Free Software Movement of India

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Free Software Movement of India
AbbreviationFSMI
FormationMarch 21, 2010; 14 years ago (2010-03-21)
TypeCoalition of Organisations
PurposeTo take free software and its ideology to all computer users and to all sections of society.
Region served
Indian Union
President
Prabir Purkayastha
General Secretary
Kiran Chandra Yarlagada
Main organ
General Council
Websitehttp://www.fsmi.in/

Free Software Movement of India (FSMI) is a national coalition of various regional and sectoral free software movements operating in different parts of India. The formation of FSMI was announced in the valedictory function of the National Free Software Conference - 2010 held in Bangalore during 20–21 March 2010.[1] FSMI is a pan Indian level initiative to propagate the ideology of free software and to popularize the usage of the free software. One of the declared aims of the movement is to take Free Software and its ideological implications to computer users “across the digital divide”, to under-privileged sections of society.[2][3]

Member organisations

FSMI differentiates itself from other organisations, forums or user groups in the free software domain by the method of movement building which is primarily grass root and mass movement.[4][5]

  • Regional movements
  • Sectoral movements
    • Appropriate Technology Promotion Society
    • Knowledge Commons
    • National Consultative Committee of Computer Teachers Association(abbrv. NCCCTA)
    • Open Source Geospatial Foundation India (abbrv. OSGEO India)

Sectoral movements such as Knowledge Commons, Academics Initiative, OSGEO India and the National Consultative Committee of Computer Teachers (NCCCTA) joined the national coalition at the very initial stage itself.

Governance

FSMI elects the General Council, Executive Committee, Office Bearers including General Secretary & President in FSMI National Conferences.

The founding conference of FSMI elected a General Council having 69 members, an Executive Committee with 28 members with Joseph Thomas as the founding President and Kiran Chandra Yarlagadda as founding General Secretary. The second national conference named as 4Ccon was held in B.S. Abdur Rahman University, Vandalur, Chennai. Prabir Purkayastha was elected as the President and Kiran Chandra Yarlagadda was re-elected as the General Secretary at the second conference.

Objectives

FSMI is a pan Indian level initiative to propagate the ideology of free software and to popularize the usage of the free software.[2][6] One of the declared aims of the movement is to take Free Software and its ideological implications to computer users “across the digital divide”, to under-privileged sections of society.[2][3]

Activities

Controversy

A report in the Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi stated that the new organisation was under the tutelage of certain political parties and that it had driven a wedge in the free software movement in India by sidetracking the Free Software Foundation of India (FSFI).[14] The report in Mathrubhumi was criticized by FSMI in another newspaper for not upholding basic journalistic ethics and code of conduct of contacting the FSMI leadership before making allegations.[15] A rejoinder to the report has been published by FSMI.[16] The Mathrubhumi article stated that the general secretary of FSMI, Kiran Chandra was a representative of Novell while the FSFI website showed that he is on the Board of Directors.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ "National Free Software Coalition Formed". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 22 March 2010. Archived from the original on 25 March 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  2. ^ a b c "Free Software Movement has arrived on the National Scene!". Archived from the original on 2010-03-27. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
  3. ^ a b "സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ് വെയര്‍ പ്രസ്ഥാനം ഉയരങ്ങളിലേക്ക്". www.deshabhimani.com (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 2016-01-30. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
  4. ^ "Freedom movement". Frontline. Archived from the original on 28 July 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  5. ^ "Broad front". Retrieved 21 April 2010.[dead link]
  6. ^ Deepa Kurup (22 March 2010). "National Free Software coalition formed". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Archived from the original on 25 March 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
  7. ^ Hindu, The (9 May 2013). "News Paper". The Hindu. Kasturi and Sons.
  8. ^ Mukunth, Vasudevan; Srivas, Anuj (10 May 2013). "AICTE rescinds Microsoft Office 365 mandate". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  9. ^ viwanathsai (7 September 2015). "Free Software activists against changes to patent norms". The Hindu Business Line. India. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  10. ^ "Airtel 3G Script Injection" (Press release). June 11, 2015.
  11. ^ http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/curbs-on-web-freedom-police-scuttle-anonymous-protests/article3509520.ece[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ "Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Inaugural Address". Archived from the original on 2013-06-20. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  13. ^ Kurup, Deepa (22 December 2010). "News Report in Hindu". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  14. ^ "സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയര്‍ പ്രസ്ഥാനത്തെ പിളര്‍ത്തി; സി.പി.എം. പിന്തുണയോടെ പുതിയ സംഘടന" (in Malayalam). Mathrubhumi. Archived from the original on 25 March 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
  15. ^ Thomas, Joseph. "സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ് വെയര്‍ പ്രസ്ഥാനം ഉയരങ്ങളിലേക്ക്" (in Malayalam). Deshabhimani. Archived from the original on 2016-01-30. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
  16. ^ "Mathrubumi fabricated report". Archived from the original on 2010-03-27. Retrieved 2010-03-24.
  17. ^ "Kiran Chandra, director in FSF-I board".

External links

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