Kerala had active user groups in Trivandrum (Trivandrum Microsoft Users Group - http://t-mug.org) and Cochin (Cochin Dotnet - http://groups.msn.com/cochindotnet) since 2002. This year another user group started at Kozhikode on 21^st June, 2008 named Kozhikode Microsoft Users Group (http://k-mug.org). Mr Sreejumon (one of the founders of T-MUG and K-MUG) along with a group of energetic professionals came up with a new thought process of merging all the disjointed user groups in Kerala.

Microsoft had conducted India Microsoft Technology Community Lead Meet at Bangalore on 23^rd Aug 2008, and Sreejumon was representing the user groups from Kerala.  He presented the idea of having a single user group in Kerala and its plans and Kerala Microsoft Users Group got verbal approval. Soon after that, Kozhikode Microsoft Users Group (K-MUG.org) web portal was renamed to Kerala Microsoft Users Group and T-MUG online activities merged with K-MUG. Apart from online announcement, K-MUG wanted something bigger, so they decided to conduct the official mega launch on 25^th October, 2008 at Kozhikode.

(via Launch Report)

More photos.

Microsoft India today unveiled DreamSpark - a software giveaway for an estimated 10 million plus qualified students in the country. DreamSpark will provide students access to the latest Microsoft developer and designer tools at no charge to unlock their creative potential and set them on the path to academic and career success. The program is aligned to Microsoft Unlimited Potential, the company’s global effort to creating sustained social and economic opportunity for everyone. 

Microsoft DreamSpark is available to all students whose studies touch on technology, design, math, science and engineering; as well as technology hobbyists keen on pursuing a career in the field. Worldwide, several million people use the software suite that will now be available free of charge.

The following cutting-edge software will be available to empower students to unlock their ingenuity by building critical skills:

 Microsoft developer tools

1.      Visual Studio 2005 Express

2.      Visual Studio 2005 Professional

3.      Visual Studio 2008 Professional

4.      Visual Basic 2008 Express

5.      Visual C++ 2008 Express

6.      Visual C# 2008 Express

7.      Visual Web Developer 2008 Express

8.      XNA Game Studio 2.0

9.      12-month free Academic membership in the XNA Creators Club

Microsoft designer tools

10.  Expression Studio 2, including

o   Expression Web

o   Expression Blend

o   Expression Design

o   Expression Media

Microsoft platform resources

11.  SQL Server 2008 Developer

12.  SQL  Server 2008 Express

13.  Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition

14.  Virtual PC 2007

Training Resources

15.  IT Academy Student Pass

This broad range of professional level software will be available both online on www.dreamsparkindia.com; and in offline format via DVDs distributed by program partners NIIT, Aptech and Hughes Net Fusion Centers. A student merely needs to offer a proof of identity at a branch of these institutes to avail of a DreamSpark DVD. There are 125 NIIT, 175 Aptech, and 200 Hughes Net Fusion Centers participating across the country.

These program partners will also provide technology training on the DreamSpark software tools at a nominal cost; as well as have the option of soft skills training in languages like English and Hindi. Microsoft India is also working with academic institutions, government bodies and student organizations across the country to ensure that all students get a chance to benefit from DreamSpark. The DreamSpark initiative in India is designed to join the dots between software access, which means making training and enablement complement simple access to technology.

DreamSpark will also facilitate student participation and registrations into Microsoft’s annual marquee contest, Imagine Cup, through some of the contest categories like software design, short films and photography. Simple online quizzes on www.dreamsparkindia.com will facilitate knowledge dissemination and understanding of technology issues; and give the winners a chance to augment their skills in these areas. Students from India that qualify for the Imagine Cup 2009 World Finals will get to travel to Egypt. Selected teams will also get the opportunity to get mentored by the Centre for Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship (CIIE) at IIM, Ahmedabad.

“This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.” – Barack Obama

Transcript of Obama’s victory speech:
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/04/obama.transcript/index.html

“I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.
Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.” – John McCain

Transcript of McCain’s concession speech:
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/04/mccain.transcript/index.html

They say imitation is the best form of flattery, so Gmail, we thank you and we are indeed very flattered. Putting together a costume that is so dead-on could not have been easy, and you've got it down pat. Trying to convince all the other kids at the party that the only thing to use is Gmail and putting out a press release every time you add a new button to the service is just so 1998. We're telling you – this outfit brings back memories!

(via AOL Mail Blog)

The comments to this post, however, indicate that the move has boomeranged on AOL!

Ori Amiga's MeshMobile - Very Cool!

Here's my new blogging effort: www.windows7blog.info

We've got some folks at PDC 2008 at LA... so expect some interviews and smart observations in next few days.