Press Release on Aryabhatt Linux

["Nagarjuna G." <nagarjun@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

			    Press Release
	   in response to articles on `Aryabhatt Linux' as
		  the first Indian Operating System.

We introduce ourselves as the Linux Users Group, Bombay Chapter
(ilug-bom.org.in).  We are a non-profit voluntary organisation actively
involved in promoting open source software.  Our activities include
mailing lists for users, training, workshops, open source projects etc.  
Our group constitutes more than 400 man years of Linux experience vested
in its members.

We draw your attention to the  following articles which have
appeared in the publications mentioned below.

1. "Made-in-India Linux to go global", Express Computer dated
29/05/2000, page 1.

2.  "Linux Technologies launches Aryabhatt Linux", Times
Computing dated 31/05/2000 page 5.

3. "Aryabhatt Linux", PC Quest dated June 2000 page 174.

... and several others.

In these articles there are numerous inconsistencies, false
claims and trademark violations made by the company Linux
Technologies Pvt. Ltd.  We have evaluated their Linux
distribution Aryabhatt Linux and compared it with other currently
available distributions such as Red Hat, SuSE, Mandrake etc.
Listed below are some of the findings:

1. RedHat Trademark Violation?:  The packaging of Aryabhatt Linux
   distribution mentions that it is "Based on RedHat Linux 6.1",
   but fails to comply with RedHat's Licensing policy, as is
   evident from the following excerpt taken from
   http://www.redhat.com/about/trademark_guidelines.html

   " C. You may state that your product "is based on Red Hat=AE Linux X.X,"
   but you must do so in a fashion that indicates that "Red Hat Linux" is
   not the name or brand of your product and that Red Hat is not a source
   or sponsor of your product. Some guidelines to follow on this point
   include:
   
   " You must clearly indicate how your product differs from Red HatR
   Linux. This includes listing the packages that you deleted from Red
   HatR Linux and those that you added to your product, as well as
   indicating any and all other changes you made. This information must
   be clearly and prominently presented in all packaging, advertisements
   and other marketing materials for your product in a typeface no
   smaller than the typeface you use for the words "Red HatR Linux."
   
   " The use of "Red HatR Linux" must be in a typeface (which includes
   appearance, size and color) no larger than one-third the size of the
   typeface used for the name of your product.
   
   " The typeface you use for the words "Red HatR Linux" must be the same
   typeface you use for other written text to describe your product. You
   may not use a unique typeface for "Red HatR Linux" in order to set it
   off from the other text included on your product.
   
   " You may not do anything at all to state or imply that your product is
   an official product of Red Hat, Inc. and may not do anything else to
   create confusion in the market between your product and the products
   of Red Hat, Inc.
   
  " You must include the following statement in a prominent place in your
   product packaging and in all marketing and promotional efforts for
   your product:
   
  "Red HatR is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. This product is
   not a product of Red Hat, Inc. and is not endorsed by Red Hat, Inc.
   This is a product of [name of publisher] and we have no relationship
   with Red Hat, Inc."

2. Linux trademark violation?: Linux is a registered trademark of
   Linus Torvalds who was the original developer of the Linux
   kernel. He has permitted use of this trademark subject to an
   explicit mention of his ownership. Neither their web site nor
   the product packaging mentions this fact.

3. It is not an original Indian Linux distribution: The Aryabhatt
   Linux is a distribution based on another Linux distribution
   viz Red Hat Linux 6.1 as mentioned on the product packaging.

4. Misrepresentation of License: Most of the programs distributed
   in Red Hat Linux are licensed as GPL (General Public
   License). This licensing policy permits anybody to go through
   the source code and modify as per their requirements. It also
   explicitly requires the GPL to be mentioned clearly. Arybhatt
   Linux does not seem to have been licensed under GPL since
   the GPL copy on the CD is issued by Red Hat and not by Linux
   Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

5. GPL requires distribution of source code as well as free
   download of source code: Under GPL it is mandatory to
   distribute source code FREE OF COST either on CD's or on ftp
   sites. As on date Linux Technologies has not made any
   provisions for the same.  The company also does not have any 
   ftp sites.

6. The Graphics Driver for SiS6215: Graphics Drivers for SiS6215 card
   were developed by SuSE GmbH (suse.com) and XFree86 (xfree86.org)
   and copyrighted under GPL. Linux Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
   falsely claims to have developed the same.

7. Misuse of Linux Logo: The Linux logo which depicts a penguin
   has been affectionately referred to for a long time as Tux by
   the entire Linux community. It also appears on most of the web
   sites, publications and articles pertaining to Linux. Other
   Linux distributions also feature Tux on their packaging. By
   writing Peggy across the penguin and registering it as their
   own trademark, Linux Technologies Pvt. Ltd. has attempted to cash
   in on the popularity of Tux and deeply hurt the sentiment of Linux
   users.
   
8. The picture on product packaging box: The product packaging
   box as well as the step by step User Guide of Aryabhatt Linux
   depict a picture of peggy surrounded by networked
   computers. This picture was designed and copyrighted by
   Jassubhai Digital Media and was published in the August 1999
   issue of CHIP magazine, CHIP Linux special and Network
   Computing.
    
9. Most of the applications in any Linux Distribution are developed by
   GNU (www.gnu.org). Linux Technologies Pvt. Ltd. does not
   acknowledge the same.

10. Though Aryabhatt Linux is claimed as "customized for the
   Indian user", as on date, it does not support any Indian
   Language. And the claimed hardware support for the locally
   assembled hardware already exists in other distributions of
   Linux.

11. On going through the step by step guide, we found numerous
   inconsistencies and wrong information.

As Indians we would love to have an Indian Linux distribution but
we are thoroughly disappointed and disgusted with Aryabhatt
Linux's blatant attempt to hijack the efforts of the open source
and free software community. This ruthless exploitation of free,
open source software will tarnish the image of the Indian
software industry. We therefore urge you to set the record
straight as regards the claims of Linux Technologies Pvt. Ltd., if you
have published articles related to Aryabhatt Linux.  For others who have
not published any reports, pleas consider this as information.

This message is released in public interest, and in the interest
of Open Source Software by the following active members of the
Indian Linux Users Group, Bombay Chapter:

Aditya Kulkarni adityak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Apurva Shah apu@xxxxxxxxxx
G.Sagar sagarg@xxxxxxxxxx
Kiran Jonnalagadda jace@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kishor Bhagwat kishorbhagwat@xxxxxxx
Mitul Limbani mitul@xxxxxxxxx
Nagarjuna.G nagarjun@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Parag Mehta linuxadmin@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Philip Tellis philip.tellis@xxxxxxxxx
Prakash Advani prakash@xxxxxxxxxx
Prakash Shetty info@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Rajen Parekh rajen@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Rakesh Tiwari rakesh_tiwari@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Sandesh Rao sandeshr@xxxxxxxx
Terrence D'Souza jtdesouza@xxxxxxxxx
Vikas Pawar vpawar@xxxxxxx


Contact Address: GNU/Linux User Group of India, Bombay Chapter
 ilug@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 http://www.ilug-bom.org.in

Mailing Address: Dr. Nagarjuna G.
Homi Bhabha Center for Science Education
TIFR, V.N. Purav Marg,
Mankhurd, Mumbai 400088
INDIA
Phones: 091-22- 556 7711, 555 4712, 555 5242 
Fax: 091 - 22 - 556 6803.