[Fsf-india] Fwd: IKM and their product

[CK Raju]

I have sent this message to "The Hindu" but am not sure whether it would ever 
see light of the day.

----------  Forwarded Message  ----------

Subject: IKM and their product
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 02:01:50 +0530
From: CK Raju <ckraju@zyberway.com>
To: letters@thehindu.co.in

Sir,
Having gone through the article dated 14 Apr 02 regarding Information Kerala
Mission and their achievement, one is not clear on the reason to applaud.

Your news item does not reflect on the cost overhead incurred by the group in
developing the software package. It also doesn't reflect anything on the
total cost the local bodies would need to pay, to implement the project, and
is silent on the recurring cost overheads for renewal of software licenses.

Mere description of features would not suffice in software projects, unless
these issues are also brought to light, especially those relating to the
underlying software technology involved.  You would appreciate that such
issues are extremely important, more so, because public funds are involved
and making these issues transparent would be more better than highlighting
that such a package would 'help eliminate errors in pension disbursal and
similar false claims made through local bodies' or that such solutions are
'better for developing nations'. Projects for Government would need more
deeper study to avoid situations leading to 'vendor lock-in' and 'outflow of
foreign reserves'. Let not the technology cost the Government (and the
tax-payer) more than the 'pilferage' mentioned at the local level.

Examining the achievements against the backdrop of availability of 'Free
Software' variants of GNU/Linux (Mandrake, RedHat or SuSE etc) and
applications over them, would thoroughly expose the drawback of the such
claims when weighed on e-governance models. Wouldn't it be better if software
professionals at premier educational institutes (the IITs)  evaluate the
project and give their verdict, awaiting which, we can hold our palms back.

CK Raju
Thrissur.

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