Open Source debate (from South Asia)

Hello OSSers,
This item from the bytesforall goes along similar lines to our discussions.
The two points below are I think quite critical. With all deverence to our
GoV colleagues on this list, the main players in this exercise must be the
wider community, particularly the academics who we expect to put aside their
Windows manuals and teach Open Source opeating systems. This has nothing to
do the Government and everything to do with how academics drive the agenda
for change themselves. And not just academics per se, but the activits in our
community (some of whom are on this list) who are prapared to put themselves
into the fight.

The second point we have discussed before, the need for dependable OS software
that people can use without fear. Then the distribution will be no problem
since the local CD burning business community would be happy to flog OSS for
a dollar or so and everyone would be happy.

In any case, this may be worth reading for comparison. Vern

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Subject: [bytesforall_readers] Open Source debate
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 18:41:56 +0530
From: "vgupta" <vgupta@iimahd.ernet.in>
Reply-To: bytesforall_readers@yahoogroups.com
To: <bytesforall_readers@yahoogroups.com>

I think discussion on Open Source Vs Gates 'Microsoft' create more mails then innovative ways for bridging digital divide. I think we
need to pin the discussion to a topic which is dear to all of us, that is "Given our limited resources how best to digitally empower
the poor.. and seeing that the development benfits of this new world reach to them and are able to help them..in a cost effective
manner".

The choice of Operating systems, platforms for implementing this is though crucial but should be based on overall
costs/benefits/strategic concerns. A constructive debate can arise if one tries to understand why open-source/ free software has not
been adopted by all but one government across the country, despite it being a lower cost option. By just being critical of bill gates,
his monopoly and astounding gross margins( 86% on windows software),one cannot promote open source.

The use and choice of platforms is run by network effects of such software. Piracy in India helps the microsoft in not only creating
such network effect benefits in domestic market but also helps it to lower the cost of developing and supporting microsoft software
worldwide. Students get used to using microsoft softwares without paying and thus create a much better availability of such skills in
the infotech labor market. So in fact poor implementation of our own copyright laws helping bill gates, albeit indirectly.

I believe learning curve is the most crucial aspect when you want to deploy technology for masses. It is important to note that
the free source so far fails in this aspect. It is difficult to use and require expertise. I shall ask a simple question, Is the
ordinary user employed in government department more comfortable in using linux or microsoft? Do we do have the same availability of
Linux talent in small cities as we have for microsoft. Let us understand that finding an expert developer in Linux in a remote tehsil
(taluka) is going to be a task which will be very difficult if not impossible to achieve.

Before adopting free source we should understand its implications on various parameters of project succeses in short and long run. I
think answering these key questions is must before we start advocating free source. Will the Open SOurce will positively
impact project development and implementation time? Will it enhance use by users? What will be the overall cost of the project? What
percentage of costs are costs of OS in the project? I think a further discussion on the topic can constructively build the list and
collect various viewpoints on the topics. We could list the discussion on a website and add points to it for future reference and
preparing a case for Open Source.

What needs to be done to overcome some of the low scores of free source as pointed above.

1. My first point is that free source and open source should promote themselves in the user community and not just try to influence
the policy makers and the developer community with big words. Free and Open source as it stands today is an activist movement. It
requires activism to take a shape of grassroot movement where the free source training reaches masses. Till that time Linux is
fine as
a server alternative in big cities but not as desktop windows alternative.

2. Another crucial question is alignment and availabilty of forces promoting free and open source. How many dependable champions of
free source are available with sufficient time and energy to promote this in country. How many successful prototypes have been
developed using free/open source by such champions and demonstrated to the user community.

If free source were to succeed it needs to be promoted by a dependable, visible group probably neutral academicans and few developers.
Internet based help ( manily located outside india) is fine but free source require credible (technological) support and demonstration
of use in real people available in the country. This can be achieved by let us say implementing Land administration software in free
source by free source enthusiasts. The software should be accompnied with tools to faciltate easy migration from proprietary softwares
to free source. By creating one such example free source movement will receive a great help than current unorganized attempts.

I would suggest that instead of just being critical microsoft, free source enthusiasts need to create positive, demostrative examples
for taking it to masses. It will be really nice if enthusiasts can point to attempts of this kind which are already in place.

regards,

Vivek

*********************************************************
Vivek Gupta
Infosys Research Fellow
Doctoral Candidate, Fellow Programme In Management
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
INDIA 380015
Tel: 91 79 6327903 Fax 91 79 6306896

Section Editor ISWORLD India Page- http://stdwww.iimahd.ernet.in/~vgupta
India Management Research Page- http://stdwww.iimahd.ernet.in/~vgupta/conf
*********************************************************

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