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Ajith
In a world increasingly governed by technology, the question of who controls the technology becomes crucial. Since software forms the core of almost every modern system, its control holds immense significance. In the early days of computing, software development and distribution were dominated by a few large corporations. However, the rise of the Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) movement in the 1980s changed this landscape dramatically.
This global effort, driven by millions of programmers collaborating over the Internet, led to the creation of the free GNU/Linux operating system and a vast collection of software tools for both general use and software development. These contributors not only overcame technical challenges but also resisted the monopolistic practices of the proprietary software industry.
The emergence of such an alternative system brought far-reaching benefits: software costs dropped sharply, user lock-in through proprietary data formats was greatly reduced, and the lowered entry barriers fostered the growth of numerous new software companies.
Today, most of the world’s supercomputers, servers, cloud platforms, and cybersecurity systems run on GNU/Linux. In fact, all of the world’s top 500 supercomputers, over 70% of web servers, and around 80–90% of public cloud infrastructure are powered by GNU/Linux or other open-source systems.
However, desktop adoption still remains low, mainly due to a mix of technical, educational, and economic factors — and most notably, the unfair monopolistic practices of a dominant proprietary software vendor.
Considering the importance and the long-term impact of this, it is essential to take some steps to enable the users to take the control of the software they use. As a first step, a collection of Free & Open Source Software has been made on a Live USB srick, enabling the users to experience it without installing to a computer.
A presentation on Free Software in PDF format. Another version without Cartoons
we plan to conduct a series of workshops on the usage and installation of GNU/Linux and a host of application programs available under that.
Individuals/Institutions interested in organizing a program may contact:
Ajith Kumar B P email: bpajith at gmail.com phone: 9868150852
A COMMENTARY ON THE SIXTH EDITION UNIX OPERATING SYSTEM by J. Lions
