Here
are the responses of some of the most famous personalities of the
GNU/Linux community at the time of formation of NIXAL:
MESSAGE OF RICHARD M. STALLMAN TO NIXAL
rms@gnu.org
I am glad that you contacted me before
doing that. The system that you use is not "Linux"--that is
a misnomer. The system is basically GNU. Linux is the
kernel, one component. The combination is the GNU/Linux
system.
When people call the system "Linux", the result is that the GNU
Project gets none of the credit, and that weakens all of our
efforts. If you call the system "GNU/Linux", you give us equal
mention. We
need that help! See http://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html.
How about calling it a GNU/Linux User Group, to correct the
error? and particularly in Open Source Solution.
"Open source" is another thing that I am not very enthusiastic
about. You may have heard that I am a supporter of open source,
but this is not true.
I am a leader in the free software movement. We believe in
freedom for computer users to control the software they use.
The open source movement was founded in 1998 to reject our
idealism. They have had lots of corporate-supported
publicity, which labels our work as "open source". That is
probably why you got the impression that I am a supporter of open
source. But I never was.
People who agree with the open source
movement have a right to promote their views. But I hope
that you will support the free software movement and its ideals
of freedom to cooperate. See http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-for-freedom.html
for more explanation of the difference between the two movements.
MESSAGE OF ERIC S. RAYMOND TO NIXAL
esr@thyrsus.com
I'm very glad open-source software is
beginning to establish itself in
India. It will enable people in India -- as it has people in
Korea,
Thailand, and many other parts of the world -- to take control of
their own technological future. With open source, you need no
longer
be dependent on some American or European megacorporation to meet your
needs, nor pay extravagant license fees. Instead, you can
develop
software to match local requirements and develop expertise that
improves your country's position in global markets.
MESSAGE OF ALAN COX TO NIXAL
alan@redhat.com
I think you have a great opportunity. At
a time when India is a rising
star in the computing world, Linux lets you get away from software that
is priced, controlled and managed by another nation. Its a golden
opportunity for India to assert its own destiny.
Have fun, a user group is a great thing, and teaching is an
essential part
of learning.
PICTURES
These pictures were taken on the day
Richard M. Stallman came to our college to inaugurate nixal. Some
memories that will stay with us forever :)
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