Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

CPI(M) stand on free software hailed

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Free Software Foundation (FSF) of India has congratulated the CPI(M) leadership for categorically stating that the party would support free software.

In a statement here on Tuesday, FSF India secretary M. Arun said the Foundation was not interested in petty squabbles with anyone and that its opposition to the section on ICT in the approach paper presented at the second International Congress on Kerala Studies, which concluded here on Sunday, was that it continues to view the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector only as one where business opportunities galore. ICT, he said, was very powerful and its impact on life would be tremendous in the coming years. This calls for a broader and holistic outlook and an effort to use ICT for the benefit of the common people of Kerala, he added.

Mr. Arun said another objection to the draft was that its mention about free software amounted to nothing more than an eyewash, just as the policy statement of the UDF was.

"We feel that a Left and people's party must have commitment to free software and their document must categorically state that wherever possible they will use free software. We strongly condemn the stand that the issue is one of selection of `Operation System'. We are sorry to say that it shows lack of understanding of free software. Free software has larger technological base, good economic activity, community centred policy and above all it is a proven alternative to empower people with ICT at this time of globalisation of the economy," he said.

The FSF India secretary said the Foundation was particularly happy with the stand taken by the CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechuri, both for his categoric statement at the conference organised by the AKG Centre and for his support for the FSF India stand during the meeting between the FSF delegation and Minister of Commerce Kamal Nath in New Delhi last week.

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