Hi Linux Freaks out there, I am Sudarshan.P studying in the Vth semester Computer Science at the University Vishveshwaraiah College of Engg.. Bangalore.I am a very strong fan of the open source movement and fell in love with Linux the moment I read about the concept in PC Quest . Working with it for a short while strengthened it even further . At present I do more than three fourths of my works in Linux. I have come up with a patentable idea which involves both hardware and software.I have been so inspired by the Open Source Movement that I want to release it to the world as free technology. However the GNU/GPL is restricted only to software.So,I request the Linux community to come up with a good licenscing policy so that it can be released to the world as free technology. The basic idea behind my project can be understood even by a COMMON MAN. So Please visit my website at http://www.geocities.com/nopowercuts and send me any suggestions,opinions or constructive criticism to my e-mail address at [EMAIL PROTECTED] ###################################################### Here is a short summary of the idea for you,if you are interested. My Site deals with an idea for a new type of Energy Meter based on Microcontroller technology which when implemented will totally eliminate the need for POWER CUTS or SCHEDULED LOAD - SHEDDING. (That sounds impossible , isn't it ? This idea is not a hoax . So dont start flaming me right now.PLEASE visit my site and if you still find it to be a stupid idea I myself welcome you to flame me). As most of you are Indian , you will not have any problem understanding the term LOAD SHEDDING or POWERCUTs.Hydro Electric power is to some extent seasonal in nature . The Electricity Boards are unable to cater to the demands of the entire population during the peak hours of certain months of the year. So they resort to Load Shedding . Here the government decides that only half the city receives the power during a particular period of time , say one or two hours a day and the other half remains without power . Then the whole procedure is reversed . In short each and every individual has to manage without electricity for a fixed amount of time every day during certain months of the year. Look at the lighter side of it ;-) Half the city is doomed in darkness while the people in the other half get the license to squander electricity according to their own whims and fancies . My idea goes something like this . "If there is a shortage of power it can be sorted out by preventing users from consuming more power than a fixed limit, instead of resorting to power cuts.This can be done by making them pay a much higher rate per unit consumed above that specified limit.This can be accomplished by using an Electricity Meter having a microcontroller in it." This is explained in detail in the website. ###################################################### THE WHOLE SITE WAS BUILT ENTIRELY USING LINUX All the graphics ranging from the background ,to the decorations to the picture of the proposed meter were all created in GIMP.(This is to convince all those who came to me with such rediculous complaints as "It is good for some special effects but you can't even draw straight lines in GIMP.").Open Source Software is not for those who need spoon feeding.So don't blame a Linux application if you don't know how to use it.Is that CLEAR ? All the web pages used were entirely created in Netscape Composer.The website was tested on my localsystem on the Apache Webserver .And I believe that geocities ,where I am hosting this website proabably uses Apache for serving the webpages. #######################################################Sorry for such a long message :-( Thanking you Your's Sincerely Sudarashan.P ####################################################### __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Linux India Mailing List Archives are now available. Please search the archive at http://lists.linux-india.org/ before posting your question to avoid repetition and save bandwidth.