[Fsf-friends] Learning to *use* free software

[Sriharsha Vedurmudi]

That was a very specific and excellant analysis of the current Indian Scenario. As Sandip was saying, mere representation will not do the 
needful. A company should compete with M$I, put up a system (with similar configuration or maybe less - to say the solution costs less) and 
show/demonstrate that the software installed in their box is equally/more effective/powerful in achieving the goal.
I believe the following is needed:

1. The Company Stands for the complete life cycle of the project (right from tender phase to a reasonable contract period) which includes 
installation, training, maintenance and upgrades. (All these ofcourse at a price, which may be equally competetive with M$I as they might 
reduce it if they sense competetion).

2. The company should prove (by demonstration from an expert) that FS-based software actually performs better/equally than M$ product in the 
same category.

3. Offer the entire package at lower/equal price than M$.


Coming to the hurdle in implementing the above:
M$ can afford to spend a few million Rupees for publicity, personal presents and may also offer high incentives initially to penetrate into 
the market and supress its competetors. So, which business man / small company can afford to compete with it?





Sandip Bhattacharya wrote:
> On Thu, 2004-11-25 at 19:47 +0530, Ramanraj K wrote:
> 
>>have to take what is being served on a plate and eat it.  The advocacy
>>these days is more on merely *using* free software, that is much, much
>>easier than  *developing* free software.  A government  that cares for
>>the welfare of its people  would never ignore free software.  Probably
> 
> 
> [...]
> 
> 
>>I am  sure mere  representations to  the Govt. of  WB should  bring in
>>desired changes, and PIL or other  action would only come last of all,
>>if necessary at all.
> 
> 
> Unfortunately, while there is considerable merit in reason why we need
> to use Free software, mere representations might not suffice.
> 
> M$ is not merely selling software, it is selling solutions i.e. software
> which serve a purpose. Some of their selling tactics could be a
> reasonable demonstration of how their software helped solve the given
> problem in the tender. And most importantly, how this software can be
> installed, used to solved the given problem and supported by either them
> (very unlikely) or their dealers.
> 
> In our case,  representation might not be enough. A demonstration could
> be better, but again that doesn't help much. *Having* an organization
> come up and say that "we will install, solve the problem and give you
> support", is the answer.
> 
> After all, using Free Software is like the ultra-sensitive issue of
> caste-based reservation. There is an important social objective behind a
> policy of using Free Software. But unless the software actually goes
> ahead and solves the problem (and not merely trumpet that it can change
> the world and/or do anything), it will only hinder progress - in this
> case, egovernance.
> 
> The babus might not articulate this question explicitly - but their
> nagging doubts will always be "Ok. This is great software - technically
> and socially. But are you going to come and install it for us? Are you
> going to train our staff?Are you going to come and help us when we are
> stuck? Oh? Try Linux vendors, you say? Why dont they come up and apply
> in the tendering process then?". And we are back to the same problem.
> Guess who works best in the selling/pitching/marketing games in
> government tenders?
> 
> My point is - We need to encourage industry participation in the
> evangelising process. Presentations should be made by not only LUG
> people (who can articulate that Free software be given serious thought
> and preference), but also actual industry people who will negotiate
> contracts with the government. Regardless of how much you loath the
> commercial world, you might actually have to help them come up with
> convincing arguments/presentations to get the job done.
> 
> I believe any Linux evangelising is deficient unless it addresses three
> points at the same time:
> 
> 1. Advocacy - Technical and most importantly, philosophical reasons to 
>    use Free software. 
> 
>    Reason: Without advocacy people use Free software for the wrong 
>    reasons (e.g. cost), and will move on when these reasons do not hold 
>    (e.g. [hypothetical] M$ coming up with a Windows version which cost 
>    Rs. 0, and charges Rs. 3000/year for updates.).
> 
> 2. Industry support - People who can actually go ahead and help 
>    government and the rest of the industry use the software, working on 
>    a purely service model, of course, for a fee. 
> 
>   Reason: You cant force everybody to be a geek. They need to get their 
>   work done. Regardless of how much they feel for the cause.
> 
> 3. Interoperability - Be vigilant, take action and ensure that users of 
>    Free software are not discriminated. Scream at companies and 
>    governments which incorporate proprietary software, technology and 
>    data into their policies and processes. e.g. forms/applications in 
>    Word format, IE only websites, windows only hardware, windows only 
>    software etc.
> 
>    Reason: You cant make people give up everything and use Free 
>    software, and then shrug/rant when essential resources cannot be 
>    accessed. Keep making the world a better place while inviting  
>    people to it. :)
> 
> You miss out any one of the above, and you are only going to ensure that
> people desert the field in a very short time, most of the time vowing
> never to come back.
> 
> - Sandip
> 

-- 
  *****************************
  * Sriharsha Vedurmudi			
  * Software Engineer		
  *
  * Redpine Signals Inc.	
  * Gate #395, Plot 87,88			
  * Sagar Society, Road #2,
  * Banjara Hills,		
  * Hyderabad - 500 034			
  * www.redpinesignals.com	
  *							
  * +91-40-23559911  (Office)
  * +91-9849133133   (Mobile)
  *****************************