Linux-Announce Digest #269, Volume #4 Thu, 26 Dec 2002 16:13:07 EST
Contents: NEWS-INDIA: More on the GoI... Microsoft 'shared source' debate (Frederick Noronha) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Frederick Noronha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: NEWS-INDIA: More on the GoI... Microsoft 'shared source' debate Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2002 14:23:47 CST Thanks to Sunil Abraham for posting this, via the BytesForAll mailing list. FN ========== Forwarded message ========== Proprietary, open source can co-exist, says IT secy SUDHA NAGARAJ http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?artid=32398544 TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2002 04:27:50 AM ] NEW DELHI: The Department of IT on Wednesday made it clear that there was a place for both proprietary and open source software in its larger scheme to provide the country with a robust IT infrastructure. Amidst persistent reports that the government is pushing for open source software in the form of a Linux India initiative that includes a policy shift, IT secretary Rajeeva Ratna Shah, on Wednesday clarified that the IT Department has never been vendor-specific, product-specific or genre-specific in its approach. "The final decision will rest with the consumer and it is market and competitive forces that will decide which gets priority," he said. According to him, the government is interested in keeping abreast of global trends in technology usage and he had therefore called a meeting of industry to study the potential for open source software. While there was no specific agenda finalised, the interaction revealed that open source software may prove to be more cost-effective in research and development initiatives aimed at bridging the digital divide, he told ET. Since affordability is a criterion in this country, if internet penetration is increased, it would be possible for poor consumers who cannot afford costly applications to download them from the Net -- and this was mainly built on open source software, he explained. "It would be wrong to say the government is excluding a particular proprietary system to boost another open source system. But it is true that we would be relying on both and in the process may help open source acquire the strength it lacks today." All other on-going projects for e-governance with Microsoft would continue as before he clarified. He also said that policy decisions were not taken based on meetings with the industry where each party forwards its own cause. Some years earlier there had been a controversy over the government mentioning brand names in a tender for computer hardware, and the matter was resolved after it was decided that the government should never mention names and take sides. As for Microsoft opening up its source code for government use, he had earlier told this correspondent that the government had not been informed of any such offer, but was aware that the company had done it in some other countries. Open-source group wary of Microsoft's code-sharing http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/printedition?catkey=18162893 TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2002 07:43:54 AM ] BANGALORE: Proponents of Open Source software movement are viewing Microsoft's move to share source code with Indian Government with scepticism. Not surprisingly, their unanimous view is that the Indian government should not be a part of the Microsoft's shared code initiative as it comes with a whole lot of do's and don'ts. Source codes are program instructions in their original form. Access to source code allows software to be modified. Market news has it that Microsoft plans to unveil its Shared Source Initiative in India soon. Company officials were however non-committal on this issue. A senior executive at Microsoft India said that over the last few years the Shared Source Initiative has been rolled out in 32 countries, where the source code has been shared with specific academic institutions, original equipment makers, governments, system integrators and developers. In line with this approach, Microsoft is assessing key markets like India where this initiative would be best suited. "We at present, have no definite plans for rolling out the Shared Source Initiative in the Indian market," the executive said.Members of the Linux user group in India said the threat of open source moment has forced Microsoft to start its shared source initiative, which does not change the way the company does business. Those who become a part of the program merely get a year's license to look at the code. They cannot modify or redistribute it. Users of open source software can modify the source code, resell the version, and are free from the expensive software licensing cost. Atul Chitnis, managing director, Exocore Consulting, said the government should seek legal advice to understand the implications of exposing itself to Microsoft's shared source license. "The shared source license has exactly the opposite intent of OpenSource licenses. It legally restricts the licensee's options instead of enforcing freedom," he said. Officials at Microsoft India argue that the initiative is a balanced approach, which makes source code broadly available while preserving the intellectual property rights that have sustained innovation and growth throughout the software industry over the past quarter-century. This initiative, they said, is aimed at fostering technical innovation and introducing value to businesses. Prakash Advani, senior vice president, Netcore Solutions said the shared source code programme by Microsoft is a trap in disguise and may end up forcing the government not to extend support to the open source movement and encourage adoption of Linux. Besides benefiting from huge sums of money that has to be forked on software license for basic operating system, going the Linux way will help the government get huge amounts of software for various applications for free. Encouraged by the government's support, many users of proprietary pirated software will switch over to Linux and its variants, Mr Advani said. Linux users said that to bridge the digital divide, backing free software movement is vital for the Indian Government as it will help proliferate the development of numerous applications that users can adopt. It will also help large number of small independent software developers create low cost software and see rapid spread of computerisation. ########################################################################## # Send submissions for comp.os.linux.announce to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember a short description of the software and the LOCATION. # # This group is archived at http://stump.algebra.com/~cola/ # ########################################################################## ------------------------------ ** FOR YOUR REFERENCE ** The service address, to which questions about the list itself and requests to be added to or deleted from it should be directed, is: Internet: [EMAIL PROTECTED] You can submit announcements to be moderated via: Internet: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Linux may be obtained via one of these FTP sites: ftp.funet.fi pub/Linux tsx-11.mit.edu pub/linux sunsite.unc.edu pub/Linux End of Linux-Announce Digest ****************************** _______________________________________ EDSAMAIL. 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