Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Use local software

Sir, — Budget after budget seems to be stressing on adoption of Information Technology for saving the economy from the present debacle.

The Kerala budget also seems overwhelmed by the income from software exports but strangely enough is mum about the import overheads by way of procurement of software licenses. There is no mention about the money spent for buying proprietary licenses of operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, and database management systems, such as Oracle or MS SQL Server, by training institutes, educational institutions, commercial establishments and government departments.

Aren't these figures important for the Government so that when confronted with the need for increasing income, it can either think of increasing software exports or ways of reducing procurement of (imported) software licenses?

Is the Government aware of indigenous software licenses that may not cost even a penny and offer high-quality software products? Have the solutions offered by Richard Stallman, who was here recently as a State Guest, been forgotten so soon?

Will the Government officials take time off to read what the European Union thinks on the issue (http://eu.conecta.it/paper.pdf)?

C.K. Raju,
Thrissur, Kerala

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Opinion

News: | Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Rule of law must prevail
• Significant merger
• Understanding Gujarat
• The U.S.' Operation Anaconda
• Verdict justified
• Valuing properties
• Savings hit
• Worthy suggestion
• Use local software
• `Appeal for sanity'
• Eliminate corruption

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu