A training seminar on Installation and Usage of Linux, at Jalandhar

 The seminar started at 7.30 pm on October 13, and concluded till 10.30 pm, as there was a lot of interest and enthusiasm among the members."
 

During the seminar, members brought their laptops and Linux DVDs were provided to them and live installation session was conducted after which a question hour session was conducted.

Effect of unity of Computer Traders

http://www.dqweek.com/dq-week/news/23096/microsoft-cancels-windows-launch-chandigarh

Microsoft Windows 8 launch cancelled in Chandigarh

The ongoing Microsoft boycott in Punjab and Chandigarh has entered its second week; the impact of boycott has been growing stronger day by day. It is evident from the fact that Jalandhar association was the first to announce the boycott early last week, but now the grip of boycott has spread in entire Punjab and Chandigarh.

Moreover, in the latest development, due to the boycott, the launch of Microsoft Windows 8 Partner Summit, which was scheduled to be held in Chandigarh on October 11, at Hotel KLG stand canceled.

The IT dealers of Punjab was upset with the recent raids conducted by Microsoft on IT dealers and registering of FIR under copyright act in their names, publishing news in the national dailies with names of the concern parties. The IT partners are afraid to go to their shops after these raids.

According to a Chandigarh partner, "We received the invitation for Windows 8 launch event from Microsoft's distributor Redington on October 9, but on the event day, we got an cancellation email (a copy of email is with The DQ Week) stating, 'we regret to inform that due to some unavoidable circumstances the event stands canceled'."

As per sources, the reason for this cancellation of launch is just because of the ban on Microsoft.

The event was aimed at the Microsoft volume licensing partners, as the official launch of Window 8 is round the corner. Microsoft started organizing partners summit to educate partners on how Windows 8 can help partners to grow business and provide the right solution for customers and to assist partner with appropriate support in creating more business opportunities.

Commenting on this development, Puneet Dhir, general secretary, JCDA said, "Besides boycotting Microsoft products and any event in entire Punjab and Chandigarh, we have also started educating our members on the benefits of open source. We will be organizing seminars on Linux in Jalandhar followed by Amritsar. Already we are educating our members on how several State Governments have made theirs a Linux based machine, and saved lots of money."

The association has also created posters and banners for protesting against Microsoft across Punjab and Chandigarh.

Punjab gets a state-wide 'PACT' association

 http://www.dqweek.com/dq-week/news/23027/punjab-wide-pact-association

The Computer traders across Punjab, came together and formed PACT to take forward their campaign with the strength of unity.

A much-awaited move to form the state-wide Punjab IT association has finally been executed. Almost all major Punjab IT dealers have jointly come forward and established an association, named Punjab Association of Computer Traders (PACT).
In a meeting hosted by Jalandhar Computer Dealers Association (JCDA) in Jalandhar on October 8, the presidents and representatives of all the 10 associations of Punjab participated and formed PACT.

PACT is an umbrella body of 10 Punjab associations including Association of Computer Entrepreneurs (ACE) Ludhiana; Amritsar Computer Traders Association (ACTA); Jalandhar Computer Dealers Association (JCDA); Hoshiarpur Computer Dealers Association (HCDA); Nawanshahar Computer Dealers Association (NCDA); Bhatinda Computers Professional Association (BCPA); Computer Hardware Association Sangrur (CHA); Patiala Computer Dealers Association; Moga Computer Dealers Association and Chandigarh Computer Association (CCA).

At the meet, the association members had also selected and appointed the governing body for PACT. The new team will be headed by all the presidents of the Punjab associations. As per the new team Gurpreet Singh Sunny, president of ACE Ludhiana, will be the president of PACT. The post of senior VP will be headed by Sanjeev Walia of Chandigarh Association; Inder Mohan Bhasker, president of Jalandhar association will be taking over the charge of VP. For the post of general secretary Sanjay Gupta of Amritsar association has been chosen. There will be two joint secretaries Prem Saini (Hoshiarpur) and Rahul Garg (Sangrur). The treasurer is Varinder Bansal (Bathinda). The team, will also have a post of PRO and media advisory.

According to Puneet Dhir, general secretary, JCDA, "The body has been formed to address the common issues of computer dealers across Punjab like regular thefts at computer showrooms to a single platform and bring unity among all the trading associations and put collective efforts for achieving common goals."

In this meeting, a resolution was passed to boycott Microsoft products across Punjab, where no dealer will buy Microsoft products in entire Punjab. This decision has been taken in protest of registration of raid cases by Microsoft against the dealers.

"We will be meeting every month to further fine tune the association and its function. Soon, we will be getting the association registered in Ludhiana. The main objective of PACT is to address the common issues related to the Punjab IT traders and bring it to the notice of local administration and government," added Dhir.

Speaking on the formation of PACT, Prem Saini, president, HCDA and join secretary PACT said, "All the members and dignitaries of their respective associations deserve great appreciation. The way we all have started working for the common goal, it seems that the day is not far, when we will be in a position to give our trade a totally new direction."
Each association had contributed Rs 5,000 for the initial working capital of PACT. Meanwhile, the role of local IT association will continue to be the same. PACT will also strengthen the role of the local IT association and encourage more IT association to be part of PACT.

 (Reproduction of news from link given below)

Jalandhar association bans Microsoft

http://www.dqweek.com/dq-week/news/22784/jalandhar-association-announces-trading-boycott-microsoft-products

The recent Microsoft raids conducted on Jalandhar IT channel partners has irked Jalandhar Computer Dealer Association (JCDA) to the extent that the association has now decided to boycott the selling of Microsoft software and hardware products barring pre-loaded Windows in the region.
The association has strongly condemned the action taken by Microsoft and stated that such incidents are similar to blackmailing and extortion by foreign companies on Indian small businesses and such activities and business cannot sustain together.
Reacting strongly on the entire episode, Puneet Dhir, general secretary, JCDA said, "This is affecting our reputation and business names and we will not tolerate this nuisance any more. Our association has unanimously taken the decision to boycott Microsoft in the meeting held on October 4."
The association has taken decisions to be implemented with immediate effect, that no channel partner in the region will buy or sell any Microsoft product. All the stock of Microsoft products will be returned to the respective distributors for sales reversal. Moreover it will run a "We do not sell or support Microsoft products" campaign and display banners on all shop fronts, which will not be removed till further notice.
Meanwhile JCDA has also asked for the support from other Punjab associations, like Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Chandigarh to join the boycott for healthy business environment.
Sanjay Gupta, secretary, Amritsar Computer Traders Association, commented, "We are 100% supporting JCDA for this Microsoft boycott decision. However our association will take a final call post our executive meeting. We would also add new dimension to this boycott by rolling out multi-city seminars on open source."

when good people come together, things change. this action of Computer Traders across Punjab is a demonstration of that fact. We salute your courage and clarity of positive action. Keep it up - you are becoming an example for many others.

This blog, provoked, thanks to the positive & historic action of Computer Traders of Punjab, in banning Microsoft products and changing over to Linux is meant to share our experiences of Linux and helping the Traders and Users start using Linux successfully for their usage.

On behalf of OpenLX, we salute the courageous people of Punjab for this dignified step that will help provide the best technology to people at almost ZERO cost.
We also thank the media in taking forward this positive development across the state.

We will, to begin with, provide links to all the news coverage, events etc. that are taking place in this campaign.

We invite all to share their views through this blog.

Welcome to the world of Freedom - the world of Linux, the Humanist World for Dignity to all.