process.

There is no means of controlling the recording and retrieval of data about children, and that is especially serious since our jurisprudence clearly states that the records relating to children except public exam marks should not be carried into adulthood. This is especially important where the child has had a difficult growing up and may have encountered problems of being a `neglected child' or a `child in conflict with the law'. These are specifically proscribed from being carried into adulthood, with good reason. The UID, with its ability to link up data bases poses a threat to this important area of personal safety and protection of the child.

It may interest you to know that the UIDAI has not done even a pilot study on `authentication'. They have just a few days ago expressed their intention of undertaking the pilot. This means that they have not yet figured out whether the system to identify a person through their demographics and biometrics will actually work. We are also seriously concerned that a pilot undertaken when the project has got underway will not genuinely test whether the system will work, but will look for ways to justify the system. The Proof of Concept that the UIDAI carried out in relation to enrolment shows evidence that it was done with the intent to prove that the system will work and not to verify if, in fact, it does. So, persons whose fingerprints could complicate the sample, such as plantation workers, were deliberately left out of the sample. Do consider the implications of such studies for determining reliability of the project.

We have expressed our concern to the UIDAI about the companies that they have involved in the project which includes companies such as L-1 Identities Solution which is closely connected with the CIA (you just have to look at their website to see them advertise this fact) and Accenture, which is on a Smart Borders Project with the Department of Homeland Security. We have received no response to our enquiries.

Since, we are sure, your interest is to protect the interests of the child, please do consider the consequences of imposing this untried project that is in a legal vacuum on the children in your state. China has, for instance, banned the practice of fingerprinting in schools as being too intrusive and an infringement of children's rights.


The question of informed consent is an important element in public policy; kindly consider what the choicelessness imposed on parents as also the children means in the enforcing of public policy.

 Most recently, the UK scrapped a similar `identity' project. The National ID programme in the UK, which was avowedly aimed at tackling fraud, illegal immigration and identity theft, was assessed as being too expensive and also an infringement on civil liberties. The UK government cited higher costs, impracticality and ungovernable breaches of privacy as reasons for the cancellation of the NID project. The project which had been begun has actually had to be dismantled and all the records destroyed. This is what Theresa May, the British Home Secretary, said about the project while scrapping it in June 2010:

“The national identity card scheme represents the worst of government. It is intrusive and bullying. It is ineffective and expensive. It is an assault on individual liberty that does not promise a great good…”

It is also ironical that the Indian state is promoting the UID project in India at a time when several countries across the world (including the USA, the UK, Australia, China, Canada and Germany) have scrapped similar projects. In UK, there are schools which use fingerprints to identify individuals arriving at school, in a tactic to reduce truancy. Pupils would touch a fingerprint reader to show they were in school or in an individual lesson. But there have been concerns about how such personal biometric data is stored or who else might have access to such information. And there have also been disputes about the rules governing the collection and use of such data from young people.

Article 2 of the CRC States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that the child is protected against all forms of discrimination or punishment on the basis of the status, activities, expressed opinions, or beliefs of the child's parents, legal guardians, or family members.

Article 8  states that the  States Parties undertake to respect the right of the child to preserve his or her identity, including nationality, name and family relations as recognized by law without unlawful interference.

As parents, we make decisions for our children on a daily basis. Some will affect their lives for the next few minutes; others will potentially affect the rest of their lives. When replacing any existing system, it is often easier to see how a new system fixes the shortcomings in the existing system, but often it is the case that any new system also comes with its own set of weaknesses some of which were not immediately evident.

The focus of the UIDAI has been on enrolment. Mr Nilekani has called it `open architecture', stating that he takes no responsibility for how, specifically, the UID will be useful.


The violations of the right against surveillance, profiling, tracking and convergence of data which leads to violations of the right to privacy and dignity are serious in nature. The UIDAI merely says that they will not do any of these; they have been unwilling to take responsibility for any other agency being given the capacity to so violate rights because of the profiling or convergence, for instance, that the UID number and its ubiquitous use makes possible, even easy. You will find this is true in relation to the other areas where the UIDAI is selling its project on its website, including in PDS, NREGA and public health.

It needs to be said that the UID project harbours a technocratic vision of functioning, and, so, it has little or no understanding of rights, wrongs, violations and value.


We draw your attention to what we know must be your primary concern: that of protecting the best interests of the child. The UID jeopardises it in more ways than we have recounted in this missive.

We request you to kindly give priority to the best interests of the child and investigate this project before making any decision about imposing it on children.

 Yours sincerely

Adv Kamayani Bali Mahabal , Anivar Aravind and Usha Ramanathan
For SAY NO TO UID CAMPAIGN
 

Press Relese: UID NOT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST

CAMPAIGN FOR NO UID

MEDIA RELEASE: 25 August 2010. New Delhi

UID NOT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST

Scheme is deeply undemocratic, expensive and fraught with unforeseen consequences

New Delhi: The technological, economic, social and political aspects of the National Identification Authority  bill currently in the Parliament came under the scanner in a public meeting organized by a coalition of civil society groups under the banner of Campaign for No UID. Groups from Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi participated at the meeting held at Constitution Club.

Led by Nandan Nilekani, former CEO of IT major Infosys, the UID project has been pushed as a landmark initiative for ushering in ‘good governance’ and providing basic services to the poor.

Speakers at the meeting asserted that such claims are grossly exaggerated, false and unjustified. For instance in the case of the Public Distribution System (PDS) systemic issues such as corruption and non-inclusion of families under BPL (Below the Poverty line) ensure that it does not meet its stated objectives. The issuance of a 12 digit number to the poor will therefore hardly result in them accessing cheap food.

The claim about the UID leading to financial inclusion for NREGA beneficiaries is bogus because about 83% already have bank accounts.

On the other hand because of technical problems with biometrics, it is very likely that the poor could be excluded from accessing services. JT D’Souza an expert on biometrics asserts that using biometrics as a core authenticator is deeply flawed as it has never been tested on such a large scale (850 million people) and is easily susceptible to forgery. Research by experts shows that with the technology available today a 10 dollar investment can spoof finger-print and iris scanners with fake fingers and patterned contact lenses.   

The meeting noted that the functioning of the UID has been non transparent and undemocratic. It was noted that despite setting up the UID Authority of India (UIDAI) in June 2009, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government is yet to issue a white paper on the scheme and how it is going to deliver basic social services to the poor.

Senior Member of Parliament from the Revolutionary Socialist Party of India (RSP) Abani Roy called for the launching of a massive campaign to resist this expensive and dangerous project through which several companies will gain massive contracts from the public exchequer.  The budget estimates vary from 45,000 crore to 1.5 lakh crore rupees. He also noted that, the UID is yet to be comprehensively discussed or debated in the Parliament. Syed Azeez Pasha MP from the Communist Party of India also participated.

The Campaign for no UID plans to hold further meetings across the country and lobby parliamentarians in the coming months (Ends)

For more information contact: Sajan Venniyoor (Delhi): +91-9818453483 - Bobby Kunhu (Delhi): +91-9654510398

മലയാള ഗ്രന്ഥവിവരം പ്രകാശനം ഇന്ന് തലശ്ശേരിയില്‍

പ്രിയ സുഹൃത്തുക്കളേ,

മലയാളഭാഷയുടെ ഡിജിറ്റല്‍ നിലനില്‍പ്പിനു് സ്വതന്ത്ര മലയാളം കമ്പ്യൂട്ടിങ്ങ് ഈ ചുരുങ്ങിയ കാലത്തിനുള്ളില്‍ നല്കിയ സംഭാവനകള്‍ നിങ്ങള്‍ക്കേവര്‍ക്കും അറിവുള്ളതാണല്ലോ. മലയാളം കമ്പ്യൂട്ടിങ്ങ് പൂര്‍ണ്ണമാകുന്നതു് അതു് സാഹിത്യവും സംസ്കാരവും ചരിത്രവുമായി ബന്ധിക്കപ്പെടുമ്പോഴാണു്. ഭാഷാ കമ്പ്യുട്ടിങ്ങിന്റെ സോഫ്ടു്വെയര്‍ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തെ ശക്തിപ്പെടുത്തുന്നതും അവയെ ഭാവിയിലെ വിവരാധിഷ്ഠിത ശൃംഖലകളുടെ അടിസ്ഥാനമാക്കുന്നതും സമഗ്രമായ ഒരു വിവരശേഖരത്തിലൂടെ വിദഗ്ദ്ധരുടെ സഹായത്തോടെ മാത്രം തയ്യാറാക്കാവുന്ന ഗ്രന്ഥസൂചി പോലുള്ള സ്വതന്ത്ര ഡാറ്റാബേസുകളാണു്. ഈ ലക്ഷ്യത്തോടു കൂടിയുള്ള പ്രവര്‍ത്തനങ്ങളില്‍ ഒരു സുപ്രധാന നേട്ടമാണു് മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥവിവരത്തിന്റെ പ്രകാശനം. ഭാഷയുടെ പൈതൃകം സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്ന പ്രവര്‍ത്തനം നിശ്ശബ്ദമായി, ഒരു തപസ്യയായി നിര്‍വ്വഹിക്കുന്ന കെ. എം. ഗോവിയുടെ മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥസൂചിയില്‍ നിന്നും പ്രചോദനം ഉള്‍ക്കൊണ്ടാണു് 'മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥവിവരം' എന്ന ഡിജിറ്റല്‍ വിവരവ്യവസ്ഥ സംവിധാനം ചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്നതു്. കേരളത്തിനകത്തും പുറത്തും നിന്നു് പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിക്കപ്പെട്ട മുഴുവന്‍ മലയാളപുസ്തകങ്ങളെക്കുറിച്ചുമുള്ള വിവരശേഖരമാണിതു്. ഭാഷാകമ്പ്യൂട്ടിങു് രംഗത്തു് പ്രവര്‍ത്തിയ്ക്കുന്ന ഒട്ടനവധി വ്യക്തികളുടെയും സംരംഭങ്ങളുടെയുംകൂട്ടായ പ്രവര്‍ത്തവനഫലമായാണു് ഇതു് തയ്യാറാക്കപ്പെട്ടതു്.

ഇന്ത്യന്‍ഭാഷകളില്‍ സമാനതകളില്ലാത്ത പ്രവര്‍ത്തനമാണു് കെ. എം. ഗോവിയുടെ നേതൃത്വത്തില്‍ പ്രകാശിതമായ മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥസൂചി. പത്തു് വാല്യങ്ങളില്‍ പതിനായിരത്തോളം പേജുകളിലായി മലയാളത്തിലെ ആദിമുദ്രണംമുതല്‍ 1995 വരെ പ്രകാശിതമായ മുഴുവന്‍ പുസ്തകങ്ങളുടെയും വിവരം ശാസ്ത്രീയമായി ചിട്ടപ്പെടുത്തി മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥസൂചിയില്‍ സമാഹരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. നാലുപതിറ്റാണ്ടു നീണ്ട തപസ്യയുടെ ഫലമാണു് ഈ കൃതി. കേരളത്തിന്റെ സാംസ്കാരിക പൈതൃകത്തെ സംബന്ധിച്ച ആധികാരികവും പ്രാമാണികവുമായ ആ സംഹിതയ്ക്കു് മലയാളം ഉള്ളിടത്തോളം കാലം അദ്ദേഹത്തോടു്
കടപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കും.

ഡാറ്റാബേസു് ചിട്ടപ്പെടുത്തുകയും വര്‍ഗ്ഗീകരിയ്ക്കുകയും ചെയ്ത കെ.എച്ചു്. ഹുസൈന്‍ മാഷിനും, പ്രൊജക്ടു് കോര്‍ഡിനേറ്റു് ചെയ്ത ഡോ. രാമന്‍ നായര്‍ക്കും പ്രോഗ്രാമിങ്ങും സിസ്റ്റമൈസേഷനും നിര്‍വ്വഹിച്ച ഉണ്ണി, മഹേഷു് തുടങ്ങിയ വ്യക്തികളും, സ്വതന്ത്ര മലയാളം കമ്പ്യ്യൂട്ടിങ്ങിനു് പുറമെ, സെന്റര്‍ ഫോര്‍ സൌത്ത് ഇന്ത്യന്‍ സ്റ്റഡീസ്, ബീഹൈവ് ഡിജിറ്റല്‍ കണ്‍സെപ്റ്റ്സ് തുടങ്ങിയ സംഘടനകളുടെ കൂടി കൂട്ടായ പ്രവര്‍ത്തനഫലമായാണു് ഇതിനെ യാഥാര്‍ത്ഥ്യമാക്കിയതു്.

യൂണിക്കോ‍ഡു് 5.0 സ്റ്റാന്‍ഡേര്‍ഡു് അടിസ്ഥാനമാക്കി ചിട്ടപ്പെടുത്തിയ ഈ ഡാറ്റാബേസു് ഗ്നു GPL v3 അനുമതിയിലും സോഫ്ടു്വെയര്‍ സിസ്റ്റം ഗ്നു അഫെറോ GPL v3 അനുമതിയിലും ആണു് പ്രകാശനം ചെയ്യുന്നതു്.

2009 ഡിസംബര്‍ 10 നു് വൈകുന്നേരം 4.45 നു് തലശ്ശേരിയിലെ ന്യൂകോസ്മോപൊളിറ്റന്‍ ക്ലബ്ബ് ഹാളില്‍ വച്ചു് ഈ സംരംഭത്തിന്റെ പ്രകാശനം
നടക്കും.

-സ്വതന്ത്ര മലയാളം കമ്പ്യൂട്ടിങ്ങു് പ്രവര്‍ത്തകര്‍.

--------------------------------

കാര്യപരിപാടി:-

10 ഡിസംബര്‍ 2009
ന്യൂകോസ്മോപൊളിറ്റന്‍ ക്ലബ്ബ് ഹാള്‍, തലശ്ശേരി
വൈകുന്നേരം 4.45

പരിപാടി

സ്വാഗതം: ഡോ. മഹേഷ് മംഗലാട്ട്
അദ്ധ്യക്ഷന്‍: ശ്രീ. എം. പി. ബാലകൃഷ്ണന്‍
ദക്ഷിണേന്ത്യാ പഠന പുരസ്കാരജേതാവു് ശ്രീ. കെ. എം. ഗോവിയെ
പരിചയപ്പെടുത്തല്‍: ‍ഡോ. ആര്‍ രാമന്‍നായര്‍
പുസ്തകപ്രകാശനം: ഡോ. എം. ജി. എസ്. നാരായണന്‍
ശ്രീ. കെ. എം. ഗോവിയ്ക്കു് പുരസ്കാരസമര്‍പ്പണം: ശ്രീ. എം. മുകുന്ദന്‍
മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥ ഡിജിറ്റല്‍ വിവരവ്യവസ്ഥ അവതരണം: ശ്രീ. കെ. എച്ച്. ഹൂസൈന്‍
മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥവിവരം വെബ് സൈറ്റ് ഉദ്ഘാടനം: ശ്രീ. ടി. പി. രാജീവന്‍
മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥവിവരം സി.ഡി. പ്രകാശനം: ശ്രീ. പി. പി. രാമചന്ദ്രന്‍
ആശംസകള്‍:
പി. എം. അബ്ദുല്‍ കാദര്‍, ബീഹൈവ് ഡിജിറ്റല്‍ കണ്‍സെപ്റ്റ്സ്
അനിവര്‍ അരവിന്ദ്, സ്വതന്ത്ര മലയാളം കമ്പ്യൂട്ടിങ്
മറുപടി പ്രസംഗം: ശ്രീ. കെ. എം. ഗോവി
നന്ദി: ശ്രീ. എ. വല്‍സലന്‍, കോസ്മോപൊളിറ്റന്‍ ക്ലബ്ബ്

ഇന്ത്യന്‍ഭാഷകളില്‍ സമാനതകളില്ലാത്ത പ്രവര്‍ത്തനമാണു് കെ. എം. ഗോവിയുടെ നേതൃത്വത്തില്‍ പ്രകാശിതമായ മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥസൂചി. പത്തു് വാല്യങ്ങളില്‍ പതിനായിരത്തോളം പേജുകളിലായി മലയാളത്തിലെ ആദിമുദ്രണംമുതല്‍ 1995 വരെ പ്രകാശിതമായ മുഴുവന്‍ പുസ്തകങ്ങളുടെയും വിവരം ശാസ്ത്രീയമായി ചിട്ടപ്പെടുത്തി മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥസൂചിയില്‍ സമാഹരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. നാലുപതിറ്റാണ്ടു നീണ്ട തപസ്യയുടെ ഫലമാണു് ഈ കൃതി.

കേരളത്തിന്റെ സാംസ്കാരിക പൈതൃകത്തെ സംബന്ധിച്ച ആധികാരികവും പ്രാമാണികവുമായ ആ സംഹിതയ്ക്കു് മലയാളം ഉള്ളിടത്തോളം അദ്ദേഹത്തോടു്
കടപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കും. ഭാഷയുടെ പൈതൃകം സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്ന പ്രവര്‍ത്തനം നിശബ്ദമായി, ഒരു തപസ്യയായി നിര്‍വ്വഹിക്കുന്ന കെ. എം. ഗോവിയുടെ മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥസൂചിയില്‍ നിന്നും പ്രചോദനം ഉള്‍കൊണ്ടാണു് 'മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥവിവരം' എന്ന ഡിജിറ്റല്‍ വിവര വ്യവസ്ഥ സംവിധാനംചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്നതു്. കേരളത്തിനകത്തും പുറത്തും നിന്നു് ഇന്നുവരെ പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിക്കപ്പെട്ട മുഴുവന്‍ മലയാളപുസ്തകങ്ങളെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള വിവരശേഖരമാണിതു്. മലയാളത്തിന്റെ
തനതുലിപിയുപയോഗിച്ചു് 'തിരച്ചില്‍' സാദ്ധ്യമാവുന്ന ഈ വിവരവ്യവസ്ഥ വെബ് സൈറ്റിലും സി.ഡിയിലും ലഭ്യമായിലിക്കും. ഈ വിവരശേഖരം ഏതു് ഉപയോക്താവിനും സ്വതന്ത്രമായി ഉപയോഗിക്കാവുന്നതരത്തില്‍ ഗ്നു-ജനറല്‍ പബ്ലിക് ലൈസന്‍സില്‍ (GNU-GPL) പ്രകാശിപ്പിക്കുപ്പെടുക എന്നതു് ശ്രീ. കെ. എം. ഗോവിയുടെ സ്വപ്നമായിരുന്നു. മലയാളത്തിലെ പ്രസാധന ചരിത്രത്തിലെ സുപ്രധാനനാഴികക്കല്ലായ ഈ വിവരവ്യവസ്ഥയുടെ പ്രകാശനവേളയില്‍ ദക്ഷിണേന്ത്യാ പഠനകേന്ദ്രം ശ്രീ. കെ. എം. ഗോവിയെ ആദരിക്കുന്നു.

2009 ഡിസംബര്‍ 10-നു് വൈകുന്നേരം തലശ്ശേരി കോസ്മോപൊളിറ്റന്‍ ക്ലബ്ബില്‍ നടക്കുന്ന ചടങ്ങില്‍ സെന്റര്‍ ഫോര്‍ സൌത്ത് ഇന്ത്യന്‍ സ്റ്റഡീസ് നല്കുന്ന ദക്ഷിണേന്ത്യാ പഠനപുരസ്കാരം കെ. എം. ഗോവിയ്ക്കു് സമര്‍പ്പിക്കും. അദ്ദേഹം രചിച്ച 'പബ്ലിക് ലൈബ്രറി' എന്ന പുസ്തകത്തോടൊപ്പം 'മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥവിവരം' സി.ഡി. യിലും വെബ് സൈറ്റിലുമായി ഈ അവസരത്തില്‍ പ്രകാശിപ്പിക്കുകയാണു്.

മലബാര്‍ ഹെറിറ്റേജ് സൊസൈറ്റിയുടേയും കോസ്മോപൊളിറ്റന്‍ ക്ലബ്ബിന്റെയും പങ്കാളിത്തത്തോടെ സംഘടിപ്പിക്കുന്ന പരിപാടിയില്‍ പങ്കെടുക്കാന്‍
താങ്കളേയും സുഹൃത്തുക്കളേയും സാദരം ക്ഷണിക്കുന്നു.

മലയാള ഗ്രന്ഥവിവരം
Licensed under GNU-GPLv3

Compilation and General Editor K. M. Govi
Structuring and Classifying K. H. Hussain, Rachana
Programming K. P. N. Unni, Kriyate
Systamization M. Mahesh, Kriyate
Project Co-ordination Dr. R. Raman Nair, MG Univerisity

Centre for South Indian Studies, Thiruvananthapuram
Beehive Digital Concepts, Cochin
Swathanthra Malayalam Computing (SMC)

2004-ല്‍ സി.ഡി.യായി പുറത്തിറങ്ങിയ ബ്രണ്ണന്‍ കോളേജിലെ ഇരുപത്തിരണ്ടായിരത്തോളം വരുന്ന മലയാളഗ്രന്ഥങ്ങളുടെ മലയാള ലിപിയിലുള്ള
ഡിജിറ്റല്‍ വ്യവസ്ഥ മാതൃഭാഷയിലെ ആദ്യത്തെ ഡിജിറ്റല്‍ ബിബ്ലിയോഗ്രാഫി പ്രസാധനമായിരുന്നു.

മലയാളത്തില്‍ ഇന്നോളം പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിച്ച പുസ്തകങ്ങളുടെ സമഗ്രമായ ഒരു ഡിജിറ്റല്‍ ഗ്രന്ഥവിവരവ്യവസ്ഥയായിരുന്നു അടുത്ത ലക്ഷ്യം.

'മലയാള ഗ്രന്ഥവിവരം' വെബ് സൈറ്റിലും സി.ഡി.യിലുമായി പ്രകാശനം നടക്കുമ്പോള്‍ ഈയൊരു സ്വപ്നമാണു് യാഥാര്‍ത്ഥ്യമാകുന്നതു്. ശ്രീ. കെ. എം.ഗോവിയുടെ എഡിറ്റോറിയല്‍ നേതൃത്വവും അനന്യമായ പ്രൊഫഷണല്‍ അനുഭവങ്ങളുമില്ലാതെ ഇതു് സാക്ഷാല്‍ക്കരിക്കപ്പെടുമായിരുന്നില്ല.
ഭാരതീയഭാഷകളില്‍ അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ നാല്പതുവര്‍ഷം നീണ്ടുനിന്ന അത്യപൂര്‍വ്വ സമാഹരണമായ ഗ്രന്ഥസൂചിക്കുതുല്യമായ മറ്റൊരു സംരംഭവും
ചൂണ്ടിക്കാണിക്കാനില്ല.


www.malayalagrandham.com എന്ന വെബ് സൈറ്റിലൂടെയാണു് 'മലയാള ഗ്രന്ഥവിവരം' ലോകത്തിനായി തുറന്നുകൊടുക്കുന്നതു്. ആര്‍ക്കും ഏതു് സംരഭങ്ങള്‍ക്കും എത്രയും സ്വതന്ത്രമായി എടുക്കാനും തിരുത്താനും കൂട്ടിച്ചേര്‍ക്കാനും പ്രാപ്തമാകുംവിധം ഗ്നു-ജി.പി.എല്ലി (GNU-General Public License) ലാണു് ഇതിന്റെ ഉള്ളടക്കം പ്രകാശനം ചെയ്യുന്നതു്. Copy Right എന്നതിനുപകരം Copy Left എന്നതാണു് റിച്ചാര്‍ഡ് സ്റ്റാള്‍മാന്‍ വിഭാവനംചെയ്യുന്ന ഗ്നു-ജി.പി.എല്ലിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാനം. കാലദേശാതിവര്‍ത്തിയായി നിലനില്‍ക്കേണ്ടുന്ന മനുഷ്യന്റെ അവകാശമാണു് അറിവു് എന്നതാണു് അതിന്റെ പ്രഖ്യാപനം. ഇതു് സ്വന്തം ജീവിതത്തിലൂടെ സഫലമാക്കിയ ഗവേഷകനാണു് ശ്രീ. കെ.എം. ഗോവി. മലയാളത്തില്‍ പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിച്ച എല്ലാ വിജ്ഞാനങ്ങളുടേയും വിവരങ്ങള്‍ ക്രോഡീകരിച്ച 'മലയാള ഗ്രന്ഥവിവരം' അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ജീവിതവീക്ഷണങ്ങളുടെ പ്രകടനപത്രിക കൂടിയാണു്.

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PS ഞാനിപ്പോള്‍ തലശ്ശേരിയില്‍ ഉണ്ട് . എന്നെ ബന്ധപ്പെടാനുള്ള നമ്പര്‍ 09663379908

GNU/Linux Preloaded Laptops to Kerala MLAs

Kerala NiyamaSabha Website published Tender for Purchasing GNU/Linux Preloaded Laptops to 141 Members of Kerala Legislative assembly
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The Tender Demands Ubuntu 9.04 Preloaded & Ubuntu compatible / Certified Laptops as Requirements We Must Congratulate TD Kuriachan, Network Administrator, Kerala Legislative Assembly IT Section for Making This Tender as a Free Software Preinstalled Purchase

വലതു കൈയില്‍ മറുകും ഇടതു കൈയില്‍ ആറു വിരലും ഉള്ളവര്‍ മാത്രം അപേക്ഷിക്കുക

Media_http2bpblogspot_ogrnb
Click on The advt and Read it / Or visit this link in IT mission website

പരസ്യം  നോക്കൂ

അശ്വമേധം കളിക്കാനുള്ള ചോദ്യങ്ങളാണോന്നു സംശയം.

പരസ്യം  കണ്ടാലേ ആളെപ്പറയാം  :-)

 Qualifications need for ICFOSS director post

1. PHD in Computer science/engineering/

<wbr></wbr>technology  (പി എച്ച് ഡി ടെക്നോളജിയില്‍ തന്നെ വേണം. മറ്റു ഫ്രീ സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയര്‍ കക്ഷികളെല്ലാം  ഔട്ട്  )
2. 10 year experience in teaching / industry/ research (ടീച്ചിങ്ങു തന്നെയെന്നേ , ബാക്കിയൊക്കെ വെറുതെ ) out of which 3 year in the level of professor in any university (കണ്ടില്ലേ പോക്ക്  ) or equivalent senior executive in corporate sector, with specific involvement in FOSS Sector (ഇതെന്താ യൂണിവേഴ്സിറ്റി പ്രൊഫസര്‍ക്ക് തുല്യമായ കോര്‍പ്പറേറ്റ് സീനിയര്‍ എക്സിക്യുട്ടീവ് .. ഓ ഒരു രസത്തിനു കിടക്കട്ടേന്ന് )
3. First hand experience in handling , promoting & training graduates in Open source Operating systems  & a variety of application software (ടീച്ചറു തന്നെഡേയ് .. അതും ഓപ്പറേറ്റിങ്ങ് സിസ്റ്റം ഉപയോഗിക്കല്‍ തൊട്ടു പഠിപ്പിച്ചിരിക്കണം . ഇനി പിഎച്ച്ഡി ഉള്ള കോര്‍പ്പറേറ്റ് പുല്ലന്‍മാരുണ്ടെങ്കില്‍ അവര്‍ക്കു വേണ്ട അപ്ലിക്കേഷനുകളേ പഠിപ്പിച്ചു കാണൂ. അല്ലേലും സീനിയര്‍ എക്സിക്യുട്ടീവുമാര്‍ക്ക് പിള്ളേരെ പഠിപ്പിക്കലാണോ പണി )

4. AGE  : 35 -50 as of 1-12-2009

ഇതാണിവിടുത്തെ  പ്രധാന തമാശ


GNU/Linux is spreading in india Mainly after  1998 . But users become aware about the freedoms & Free Software movement by  2000-2001  onwards

In this context 2nd point is rubbish if you are looking at people from India.  If you are looking at average age of Indian Free Software Contributors , it is below 30 - Age limits clearly filter  them . Academic Qualification of most of them varying between B.Tech/ MS/PhD Registration . So requirement for  PHD filter rest  of them .

ഇനി അടുത്ത തമാശ

Other Details section says :  Director will be in charge of identifying, disseminating , promoting and updating information on open source operating systems and software for managaing associated human resources

Do we need a centre for this purpose

And Job Description is all about foss community & Foss Promting institution linkages

I believe We, FOSS Community in India/ Kerala (which is very plural) does not need a Centre granted by the state & reportable to IT Secy working as our Umbrella.

Usually FOSS community works in a peer to peer model/ Bottom up model. If state decides to create an umbrella for them, which not at all related / representing FOSS Community it will only result in creation of dead structures (like we already seen on Janakeeyasuthranam) coming in the banner of FOSS user community .

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ഇനിയും അശ്വമേധത്തിനുത്തരം കിട്ടിയില്ലേ

എന്നാല്‍ ഒരു ക്ലൂ കൂടി തരാം.  കണ്ണൂര്‍ യൂണിവേഴ്സിറ്റിയില്‍  പല കോളേജുകളിലും MCA അധ്യാപകനായിരുന്ന , 3 വര്‍ഷത്തിനു മുന്‍പ് കുസാറ്റില്‍ പാര്‍ട്ടി സ്വാധീനത്തില്‍ തിരിച്ചെത്തിയ ഒരു കമ്പ്യൂട്ടര്‍ സയന്‍സ് പ്രൊഫസറായ കുസാറ്റില്‍ നടന്ന ഫ്രീ സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയര്‍ കോണ്‍ഫറന്‍സിന്റെ നടത്തിപ്പുകാരിലൊരാളായിരുന്ന ഇദ്ദേഹത്തെ പരിചയമുണ്ടോ ?

ഇനി അടുത്തതു്

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ഈ ലിങ്കിലും കാണാം . അക്ഷയ ഡയറക്ടര്‍ പോസ്റ്റിലേക്കുള്ള പരസ്യം

അക്ഷയ പ്രൊജക്റ്റ് ഡയറക്ടര്‍ പോസ്റ്റ്

ചുരുക്കിപ്പറഞ്ഞാല്‍ 45 വയസ്സില്‍ താഴെയുള്ള  ജനകീയാസൂത്രണത്തിലും സാക്ഷരതാ പ്രചരണത്തിലും ഇടപെട്ട മാനേജ്മെന്റില്‍ ബിരുദാനന്തര ബിരുദമുള്ള പരിഷത്തുകാര്‍ മാത്രം (പഴയ പരിഷത്തുകാരുമാവാം) അപേക്ഷിക്കുക


വലതു കൈയില്‍ മറുകുള്ള  ഇടതു കൈയില്‍ ആറു വിരലുള്ള ആളുകള്‍ മാത്രം അപേക്ഷിക്കുക

ODF Alliance award: A Clarification

Press Release

Apr. 6, 09 Trivandrum

On 27th March 2009, On 27th March 2009, a section of the press carried a news which said Mr. Anvar Sadath, Executive Director, IT@School has received an international award from ODF alliance for his contribution to the ODF. It was surprising for many of us who wondered what his contribution to ODF was. Two days later, some of us received a press release issued by ODF alliance which made it clear that recognition was given to Mr. Anvar for the ODF adoption in schools of Kerala. The press release also had quotes from Mr. Anvar Sadath and Mr. Marino Marcich of ODF alliance.

“Anvar Sadath has bridged the digital divide in Kerala,” commented the ODF Alliance's Marcich. “He was among the first to recognize that an open format like ODF means giving students, teachers, and parents alike the flexibility to use a wide range of software than they currently have, including free solutions. Just as importantly, Sadath translated ideas into actions for the benefit of educational development in Kerala.”

Being involved in IT@school project from year 2001, we knew that above statement is factually wrong. Anvar Sadath was never involved in the ODF adoption phase of this project for which the award has been granted. It was clear that a mistake has happened either from the side of those who applied for the award or by those who have given the award. Neither the recipient nor anyone else involved took the initiative to correct the statement. Hence some of us took the initiative to correct the situation by sending letters to ODF alliance and various individuals involved. We are happy to inform that ODF alliance accepting the mistake decided to correct the citation to recognise individuals and the teaching community involved. We welcome the constructive steps taken by ODF alliance in this regard.

However, recent reports in the local media and online forums tried to put this incident in bad light. We want to clarify that the recent reports on the issue in a section of the press attempting to link our opposition to the award as having political connotations is completely misplaced. Our intention, as activists of the Free software movement,  is to correct a mistake on the side of the ODF Alliance . We are happy that the Alliance has been open to our criticism and have admitted the flaws in their selection process.

From the discussions attached with this press release, it can be seen that the entire discussion was to correct a mistake. We request not to inappropriately link this incident to other political issues.

Arun M Ph 09447034795 Anivar Aravind Ph 09663379908

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മാക്ക്ബുക്കില്‍ ഗ്നു/ലിനക്സ് ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നത് നിയമലംഘനമാണോ?

കുറേക്കലമായി ഇവിടെ എന്തേലും എഴുതിയിട്ട്. സമയം കിട്ടാഞ്ഞാണ്. പക്ഷേ ചില പോസ്റ്റുകള്‍ക്ക് മറുപടി കൊടുക്കേണ്ടിവരുമ്പോള്‍ ഈ ബ്ലോഗ് വീണ്ടും തുറന്നേ പറ്റൂ..
ഇത് കോവാലകൃഷന്റെ പോസ്റ്റിനുള്ള മറുപടിയാണ്. ആപ്പിള്‍ മാക്ക്ബുക്കില്‍ ഗ്നു/ലിനക്സ് ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നത് നിയമലംഘനമാണെന്നാണ് പുള്ളി അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ചൊറിച്ചില്‍ മുറ്റിയ ഭാഷയില്‍ പറയുന്നത്. കൂടുതല്‍ ഇവിടെയും ഇവിടെയും

മിക്ക പോയന്റുകള്‍ക്കും ചന്ത്രക്കാരന്‍ മറുപടി പറഞ്ഞുകണ്ടതിനാല്‍ 3 കാര്യങ്ങള്‍ മാത്രം പറഞ്ഞുനിര്‍ത്തുന്നു.

1. ലീഗാലിറ്റിയുടെ കാര്യം. കോവാലന്‍ കാണിച്ച ഒരു യൂലയിലും(EULA) ടേംസ് ആന്റ് കണ്ടീഷന്‍സിലും മാക്ക് പിസിയില്‍ മറ്റോപ്പറേറ്റിങ്ങ് സിസ്റ്റങ്ങള്‍ ഉപയോഗിച്ചാ വാറന്റി പോവുമെന്നോ അതു ലൈസന്‍സിനു വിരുദ്ധമാണെന്നോ പറയുന്നില്ല. അങ്ങനെ പറയാന്‍ ഒരു കമ്പനിയ്ക്കും പറ്റില്ലെന്നത് വേറേകാര്യം. കാര്യങ്ങള്‍ കൂട്ടിക്കുഴച്ച് സ്വന്തം തരിപ്പു തരിപ്പുതേര്‍ക്കലാണല്ലോ എന്തായായാലും കോവാലന്റെ ബ്ലോഗിന്റെ ഉദ്ദേശ്യം തന്നെ.

കോവാലന്‍: അതാവത്, നെനക്ക് വേണോങ്കി ആ സാധനം തല്ലിപ്പൊളിച്ച് കളയാം അത് നെന്‍റെ സ്വന്തം. പക്ഷേങ്കി അതിലെ സോഫ്റ്റ് വയറ് തിരുത്താന്‍ നെനക്ക് അവര് അനുവാദം തന്നിട്ടില്ലടേ.

ഇപ്പറഞ്ഞത് എന്തിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിലാണെന്നറിഞ്ഞാല്‍ കൊള്ളാമായിരുന്നു. ഇങ്ങനെ ഒരു ക്ലോസ് അതിലെവിടെയും കണ്ടില്ല. നേരം കളഞ്ഞതു മിച്ചം

2. ബാക്കിയുള്ള വാദങ്ങളെല്ലാം ഒരു ബൂട്ട്കാമ്പിനേയും പൊക്കിപ്പിടിച്ചാണ്. പവര്‍പിസി ആര്‍ക്കിടെക്ചറുള്ള മാക്കിലായാലും ഇന്റല്‍ ഹാര്‍ഡ്‌വെയറിലോടുന്ന i686 pc മാക്കിലായാലും ഗ്നു ലിനക്സ് ഉപയോഗിക്കാന്‍ ഒരു മാക്കാന്റേയും bootcamp ന്റെയും സഹായം വേണ്ട. ഗ്രബ് എന്നൊരു അതിസുന്ദരന്‍ ബൂട്ട്ലോഡറുള്ളത് അതിനാണ്. ഡ്യുവല്‍ ബൂട്ട് /ട്രിപ്പിള്‍ ബൂട്ട് ആവശ്യങ്ങള്‍ വേണമെങ്കില്‍ റീഫിറ്റ് (http://refit.sourceforge.net/) എന്നൊരു സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയറുമുണ്ട്. ആപ്പിള്‍ പിസിയില്‍ സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയര്‍ കയറ്റാന്‍ അവരുടെ ഒരു സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയറും ഉപയോഗികേണ്ടെന്ന് ചുരുക്കം.

3 പിന്നെ ആപ്പിളില്‍ മാക്ക് ഓയെസ്സിനകത്തുതന്നെ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്ന സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയറുകളെക്കുറിച്ച്. സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയറുകള്‍ ആപ്പിളില്‍ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നത് ലൈസന്‍സിനു വിരുദ്ധമാണെന്നും ( കോവാലന്‍ ലൈസന്‍സ് എന്നു വിളിക്കുന്നത് ഒരു TOC യെയാണ് , സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയറിന്റെ ലൈസന്‍സിനെയല്ല) എവിടെയും പറയുന്നില്ല. ആപ്പിളിന്റേതല്ലാത്ത പ്രോഗ്രാമുകള്‍ ഉപയോഗിച്ചു സിസ്റ്റം കേടുവന്നാല്‍ ഞങ്ങള്‍ വാറണ്ടി തരില്ല എന്നു പാഞ്ഞതിനെ
ഇങ്ങനെ വളച്ചൊടിക്കുന്നതാണ് കോവാലകൃഷന്റെ നേമബോധം .

മൈക്രോസോഫ്റ്റും ഹാര്‍ഡ്‌വെയര്‍ നിര്‍മ്മാതാക്കളും ചേര്‍ന്ന് ഇപ്പോള്‍ത്തന്നെ പറയുന്നതിതാണ്. നിന്നെ ഞങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് വിശ്വാസമില്ല . നീ നിന്റെ കമ്പ്യൂട്ടറില്‍ എന്തു ചെയ്യണമെന്ന് ഞങ്ങള്‍ തീരുമാനിക്കുമെന്ന് . ഈ വീഡിയോ അതിനെക്കുറിച്ചാണ്

അജ്ഞത ഒരു കുറ്റമല്ല. പക്ഷേ കോവാലന്‍ തന്റെ അജ്ഞതയെ അധികാരമാക്കി അടുപ്പിന്‍കല്ലിലും കാര്യം സാധിക്കുന്ന കാരണവരാവുകയാണ്. "കള്ളം പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കുന്നവരുടെ ശത്രു" എന്നു കോവാലന്‍ തന്റെ ബ്ലോഗിന്റെ സൈഡില്‍ എഴുതിയിരിക്കുന്നതില്‍ എന്തെങ്കിലും കാര്യമുണ്ടോ എന്നത് അദ്ദേഹം ഈ വിഷയം കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യുന്നതില്‍ നിന്നും നമുക്കു തിരിച്ചറിയാം

Dynamic Coalition on Open Standards (DCOS) Agreement on Procurement in Support of Interoperability and Open Standards

3rd Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Hyderabad, India 6 December 2008

Preamble

The Contracting Parties,

Recalling the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Declaration of Principles which states that "[i]nternational standards aim to create an environment where consumers can access services worldwide regardless of underlying technology,"

Recognizing that standards are increasingly global concerns, involving goods and services that move in international trade across borders,

Aware that current competition and legal remedies may not be enough to solve the inherent tensions that routinely arise in the realm of patents and standards,

Desirous of encouraging procurement policies that require evaluation of multiple, competing products based on open ICT standards in order to ensure a level playing field for vendors, governments and consumers,

Cognizant of the need for procurement policies for software programs that are predicated upon an open standard,

Open Standards

Given the multiplicity of interpretations of the term open standards, for the purpose of this document we endorse as an acceptable definition the position contained in the European Union's draft European Interoperability Framework:

  1. The open standard is adopted and will be maintained by a not-for-profit organisation, and its ongoing development occurs on the basis of an open decision-making procedure available to all interested parties (consensus or majority decision etc.).
  2. The open standard has been published and the standard specification document is available either freely or at a nominal charge. It must be permissible to all to copy, distribute and use it for no fee or at a nominal fee.
  3. The intellectual property - i.e. patents possibly present - of (parts of) the open standard is made irrevocably available on a royalty free basis.
  4. There are no constraints on the re-use of the standard.

    5. (IDABC EIF v2 draft)

As noted in the European Interoperability Framework cited above, open standards or technical specifications must allow all interested parties to implement the standards and to compete on quality and price. The goal is to have a competitive and innovative industry, not to protect market shares by raising obstacles to newcomers. Thus, open standards or technical specifications must be possible to implement in software distributed under the most commonly used open source licences, with no limitations arising from patent associated with the standard in question.

In addition to the above requirements, it is recommended that there should be multiple independent implementations of the standard.

Governments, publicly funded and non-profit institutions agree to implement the following policies.

Governments, publicly funded and non-profit institutions Hereby agree to the following measures in order to promote interoperability and accessibility through the use of open standards.

  1. To create a policy statement on interoperability and open standards, to be available to employees and the public.
  2. By 2010, procurement of all software should be vendor neutral and implement open standards
  3. By 2010, tender specifications for hardware (including peripherals and mobile devices) should require that manufacturers provide the driver and interface information necessary to work with a reasonable range of proprietary and free operating system platforms.
  4. By 2010, all public facing web pages should conform to W3C standards for structure, presentation and accessibility.
  5. By 2010, tenders for the supply of web based services (for example, online reservations) must specify the requirements of point 4.
  6. By 2010, agencies should implement policies regarding the storage and archiving of government data and records to ensure that data is stored in open data and document formats.

Signed by the following parties:

  • Aslam Raffee, Government IT Officers' Council, OSS Working Group, Republic of South Africa
  • Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
  • Bob Jolliffe, Freedom To Innovate, South Africa
  • Centre for Internet and Society, India
  • Hamid Rabiee, Sharif University of Technology, Iran
  • Knowledge Ecology International
  • Moving Republic, India
  • Shuttleworth Foundation, South Africa
  • Swathanthra Malayalam Computing, India

Endorsed by the following parties:

  • Bangladesh Friendship Education Society, Bangladesh
  • Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF), India
  • Foundation for Media Alternatives, Philippines
  • OpenForum Europe

National Free Software Conference, Boycott Novell & Turn outs

While mailing lists becomes a play ground to execute Goebbelsian tactics, I feel i need to scribble the reason & step by step incidents in our campaign in National Conference on Free Software. Q:Why You are Opposing Novell? You all are aware of the 2 major campaigns in which Free Software community in India fought Last 1.5 Years. The Campaign for Document Freedom and Ongoing Campaign against software patents. Novell was always opposite to the Free Software Movement's position

After the evil agreement with Microsoft Corporation (MS), Novell betrayed the Free Software community by violating the spirit of the GNU General Public license, which is the corner stone of the Free Software movement and legitimising the patent threats of Microsoft corporation.

The deal also legitimized Microsoft's doubtful and undisclosed patent claims. This stigmatised every other distribution as open to lawsuit and disruption. Novell continues to advertise this. Novell's deal with Microsoft has many noteworthy impacts. To list several principal ones:

  1. If Novell and Microsoft get their way, then metaphorically speaking, GNU/Linux will increasingly be pressured into a corner of the datacentre, essentially being marketed as a guest machine (running under Windows), as opposed to a host running with or without Windows virtualised. The virtual machine can be exploited as a sort of 'gateway', much like OEM bundling or even interference with boot sequences.
  2. Microsoft formats and protocols, some of which are encumbered by software patents, receive priority, precedence, prevalence and promotion at Novell.
  3. Microsoft creates revenue streams at the expense of those who build, maintain, support and distribute Free software. This not only deters developers but it also makes Free software a less appealing choice, based on cost. It impedes adoption of Microsoft's number one competitor (according to Microsoft's CEO).
  4. It divides GNU/Linux into two classes; on the one hand you have 'legal' GNU/Linux (only a perceived notion fueled by threats of lawsuits) and 'illegal' GNU/Linux, which is "not licensed". This raises tensions and it is not healthy to the ecosystem which is supposed to thrive in sharing of code. This week's announcement of a predatory strategy against Red Hat is a timely example of that.

To name detriments that have occurred in the two years since that agreement, Novell lost the community's trust and their market share arguably fell relative to competitors that did not make a similar deal. Here are a few key detriments that affected Novell's competitors (there are many more):

  1. Patent allegations came from Microsoft in the middle of May 2007. At times, these allegations were explicitly backed by the deal that had been signed with Novell. This was not the first such incident and it was not the latest either (last one spotted a month ago).
  2. The deal with Novell may have led to a chain of at least 7 more patent deals that cover Linux and accompanying parts. Novell's deal served as precedence for 'marketing' such deals, as myself as others anticipated from the very beginning. The harms of these newer deals are similar to the harms of the deal with Novell, which was by far the most comprehensive (involving the most strategic collaboration and having the most negative impact).
  3. As noted above, exclusion came from hypervisors, particularly in Hyper-V, using patent-protected hypercalls.
  4. In a gruesome display of manipulation and misconduct, Microsoft managed to force OOXML through ISO's gates. Novell helped this happen in a variety of well-documented ways. This type of help was part of the deal -- the binding contract Novell had signed.
  5. Concessions from regulators, who are being 'sold' the story that Microsoft collaborates with GNU/Linux (but only Novell's).
  6. The deal enabled Microsoft to 'sell' the impression that it intended to do well with the Free software community and thereby enter Linux and FOSS conferences as early as the deal was signed, sheltered by Novell's presence or implicit invitation.
  7. Novell is developing the GNU/Linux version of Microsoft's proprietary web Technology called silverlight. The 'covenant' under which Novell has been granted this exclusive access also specifies conditions that are incompatible with the licensing that covers most other free software. As examples, it specifically requires that the software must have been "obtained directly from Novell or through an Intermediate Recipient" and that it must be "not licensed under GPLv3 or a Similar License". free software proponents Groklaw have called the covenant "radioactive" and "worthless", although Novell, Inc. is enthusiastic.

Our Campaign is just a Continuation of Campaign for Document Freedom and Campaign for Open standards in general and Ongoing Campaign against software patents .  The posting mela on FSF-Friends & FSF-Bangalore only shows some of them does not have enough exposure in Free Software. At least they must understand Novell- Microsoft partnership hazardous to free software community compared to Indo-US nuclear deal  to India Boycott Novell campaign in CUSAT : The Process While we came to know about Novell's role in Software as a Platinum sponsor, we were too sad because it was not communicated earlier /through event website & we all are working for the success of Conference (I am a programme committee member, Swathanthra Malayalam Computing is a supporting Organisation, Shyam, me and Hiran were speakers , We all are planning to conduct a Free Software Film festival inside conference). On that night we (Hiran Venugopalan, Unni, Shyam Narayanan, VK Adarsh, Me ) Planned how to raise this issue without affecting the Conference. The major reason for our concern was the newbies in the conference. Novell is the Only GNU/linux company name mentioned in the Conference. since it is organised with the silent support of CPIM (You can understand it simply by going through schedule) a lot of people from Employee Unions, Students Unions, teachers Unions etc were participated in the event. Our intention is to protect these people being misguided by Novell. Novell was mainly promoting their fork of OpenOffice 3.0 (after they implemented notorious OOXML support & forked it after OOO3 moved to  to LGPLv3)& SUSE in their stall. Most of the participants in the Conference were newbies and Novell is the only GNU/Linux distro widely promoted in the exhibition. Our protest is not targeted at Organizers or Novell. It was just a way to spread awareness on Novell's evil trends through the posters to protect  new users  being misguided. Thats why we prepared the charge sheet. We communicated the idea to few friends like Sameer Thahir from Ilug cochin on same night itself and communicated the idea. and he offered full support. We considered it as a Corrective measure taken by the free software Community towards the proper success of a Free Software community event. On second day morning we reached early (by 8.30 )in Computer centre and prepared charge sheet. Unni created some wonderful posters, with the help of hiran. Arky joined us in the lab and also given some more poster inputs (A Chameleon changing to Windows logo colors) . And Jefry & me printed and photostat to A3 from TD Junction. The Campaign.

We started posting at the Big Flex which displays programme list (also features Novell Logo, them Moved to Indian Coffee House, and posted some posters. Coloured the Logo "MICROVELL" and moved near Open Air Auditorium and posted Posters on Trees and some walls also in front of the state. (See Photos credit: Hiran Venugopalan)
Lot of people asked us about the campaign and we explained the reasons. All them were satisfied with our reply. Pramode sir, Renjith (IT public) , Jaisen(SMC), suresh, some more students from GEC Thrissur & MES (also volunteers of FSUG Thrissur/ SSUG Malappuram) etc joined with us. Vikram Vincent, who is sending abusive mails now also joined us while putting Poster in Front of the Open air State. (Removed as per the request of Vikram Vincent)

[youtube]http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=lhATFqM0Tng[/youtube]

We posted another set of Posters on the gate of Kunjali Marakkar Campus. Out side the entrance of Exhibition there was a Banner of Novell. We posted the Microvell Poster and 'Novell in Trash' Poster along with the charge sheet on it without Blocking the content in the poster. Then Novell stall Owners came out asked us to remove the poster. I said If Organizers have issues in the content of the poster let them tell it publicly. And One person with Organizer badge (visible in video ) came and asked us to remove the poster. I said, this is just a protest against novell's anti Free Software Practices. If You have issues, you remove it. And the organizers changed the Flex. See the video ( we never said we will post 10 posters if poster is removed . People like anil, Joseph Thomas and Haynes Davis are using the Goebbelsian tactics  in mailing lists and blogs to make it as truth. But Luckily we had the video taken in Mobile. Thanks to Hiran). The Novell stall Owner visible in the video used the Checkmate response to the organizers.They will not pay if the poster is not removed

[youtube]http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=JMz4S9Cwr_w[/youtube]

Then we posted charge sheet opposite to the wall of Novell's stall. We never posted anything on their stall. It was removed just after we fixed it. But we didn't raised any opposition. Some people from Focus Computers stall was arguing with hiran about the issues with Novell.

When moving to ILUG Cochin Stall, Hiran & Unni already reached there and distributing posters to MES Students. Most of them are well aware about Free Software . Manu & Friends were posting these posters on their stall. Jaisen, Unni & me moved to ILUG Cochin stall and put posters with the help of prinson. Then Dr.M.Bhasi came and pulled me from stall. I asked him to dont touch on body and communicate with Stall Owners. ILUG Cochin people said it is the campaign they are supporting. Then Dr. M Bhasi argued Organizers approval is needed for each posters on the stall and pulled me again. Shyam Hiran etc were distributing a poster saying "we support Boycott Novell Campaign" to Other stalls. Dr. Bhasi Threatened us saying he will through us out of the campus. and called security & police. Me & Unni said we are ready to go out if you can point at least one critique to any one point in Charge sheet. Otherwise it will be the denial of freedom of expression of Free Software Activists.

I called - Anilkumar K V from OSS, One of the Organizer at that time and informed the situation asked him to Intervene. But He refused and said Dr. M. Bhasi (see Photo)will do the needed. Then I noticed a Team of SFI People from Cochin University Student Union under the leadership of Deepak from Cochin University Research Scholars Association(CURSA) also standing behind Dr. Bhasi and roaring at us. Since I studied on same campus and I am familiar with the dynamics of the campus violence by these people. So the better way is to move with the security people. Dr. Bhasi was continued shouting and one more person with him visible in this photo caught my Tshirt's neck.
Media_http4bpblogspot_ngagh
Then security people came and separated me from the team and manhandled. SFI people were behind security persons and trying to hit me by shouting who are you to protest in our programme. I got 2-3 hits on my back. People like Hiran & Unni were also treated badly in the crowd. Arky & some students from MES & GEC were taking photos. Just after reaching back near Open Air Auditorium, people like arun, vimal, Hussain Master (rachana) and informed the incidents. Arun, Anilkumar from IT mission went to Kunjali Marakkar campus for discussion. By this time I got Updates from MES friends that Their posters were forcefully removed from stall and Videos and photos on their mobile phones are deleted.

Click here to download:
storydom.pdf (79 KB)
(download)

UPDATE: Freedom of Expression cant be prevented using Muscle power

MES Students recovered forcefully deleted videos from their mobile phones. See the videos below The first video. You can see i am in phone and asking anilkumar kv to intervene to solve the issue Second video is without sound. buy you can see Deepak from CURSA leading SFI students Rest is in Arun's mail to FSF-Friends [gallery] I feel people destroyed the event is the Organisors like Mr. Bhasi from SMS, CUSAT, Deepak from CURSA, Anilkumar K V from OSS, who refused to act on a Crucial time. People who does not have enough exposure on Free Software Politics is made a small campaign as a Big issue through the denial of Freedom of Expression and Giving Weightage to Novell's Concerns over Free Software Community Concerns.

UPDATE II:

  • Mail From RMS

I recived a mail from RMS  (Richard mathew Stallman) , the  founder of Free Software movement. He says

First of all, congratulations on being the first free software activist to be physically attacked  for a peaceful protest. This means our movement is gaining in stature ;-).

He also commented about our campaign strategy

me> Most of the participants in the Conference were newbies and Novell is me> the only GNU/Linux distro widely promoted in the exhibition. Our me> protest is not targeted at Organizers or Novell. It was just a way to me> spread awareness on  Novell's evil trends  through the posters  to me> prevent Novell's misguiding new users That's the right way to approach it.
  • ILUG Cochin's Event Report

ILUG Cochin Released an Event Report about the event. The event Report says

The series of events that happened was bad in terms of the organizers taking an unnecessary tough stand on the matter and not lending an ear to the actual facts. We were happy to raise our voice and protest with the Free Software community opposing the likes of forces like Novell. Indeed it was good to see a resistance in a programme of such magnitude like the National Conference. Although there is no doubt to the fact that the conference did its job, bringing people from all walks of life and ILUG Cochin did the job telling people the principles behind it, the opposition against Novell has also increased the significance and importance of the event thereby bringing about a lot of questions into the community which would not have been raised otherwise.
<snip> Members from SMC were part of the Programme Committee and the Souvenir Committee. There were no indication that Novell was the platinum sponsor of this Free Software Event. The organisers never communicated about the sponsorship and thus betrayed the whole Free Software community as Novell did. This is evident from the incidents that occurred after the peaceful campaign to boycott Novell by the SMC members & other Free Software Supporters present at the meeting. </snip> <snip> SMC takes this opportunity to deeply condemn the organisers decision to include Novell into the Free Software event. SMC urges the organisers of the event to aplogize to the community on this dreadful alliance with the notorious Novell Corporation and the way the organisers treated Free Software Campaigners. </snip>

I am starting an FAQ to answer questions aimed at me in various mailing list. I will update this post by including new Questions and answers. Q: Who Organised National Conference on Free Software what was your role in it? A: National Conference on Free Software was Organised by Cochin University of Science and Technology(CUSAT), Appropriate Technology Promotion Council(ATPS), IT@School Project of Kerala Government, Open software Solutions and Industrial Cooperation (OSSIC). They also invited other groups supporting the Free Software cause such as KSSP, KSEB, Indian Linux User Group Cochin , Swathanthra Malayalam Computing(SMC) etc to be part of Various committees to support the Conference. I was included on programme committee representing Swathanthra Malayalam Computing(SMC). We made some suggestions like removal of Anand Parthasarathy from Meet the Personnel section (He is a pro-patent, pro-proprietary gadget reviewer well known in Free Software Circles as a person spreading Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt about Free Software) and suggested some rearrangements in schedule and including new people. Few of them were accepted but changing of people like Anand was not possible due to pressure from some organizers who does not have much exposure in free software. Q. what are your activities in National Free Software Conference? Why you didn't Organised protest in First day A: We were invited as speakers and resource persons to conference and too busy with a lot of stuff. We were too busy on First day with Localisation Track on Computer center, Localisation of swathanthra Software session in Photonics department, meeting friends in the sidelines. Anil already aware that we were completed speaker registration by 7.30 PM . We were noticing Novell's platinum sponsorship banners in Open air stage during evening plenary & sitaram Yechuries Speech. Q. Are you a member of FSF India. The event website's speaker list lists you as a member of FSF India Q: It is without my Knowledge. After jayakumar pointed it in the sidelines of the conference , I communicated with  joby . In my presentation, He introduced me as a member of SMC and Movingrepublic