Silent, Vibrant and Distributed: History of Free Software Movement in India

Presentation by Anivar Aravind In National Conference on Free Software In Cochin December 2008

Transcript

1. History of Free Software Movement in India Silent, Vibrant and Distributed
2. (1991-2000) Early bird
3. • Sarai : 95, GNU India • Various LUGs, Academic community, TUG • TVM, ILUG Cochin, BLUG, ILUGD, Linux Bangalore, ILUG Chennai, GLUG Bombay • Slow spreading of philosophy and free software (in CDs/Floppy) EARLY BIRD
4. (2000-2004) Rise of awareness
5. • FSF India • Birth of Free Software User groups (FSUG Kochi, FSUG Calicut) FSF-AP, ILUG-goa, Ankur Bengla, Gnowledge, IndLinux, Indictrans, ATPS, OSSIC • Focus on Localisation, • Start of free software evangelism, media distributions • LB->FOSS.IN, Free Del, Start of Central Govt adoption & support RISE OF AWARENESS
6. • Increase in Indian Contribution • Local Self Governance : the Free Software Challenge in Kerala • Public sector adoptions RISE OF AWARENESS
7. (2004-2006) Spreading Freedom
8. • Start of Free Software Activism • World Social Forum 2004, • Free Map & Free GIS Initiatives • School Projects: IT@School, L2C2, • More User Groups : FSUG-Bangalore, FSF-kerala, FSF-tn, PLUS, s2s2, swecha, SPREADING FREEDOM
9. • More Events • Asiasource • Gnunify • Free Software Free Society Conference, • Software Freedom Day • National Free Software Convention • FSFI Annual Day • freed.in • FOSSMeet@NITC • More Support: Support from Left Parties, • NRCFOSS, UNDP-APDIP, Eprimers, MIT, • Abdul Kalam, KSTA, WB University, • SPACE, Utkarsh, Celebrating Freedom • More Developers • Defending Freedom: Preventing Software Patents, Playfair SPREADING FREEDOM
10. (2007-2008) Free Software as a Social Movement
11. • More Activists, Policy activism, Free Standards, Public Sector Adoptions • Policies: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Alahabad High Court, NEGP, Knowledge Commission, 11th Five year Plan, National Policy on Open Standards • More User Groups: GLUG-TVM, Durgapur LUG, • FSUG Thrissur, SSUG-Malappuram • More Institutions/Platforms: SMC, GNULabs, Swatanthra, ICFOSS-Kerala, CATFOSS, CDIT SOCIAL MOVEMENT FREE SOFTWARE AS A
12. • Events: 3rd International Conference on GPLv3, mukth.in, Freed.in, National Conference on Software Freedom, Free software Free Society • Philosophy: Local language translations of Free Software Philosophy. • Campaigns: Document Freedom (NOOOXML), Say No to Software patents, Freedom Walk, Software Freedom Day SOCIAL MOVEMENT FREE SOFTWARE AS A
13. Anivar Aravind anivar at movingrepublic.org http://anivar.in CONTACT