Hi All, Here is the feedback submitted by SPACE.
regards arun Reviewing - "Framework on Open Source Software Adoption in e-Governance Systems" Implementation of proposed framework will definitely be a step forward for Indian e-governance initiative, considering that it will reduce its dependence on proprietary systems. It will also lead to increased adoption of free software in the country. The document adopt a definition of Open Source Software which subsumes free software in it. However we would like to point out that there is serious difference between the idea of free software and open source which are particularly relevant in the context of this document. Pls see https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html for the details. Why the new framework ? Though there is no clear articulation of why this framework for e-governance, over all reading of the document tell us that the important consideration was that of reduced cost. The section titled 'Rating of OSS' supports this. Even the idea of freedom as used in free software is interpreted in a limited sense of being able to use with out paying (See Page 39). There is no question about importance of cost of e-governance, particularly in a developing country like India. However, it a very shallow reason to choose free software (or even open source) by a sovereign nation. Based on the constitution one important responsibility of Indian state is to protect its sovereignty and protect liberty of its citizen. A deeper evaluation of any policy objective that government put forward shall based on how the proposed policy protect and promote constitutional vision. In the context of selection of technology for e-governance, we can ask whether it promote the constitutional vision of protecting sovereignty and liberty. Government policy of developing indigenous technology in key areas like Defence is a good example of a policy for protecting sovereignty. The major aspect of e-Governance is production and transfer of information on the state and its citizen. It is the duty of the state to keep these safe and secure, so as to protect rights of its citizen. No cost shall justify state's duty to protect its citizen. Recent revelations around surveillance and spying that happens in digital communication system shows us that global ICT infrastructure as it exist today does not help to protect interest of a sovereign nation and its people. Indian e-governance system at the moment is vulnerable to external forces at the moment due to its heavy dependence on proprietary systems. It is precisely to protect the sovereignty and freedom of citizen that many countries including developed ones adopt free software for their governments. The major weakness of the draft framework is that, it fails to bring out important and deeper reasons to adopt free software in e-governance. Let us remind ourselves the words of Mahatma Gandhi "Freedom is never dear at any price. It is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living?". Freedom should be the reason, not the cost. Choice of License. The framework document in its discussion of choice of license, falls into pray to a trap put by proprietary software vendors to malign freedom furthering licenses like GPL. Proprietary software vendors would like free software community to develop software in such a way that they can appropriate the work for their interests. Licenses like GPL does not allow that. In that way, it is a protection against proprietarisation. When the document talk about restriction (Section 5), it restriction is about protection of freedom. For those who wants to take away freedom of users, any act of protection by user is a restriction for them. Document suggest that copyleft license, should be given lesser consideration over others. However document does not give any particular reason why government should be worrying about this. In fact the state should adopt GPL for software that it develops or getting developed for it. This will ensure that, software developed for the government will be free in perpetuity and protect freedom of every citizen. A useful set of guidelines for selecting a free software license is available here http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-recommendations.html. _______________________________________________ network mailing list [email protected] http://lists.fosscom.in/listinfo.cgi/network-fosscom.in
