Re: [achitnis@exocore.com: [linux@it.com] State of the Onion]

[Vinod Pathangay <vinod@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

HI ALL:

Indianization of Linux - I still dont get the concept clear.

> 
> But the rest of our exhibits, while impressive, will generate "but I can  
> do this in Windows" kind of responses from visitors. Cost does not play 
a 
> role here.

This is 1 reason why we are behind.. 9 /10 people i've seen using a
non-unix OS dont pay for it. Does that mean that if software piracy laws
become strict here in India, Linux can stand up?

What we probly need is a handful of clever hacks that other OS are not
capable of...

> What we really need now is "special" stuff - stuff you cannot see
anywhere
> else. Or something that makes a major difference. Guru's library project 
> is an excellent example - once people see this, it is bound to have an
> impact on our country, because it is both free and *needed*. The same
> applies to the education section.
> 


can someone tell me what this Guru's library project is about??


Vinod...


On Fri, 13 Oct 2000, Ravikant K.Rao wrote:

> Guys,
> 	Apparently Atul isn't very happy about the lack of participation
> of ChennaiLUG at IT.COM - very understandbly so - I vote that Prabhu write
> an "explanatory" and maybe "apologetic" email about the situation - Any
> comments/votes? 
> 
> 	-ravi
> 
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> Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2000 10:37:48 +0530 (IST)
> Reply-To: linux-at-itcom@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [linux@xxxxxx] State of the Onion
> 
> All:
> 
> Here is a reminder for you:
> 
>     October 2000
> Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 
>  1  2  3  4  5  6  7
>  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 <- We are here
> 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
> 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 
> 29 30 31 <- This is the day before IT.COM
> 
> We have still not talked about things like stall decoration, handouts,
> etc. 
> 
> We have also made zero progress on the tech talks (with no one
> volunteering apart from the usual suspects).
> 
> Needless to say, I am getting depressed. Most people seem to believe that
> one can do everything in the last moment, which is not going to happen (as
> was conclusively proven in February). I really thought that our community
> had a bit more drive than this.
> 
> We have been talking ourselves silly to sponsors for the tech-talks, but
> since there are no speakers and no topics to show, we are making zero
> headway on this. If we do not see some concrete action on this over the
> next 4 days, I am going to recommend that we drop the tech-talks. We need
> at least 250K to be able to hold the talks. No plans - no sponsors. And no
> sponsors, no talks. Period.
> 
> Similarly, unless we see someone taking charge of the home computing
> section, that will be dropped, too.
> 
> As I had mentioned earlier, there are a couple of sections that I had not
> spoken about. These are the Indianized Linux and Linux Installs sections.
> 
> The reason why I have been hesitating on these two is for completely
> opposite reasons.
> 
> I have been doing some (albeit limited) private research here, and have
> concluded that the Indianized Linux (localization) scenario appears to be
> non-existent. 
> 
> Most of the "action" seems to be on the talking side ("We *should*
> indianize Linux", etc.), but apart from someone showing me Indian fonts in
> Netscape, I have not seen or heard of anything else.
> 
> If I am wrong, prove it. Don't come and tell me about Devanagari, Tamil or
> Kannada fonts in Netscape - that is not localization. And don't talk about
> "Aryabhatta Linux" or "Aryan Linux" or other marketing gimmicks like
> these, either. There is nothing Indian about them. 
> 
> I need to see proof that there is any localization effort going on at all
> before this section becomes feasible. I don't want us to be the laughing
> stock of the computing world by talking big and then having nothing to
> show.
> 
> The Linux Installs section I have not talked about for a very obvious
> reason - calling for volunteers for that will get floods of them. There
> will be an install section, demoing installs of all distros we can lay our
> hands on. However, since even a 9 year old kid, blindfolded and with one
> arm tied behind her back can do a Linux install these days, we are just
> going to assign a couple of people out of the general volunteer pool for
> this one.
> 
> What we really need now is "special" stuff - stuff you cannot see anywhere
> else. Or something that makes a major difference. Guru's library project
> is an excellent example - once people see this, it is bound to have an
> impact on our country, because it is both free and *needed*. The same
> applies to the education section.
> 
> But the rest of our exhibits, while impressive, will generate "but I can
> do this in Windows" kind of responses from visitors. Cost does not play a
> role here.
> 
> We need a sub-section on system administration. A parallel theme of
> inter-operability with other OSs. An "India powered by Linux" section that
> shows just how much India can gain from Linux. Stuff like that.
> 
> We also need more participation from other LUGs. Currently, efforts are
> largely by Bangalore guys. While this is understandable, it is not enough.
> The only stand-alone sections handled by anyone else are those from the
> Goa and Nagpur LUGs. The only LUGs lending their support to any project
> are the Delhi and Calcutta LUGs.
> 
> We have heard nothing from the Bombay, Hyderabad, Chennai or Cochin
> LUGs. Since these are prominent neighbouring LUGs, I find this
> strange. Very strange. What happened to the community spirit?
> 
> And lastly - I received a note yesterday from someone who wanted to
> "volunteer" and asked if volunteers are being paid anything. 
> 
> Is this the state of Linux in India?
> 
> If you find this long note offensive and too hard-hitting, no apologies.
> 
> If you are already active and doing something, this note does not affect
> you. If you did feel something, it is because you aren't doing anything.
> 
> Get off your butts, please. Linux is a participative project, not a
> spectator sport.
> 
> Atul
> 
> 

-- 
Vinod

Graduate Student
Artificial Neural Networks Lab, 
CSE, IIT Madras

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