Linux thrives in left-leaning Kerala

NewsForge ^ | August 26, 2005 | Sreelakshmi Haridas

[Golden Eagle]

Kerala, a tiny coastal state in south India, is a site of significant popularity of free software and GNU/Linux. What lessons can Kerala teach other areas about using free and open source software?

Kerala, as a state, is strongly grounded in principles of socialism. Most of the educated middle class is leftist, at least in principle. The state is credited with a near 100% literacy rate and better social statistics than most of the rest of the country. And all this is reflected in a spirit among the people to question any decision imposed on them. They resent lack of choices, and by extension, oppose monopolies. What better fuel for an open source/free software movement to thrive on than a society like this?

[softwarecreator]

I have. I spent my time serving this country. I walked the streets of East Berlin during the middle of the Cold war.

I have stood on Karl Marx Street in East Berlin, I have looked Uniformed Russians Officers in the eye.

THat must have been very interesting.  How long did you serve and what branch?

[softwarecreator]

LMAO! Ducking a debate by resorting to name-calling certainly doesn't seem to affect you either.

Thus ends my ever taking you seriously again :)

To be fair, though, there are a lot of people on this, and other threads, who use the same tactic.

[postaldave]

Don't like M$, use a bonifide version of UNIX instead. What's your excuse now, can't afford it? It's only downloadable from Sun for free. ??? wtf ??? did you run out of rum and started tapping the mouthwash? i'm done talking with you troll. -blunk-

[ExDemSince92]

To be fair, though, there are a lot of people on this, and other threads, who use the same tactic.

All I know is that these threads are starting to resemble the nonsense on DU. If all a person has are ad-hominem attacks, they have no business debating a point and expecting to be taken seriously.

Now, to get back to the point, what exactly are we losing when other countries adopt open-source?

And please keep the Communism/Socialism/whateverism BS out of it.

[amigatec]

I was with the 42nd Engineer Co (Combat) US Army, in West Berlin, spent 27 months behind the Iron Curtain. I have seen Communism up close. The one thing I will never forget is the look on the faces of the little East German school children when they saw American Soldiers. We represented something they didn't have and could only dream of.

FREEDOM!!!

[softwarecreator]

All I know is that these threads are starting to resemble the nonsense on DU.

Yeah, things do get a bit out of hand, especially with the personal attacks.

Now, to get back to the point, what exactly are we losing when other countries adopt open-source?

Adopting it and letting it exist in an open market is fine, that creates competition.  I think what irritates people, myself included, is when some gov'ts make decisions like ONLY free OSS will be allowed.  It kind of goes against free-trade's purpose.  Seems like a one way street: "we can buy your products, but you won't buy ours".

And please keep the Communism/Socialism/whateverism BS out of it.

Agreed.  Not the right forum for it.

Good reply.  I think we all need to step back and be happy we have someplace to converse and not abuse it.  Thanks.

[softwarecreator]

Sounds like you had some amazing experiences.  Since I was never in the military, something I regret often, I can only understand what it must have been like to serve your country with pride, through the stories of people like you.  My brother-in-law served in the Gulf War and I pester him often for info.

2½ years in Germany is a long time and I can only say THANKS for your commitment.

[softwarecreator]

did you run out of rum and started tapping the mouthwash?

Funny.  =)

Maybe he was thinking of Solaris?

[amigatec]

It just really irritates me when somebody starts talking about Communism without ever being around it.

I have seen what NO freedom and NO choice is all about.

I have seen some of the 210 crosses on the Berlin Wall, the gun boats in the river, the barbed wire, the mine fields, the guard dogs, the machine gun bunkers, the search lights, and the guard towers.

I have seen the poor Government owned housing, The propaganda posters and the Russians parading their Missile Launchers down the street, ALL parades were Military and ALL were mandatory.


I was there in 1980 when Jimmy Carter visited, two East Germans were using a bucket truck to whitewash the west side of the wall, one of them jumped and ran!! He found his FREEDOM that day!!!

(That is the ONLY good thing I can say about Jimmy carter)

Golden Eagle needs to shut up about Communism until he has seen it first hand. Yep GE needs a GOOD lesson on Communism!!!

(And people wonder why I am a Reagan Man!!!)

[softwarecreator]

Wow.  Seems like you've seen a side of communism that the rest of us never had.

I think GE is only talking about the economic side of what communism represents, which is okay, but to call another a commie just because of their viewpoint is ludicrous.  I can understand why you would take offense, too many people through around the "C" word without understanding everything, you and others, have seen.  It's becoming as overused as the "nazi" tag.  Comparing anything happening in America politics to the atrocities the Nazi's committed must truly anger those who went through it and their families.

Thanks for you stories and I hope everyone reads it and thinks twice before calling another here a "commie".

[Golden Eagle]

Unfortunately true. At least I'm on the right side of the issue here.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x665385

[Golden Eagle]

I have seen what NO freedom and NO choice is all about.

Which is exactly what is happening in these countries that pass laws mandating open source. Why don't we ever see you speaking out against THAT? I only mention it all the time. But since you attack me for it, it appears you support those that are attempting to pass those same laws here in the US.

GE needs a GOOD lesson on Communism!!!

Why, so I would support it instead?

[amigatec]

Which branch of the Service were you in?

My Grandfather was in the Navy in WWI.

My Father had 5 brothers, ALL 5 were in WWII, one of those brothers paid the ultimate price for freedom. He was killed June of 1944, on the beaches of Normandy.

Uncle Paul is still there today, he is still standing his post.

If you go there today you will see a cross with his name on it.

I have seen the pictures of his grave, and I have seen his medals, and I have read the telegram that tells of his death.

My Father served during Korea, and my Father-in-Law WAS IN Korea.

My Brother, my Brother-in-Law, and myself ALL served in the Army.

I work for the US Government, at a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

I can't speak for there experiences, but I can speak for mine.

I served 3 years active duty and 17 years in the reserves. I retired in 1997 with 20 years of service.

During active duty I was stationed with the 42nd Engineer Company, in West Berlin. At that time the Wall was still standing.

You claim to fight against Communism, but I have been there, standing on that line and taking my turn. I can tell by your comments that you have absolutely no idea what Communism is all about. I lived with it for 27 months. I have seen what Communism does, I have seen how it works.

I was surrounded by 15 Russian Divisions, I have seen them parade there Missile Launchers down the street. All parades in East Berlin were Military, and ALL parades were mandatory!!

You talk a lot about Communism, but have you looked a Communist in the eye??

I have. I walked the streets of East Berlin and have looked Russian Officers in the face. I have seen the fear and hatred in his eyes. I have looked over the wall into the Russian Army base in East Berlin, I have been in their PX and Commissary.

The Russians were especially hard on the east Germans.

If an East German wanted a car, (a Trabant) he
1)had to be a member of the party,
2)had to pay cash upfront and be put on a waiting list, for up to 10 years.
3)Could be bumped from the list by the Government.

If he wanted to change jobs he had to ask the Government, rarely did they ever grant it. All Jobs were controlled by the Government.

If he wanted to move to a different apartment he had to ask the Government. All housing was Government Owned.

I have seen the Berlin Wall, I have touched it, I have seen the windows in the building bricked-up. I have seen were the building were cut off to make room for the Wall.

I have seen some of the 210 and crosses that hung on that Wall. Crosses placed to mark the death of some poor soul who died trying to escape Communism.

I have seen the anti-Communist writings on the Wall. I have seen the barbed wire, steel entanglements, guard towers, machine-gun bunkers, attack dogs, and armed gun boats.
The gun boats patrolled the waterways looking for escapees.

I have seen the mine fields, where the ground in front the Wall was tilled and raked, and everyday they would check for footprints.

I have visited the Museum at 'Checkpoint Charlie', the Museum dedicated to those who lost there lives trying to escape from Communism. I stood on the same platform JFK stood when he was there.

You talk about Karl Marx. I have stood on Karl Marx Street, (yes that's right KARL MARX STREET) and seen the look on the faces of the little east German kids, as they looked at the American Soldiers. The American Soldier represented something to them that they could only hope for.

FREEDOM!!

Freedom is something my family has stood for, fought for, and died for, for at least 3 generations.

My Uncle Paul shed his last drop of Blood on Omaha Beach June 6th 1944. You can find his grave there today, he is still guarding that beach.

He died so the French could have Freedom.

Where was Linux when the Chinese invented Gunpowder?
Where was Linux when the Chinese invented Rockets?
Where was Linux when the Chinese tested their First A-Bomb in 1964?
Where was Linux when the Chinese tested their First H-Bomb in 1967

Now the Chinese have a little chance at freedom, and the only thing you care about is how much money they spend with the US.

Linux represents FREEDOM, Freedom from being locked into the Microsoft Monopoly.

Freedom from being told what they can and cannot do with their COMPUTER.

We have soldiers dying on the battlefield everyday to defend freedom, and all you want to do is take freedom away.

While I was standing Guard Duty in the rain, where were you??

And you want to call ME a Commie because I Use Linux!!!

So let me ask you again 'What branch of the service were you in?

If you can't answer any of these questions then why don't 'SHUT THE F--- UP!!!

[Paladin2]

GE = = M$= = CHICOMs

It's a circle.

[N3WBI3]

well said and thaks to you, your family, and especially Uncle Paul..