[FSF India] Shouldn't we give a try, now that there is a space thrown open ?

[Khuzaima A. Lakdawala]

Dear Shri Raju,

> Friends,
> Recently the Minister for Local Administration in Kerala has gone public 
> saying that deploying software developed on patent free open source platforms 
> is his dream. This happened on 02 Nov 2001 at Thiruvananthapuram.
> 
> I have succeeded in contacting his Personal Secretary, who directed me to a 
> young software engineer working as Addl Private Secretary to the Minister. 
> The information is confirmed and they are ready to give clearance (Clearance 
> for such work had been denied by the earlier ministry on grounds of 
> duplication of effort). Probably the last ministry couldn't be convinced 
> enough of the merits of using free software, before it took the decision in 
> favour of supporting Microsoft products.
> 
> That is something all of us can cheer about.
> 
> Information Kerala Mission, started by the LDF ministry are well ahead in 
> their plans with Microsoft products based solutions. They have already 
> started installations at a couple of Grama Panchayats.
> 
> Funds are likely to be available for this venture on open source, even if it 
> challenges products developed by IKM. 

Has the IKM entered into some kind of an agreement with Microsoft
(non-disclosure or some such other evil) or are they doing their work
using off-the-shelf Microsoft products? In case of the latter, it
would be better to petition the Government to merge your project with
the IKM's work, whereby you can get access to their existing stream of
funds and also to their human resources which you have pointed out are
well ahead and probably have all the relevant systems analysis work
already in place. Besides leveraging their existing expertise, you
and your team can then gradually nudge the entire mission towards free
software from within! This would definitely be a better alternative to
starting a parallel free software project competing for Government
funds and I am sure such a proposal would find favour with the
Government too. Since we have a sympathetic Local Administration
minister and also an IT Secretary knowledgeable about free software
(she was, after all, present at FSF-I's inauguration), this seems like
a very good opportunity for free software to gain a strategic foothold
in the Government's IT programmes.

Regards,
Khuzaima

> 
> As a part of the exercise, I had enquired about availability of financial 
> application packages developed for Linux boxes. GnuCash and Sql-ledger were 
> some packages, but I would like to know whether someone had seen or developed 
> applications on MySQL/PHP (on thin clients, to reduce h/w cost overheads and 
> allow scope for thin devices). GnuCash doesn't use a backend and Sql-Ledger 
> uses PostgreSQL.I would also like to know whether someone would contribute 
> efforts towards this exercise if I go ahead with the initial design and 
> develop a prototype. (I sure am against reinventing wheel)
> 
> The exercise would not be limited to financial package as it would need to 
> step into areas of citizen services to be utilised by the local bodies. 
> Initial design could be made available provided there are volunteers to build 
> and develop the work. (To convince the panchayat functionaries, I had gone 
> ahead and developed one application package wherein the training process at 
> KILA, a training institute for functionaries of local bodies, can be 
> effectively monitored. The work is now being used for the training process 
> here, and the elected representatives as well as officials are now convinced 
> that things do work better on a Linux network. 
> Interoperability aspect is also demonstrated to them by allowing Win NT 
> server access to Linux application. Just info, not boasting.)
> 
> It would be great if at least on an experimental basis, at least one grama 
> panchayat is computerised on Free Software. 
> 
> I am even ready to release an advertisement should the need arise, but if 
> some NGOs have links with developers maybe they could help in a much more 
> significant manner.
> 
> 
> Regards, 
> CK Raju, 
> Asso Prof (IT),
> Kerala Institute of Local Administration,
> Thrissur,
> Kerala.
> Tele : 00 91 487 210312 (PP)
> 
> (PS : I am determined to go ahead and develop it, but for me and for that 
> Addl PS, speed in delivery is of utmost importance. I hope that blessings of 
> every individual of this group is with me. Let us follow the Brazilian way.)
> 
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> 
> 

-- 
Khuzaima A. Lakdawala