[Fsf-friends] Indian Linux users cant see constitution in Hindi

[Ramanraj K]

   Sandip Bhattacharya wrote:

 >Did you know that you can only see the official online version of the
 >constitution of India in our national language - Hindi, if you use
 >Internet Explorer? That is right. Take a look at the following link.
 >
 >http://indiacode.nic.in/coiweb/welcome.html
 >
 >I have been hunting down other GoI offenders and listing them at
 >http://www.lug-delhi.org/HallOfShame/Websites
 >
 >Now dont go ahead and moan about difficulties of showing Indian
 >languages on the web.The PTI hindi website
 >(http://www.ptinews.com/bhasha/ptisite.nsf) shows that a standard based
 >alternative already exists.
 >
 >We need more help from every body concerned to list the GoI and private
 >financial institution offenders who discriminate against users of
 >alternative and Free Operating systems from accessing information from
 >our very own government!
 >
Basically, NIC < http://home.nic.in/ > has been involved with
computerisation in our country, for a long time, since 1950's.  Please
visit http://home.nic.in/aboutus/history.htm  The GOI sites, and many
state gov sites are maintained by NIC. It is almost pointless to nitpick
GOI sites when NIC has been using proprietary software for a long time
when it was the only viable option available.  Please visit
http://home.nic.in/opa/opa.htm and go through the
http://home.nic.in/opa/topics.htm Looks like many of the gov offices are
run with proprietary software.  But all that would change, and the most
visible indication of that change is http://osf.nic.in/

No doubt, there could be no discrimination against free software users.
But, if we take into consideration the long history of using non-free
software when that was the only workable option available, it is harsh
to have a "Hall of Shame" and expect changes over night.  The better way
to fame is to send plain and simple suggestions pointing out what
exactly needs to be done.  http://osf.nic.in specifically asks for
suggestions.     Have you thought of inviting the admin of osf.nic.in to
your lug meets?  Let us please devise practical ways to assist them in
bringing about changes quickly.

 >After all what is the point of evangelising Linux/BSD or whatever as an
 >alternative to newbies if they see that every other web site in India
 >openly discriminate against them?
 >
It may not be fair to accuse NIC of wanton discrimination, at this
stage, when evengelising itself is not yet on a scale and size that is
really befitting the growth and maturity of free software.  Increasing
awareness about free software is necessary along with other changes
simultaneously.  Though the advantages in using free software is fairly
obvious, and it is difficult to come to terms with having to
"evangelise" free software,  if is unfortunately needed, and we need to
keep doing it until all software is free software.

Regards,
Ramanraj.