--- Vaibhav Arya vaibhav@vsnl.com wrote:
Can you explain what you mean by "saint v/s sinner"
That paying for software means depriving the less privilged from aquiring skills (digital divide) That closed source of neccessity enslaves people to an unneccessary dependence. And that the teaching profession is the one that needs to address these issues more than anybody. The current "private tutions" syndrome (wherein teachers pressurize parents) immediately triggers a defensive attitude.
and "TOC issues". I'm
Total Ownership Cost. (Maintainece, upgrades, viruses etc.)
Recently the government of Maharashtra floated a tender for purchase of 200 copies of windows XP for their computer in education program. I think it was for the Vidharbha region.
The opensource community does not have the capability to introduce specifications like these into tenders. Or for that matter file a PIL against such ridiculous tenders.
Occasionally you will find me ranting against opensource distro companies. While they seem to have plenty of time and money to screw up the distro (instead of using Debian) none of them have the faintest clue on tendering and specs processes within the government. I have yet to see a tender floated stating supply of x copies of Linux. Again there is a major commercial issue here. After ABCLinux INC. manages to have the government publish a tender for Linux how would they get the order? Myhombrew & Co. can supply the tenderer a distro at Rs.150/-. The direction in which the Infotech industry has moved will cause it to be utterly destroyed by opensource. But that is another story.
jtdesouza@yahoo.com
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