On Sun, 2009-11-22 at 14:24 +0530, jtd wrote: > On Sunday 22 November 2009, jaykumar hs wrote: > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > From: Ravi Shanker <[email protected]> > > > > > > http://pragoti.org/node/3686 > > > > *The Free Software movement had raised an issue relating the possible > > threat to sovereignty due to the UID project. This fear was raised in the > > context of Microsoft's declaration of desire to be a partner on the UID > > project. Microsoft as a corporation is tied to the laws of the United > > States of America. Microsoft being a proponent of proprietorial software > > would never let out the source code of the programs it would use on any > > project. If Microsoft or any other provider partners on the UID project > > there could be three possible situations: 1) In case of an adverse > > international political situation a foreign government could order the > > software vendor to lock or cripple the UID database in India – a case of > > cyber-warfare; 2) it could lead to a situation of a vendor lock-in, whereby > > each time the UIDAI wishes to make changes to the database it would require > > the services of the software vendor, thus enabling the vendor continue to > > earn rent income; 3) the use of proprietorial software could have the > > unintended consequence of being incompatible with e-governance platforms > > which already use Open Source programing. > > > > The UIDAI team responded to these concerns: 1) The Open Source model will > > be used for the UID project and the Source Code will be under public > > ownership; 2) all APIs will be standard and published APIs and can be > > accessed using a variety of software; 3) Proprietorial software may have to > > be used for specialized tasks like biometrics for that may be the cheaper > > and more efficient choice at hand, but in such cases the contract with the > > software firms will have sufficient safeguards to prevent any vendor > > lock-in.* > > 1) What is the process by which they have arrived at the conclusion > that "Proprietorial software may have to be used for specialized tasks like > biometrics " > 2) What are the safe guards that they propose > 3) What plans do they have in place to replace such closed software. > 4) It may be noted that data generated by such closed systems can be > challenged in a court of law and may well be inadmisible. >
+1 and what garenty will be given that "vender lock-in " will now be allowed? And how would one be able to anticipate such a possibility if any, if source code is not available for review and/ or modification? Happy hacking. Krishnakant. _______________________________________________ network mailing list [email protected] http://lists.fosscom.in/listinfo.cgi/network-fosscom.in
