On Thursday 02 June 2011 10:26 AM, Pravin Dhayfule wrote:
I have been sending requests to Govt websites since many years asking them to consider users like me who cannot afford Windows, but still it falls on deaf ears.I felt relief when I came across this group and thought that since this group has many biggies whom I can report such issues so that they can follow up (in a diplomatic and peaceful way) with that the govt. realizes the need and change accordingly.
Thanks for this much needed mail. If we managed to use this mailing list as a leverage point in getting what you've suggested done, we would go a long way in fulfilling its (admittedly fuzzy) aims.
A simple (perhaps rather simplistic) model of how this could work:1. Highlight a particular problem. (Ex: access to a particular government service requires usage of proprietary standards). 1a. Dig out more information about the problem, possibly by using the RTI Act. (Ex: enquiries be sent to the service whether there are technical reasons for doing so; whether they are aware of the national open standards policy, etc.) 1b. State clearly *why* this is a problem, and even a practical (i.e., non-ideological) one at that. 1c. Publicly document the problem and the reasons on a site such as fosscomm.in.
2. Organize a letter-writing campaign to an appropriate governmental official. These should be preferably be sent by e-mail, fax, as well as by registered post. 2b. Very importantly: document these letters on a publicly-accessible site such as fosscomm.in.
3. Contact speciality press (tech magazines, tech coverage in newspapers, etc.).
4. Fix up a meeting with the concerned official or her superior. Doing this through a company/organization might help, as this often adds weight and allows for ease of access (regardless of whether it is justified).
5. See if there's a good hook for larger press coverage, and contact the press.
6. Lather, rinse, repeat.I don't think 'biggies' can really do much in terms of a policing of government departments based on complaints lodged by the little 'uns. Nor do I think we should expect that of them. I think the most we can expect of them is to represent us with the weight of their reputations doing some of the speaking.
- Pranesh -- Pranesh Prakash Programme Manager Centre for Internet and Society W: http://cis-india.org | T: +91 80 40926283
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