Manhandling free software activists at National Free Software conference wreaked havoc at CUSAT were the event was held. The activists were putting up posters saying “BOYCOTT NOVELL” at the exhibition stalls.
The Novell corp. had their own stall at the exhibition and were one of the official sponsors of the programme. Giving Novell the position is almost as good as putting up a sign saying “I support Microsoft!”
Some of us were having a heated argument ourselves at a stall where students were using Windows to play a video related to compiz fusion, when the argument started. There were also stalls with people citing the so called ‘User friendlyness’ of windows’.
The organizers and the security manhandled Anivar Aravind, a former student of CUSAT and a well known free software activist despite the fact that he was the one who fought hard to bring free software to the institution.
For more details see Arky’s blog
