PSUs in Kerala have failed the people and the Govt in so far as their role of protecting them from the exploitation by the monopoly capital, especially with respect to the use of Information Technology and Swathanthra Software are concerned, which could have been one of the area of operation of PSUs in IT sector with which they could also be revived ending their dependence on budgetary support from the Govt.
Here, in Kerala, we have a peculiar situation.
LDF Govt is politically tuned for Swathanthra Software.
> it@school is doing a wonderful work.
> Higher Education sector is lagging far behind in adopting Swathanthra Software.
> Public Sector IT service providers who were declared Total Solution Providers for
the GoK, like Keltron, CDiT and the mission mode organisation IKM refuse to migrate
to Swathanthra Software.
> Those in authority to decide upon the selection of software solutions are still not
convinced of the capabilities and need for Swathanthra Software.
> They are asking us for Models using Swathanthra Software and HR proficient in Swathanthra
Software.
> Govt is in need of Swathanthra Software Solutions. Govt has got resources. They are spending heavily, dolling out to corporates through tender conditions always favourable to corporates.
> They cannot be blamed for this if we take the case of a normal project which could be monitored and evaluated by the community like a civil construction and the like.
> Here, this being software that can be copied and used, the drain on public money is exhorbitant. It could be avoided by developing in house capability. If not, local capability. If not, state level capability. If not, empowering the existing PSUs or establishing new ones specific for this. In fact IKM was one such meant to address these new task. But it so happened that IKM was handed over to the same experts who were against Swathanthra Software.
> Technical consultants available in the state, in PSUs like Keltron, CDiT, NIC, CDAC etc are all arguing for Proprietary Software. They are not prepared to change. They adhere to what they learnt in the past.
> A specific case can be cited. Kerala Water Authority is going for e-governance. Around 35 Crores is the total layout. MD, bulk of officers and staff argue for Swathanthra Software Data Base, PostgreSQL. One finance member imported from AG's office and the chairman insist of "ORACLE". This Accounts member had experience on "ORACLE". He is from All India Cadre. Having very good clout. There is a DATA BASE ADMINISTRATOR working on the existing systems, one expert on DATA BASE posted from NIC. The proponents of "ORACLE" gets a report from the DBA in favour of KWA going for "ORACLE". What is to be done with this NIC Expert, the Finance Member and the Chairman ? This is how the system works for the corporates, Capital and imperialism. We are squarely facing them. So far the doubt was over the capability and user friendliness of Gnu/Linux. Now no body can dispute it. But now data base is the point of contention. ORACLE is bribing the officialdom. Their agents have approached the leaders of the union of KWA employees with offers !. It is clear why KWA accounts member and chairman are favouring Oracle. This is going to be a case for Vigilance and anti-corruption Bureau (VACB) of the State or even CBI.
> A second example, still more interesting. Trivandrum Corporation opted for a metro city planning package which was being used at Coimbatore in Tamilnadu. The package was donated by a software firm located at Pune, we are told. But when this package is used, the building plans submitted by the people (through the licensed Architects, Engineers and Draftsmen) are to be provided on AUTOCAD 3D format. If the 15000 and odd lincensees in Kerala have to shift to AUTOCAD with 3D facility each of them have to doll out a considerable amount. License fee per utility is 1,30,000. If a licensee with 3 desktops in its office (One for drawing personnel, another for checking and a third for the manager) each has to pay an amount of 1,30,000X3 = Rs. 3,90,000. Number of multi-HR firms are around 7500 in kerala. Total cost comes to 3,90,000x7500 = Rs. 292.50 Crores. Either the remaining single HR concerns go out of service or else they have to spend atleast 1,30,000 each which comes to a total of 1,30,000X7500 = Rs.97.5 Crores. Total comes to Rs. 390 Crores. Should we allow this ?
Just imagine the amount Coimbatore Corporation has dolled out to AUTOCAD for a free package. Now AutoCAD suppliers are offering a commission of 30% for every piece of software purchased by the lincesed building plan providers to the functionaries of LENSFED, an organisation of the concerned licensees.
> Govt is dolling out money to Keltron for its sustenance by way of grant and writing off loans by converting it into equity and the like. Why not Keltron empower itself with SS. We had approached the Keltron management and employees way back 2000 through the then Industries Minister Com. Suseela Gopalan who asked the then Industries Secretary Mohandas to examine our porposal. He in turn summoned the Keltron MD, Sri. Ajayakumar, who himself was an IAS officer and introduced us. We were asked to come and discuss at Keltron. We were introduced to one DGM by name Jayakumar or so. Incidentally, he is no more there. He riducled us on our proposal to start using Free Software. He reported back to MD that our proposal is ridiculous. He in turn expressed his inability. For having proposed the use of Free Software, our comrade K V Anilkumar was summarily dismissed from Keltron without notice or opportunity to defence in the name of applying for an extension of one week's leave for a project he was to complete as part of "Peoples Plan Campaign". He was dismissed on 20-05-2000. As the entire bureoucracts lined up in Keltron against Sri. Anilkumar, even the minister couldnot help. We had to wage a 6 year long legal battle in the High court of Kerala. Anil was ordered to be reinstated in Keltron by striking down Rule 31 of Keltron Conduct and discipline rules. Court observed that Anil is eligible for back wages, but not ordering it as Keltron is in financial crisis. Anil didnot claim it as he was getting his living (poverty) from the OSS ICS Ltd and Kannur University etc during the period. Can we expect Keltron to empower itself atleast now ? Their answer is still no model and no HR ?
> Who is to create models ? Who is to develop HR ?
> Is it to be done with corporate funding by NGOs ? Or is it to be done by the establishments themselves.
> Kerala Swathanthra Software movement is taking up this challenge. DAKF is launching community projects that will prove the capability of Gnu/Linux and PostgreSQL. But no institution having resources are prepared to sponsor the project.
> I propose a tax of 10 percent over all the Govt Spending on IT projects during the last 10 years to be granted to the SS industries, ofcourse other than Keltron and CDIT as they cannot be expected to utilise it for the purpose due to their track record in the past. The amount shall be given to organisations like SPACE, OSS ICS Ltd, ATPS, ITFlux, INAPP, XYWARE, Focus Infotech, Femtotech, ZestyBEANS etc who provide service on Swathanthra Software platforms in the state of Kerala.
> It is mere nonsense on the part of those in authority to ask for models and HR after 12 years of launching of Gnu/Linux projects in Kerala.
> There are atleast 9 co-operative societies working on Gnu/Linux and PostgreSQL for the last 10 years without a days crash, continuously servicing the members.
> There is the Cash Counter management Package working on Gnu/Linux and PostgreSQL (LAN Package) in CTO Kochi handling multi-lakh monthly records of Telephone bill data of both Land Line and Mobile without any crash of the system even for a moment.
> There is the web based Asset Management System working on Gnu/Linux and PostgreSQL in SSA head quarters of BSNL ernakulam handling multi-lakh asset data used by around 500 users (JTOs, SDEs, DEs, DGMs) for their accounting and bill processing including printing of on an average 250 cheques per day for payment.
> There is the FOCUS Automobile (Formerly Benz Automobiles) all India inventory data base with PostgreSQL.
> There is the web based ERP package (locally developed by OSS ICS Ltd) working, managed maintained by internal team of Prajasakthi Sahithi Samstha a publishing house in Andhra Pradesh working on Gnu/Linux and PostgreSQL
> There is the Budgeting & Expenditure Management software with Financial Consolidation in PHP & mySQL at NPOL, Kochi; a Central Government Organisation.
> There is the Enterprise Project Collaboration ERP at KITCO, a Semi-Governmental Organisation: Technologies are PHP & PostGres
This issue is discussed not to argue against Public Sector. But to strengthen it. Peoples movements, co-operatives are also to be considered part of Public Sector.
In short, our PSUs have failed us in fighting the corporates as they are bureaucratically managed. Local community has thrown up the alternatives. They deserve a better deal. They are not the ultimate answer. The PSUs are to be empowered. But for that itself, the community intervention is a must for the time being.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
വാട്ടര് അതോറിറ്റി സ്ഥാപന ശാക്തീകരണ പരിപാടിക്കു് സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയര് ഉപയോഗിക്കണമെന്ന തൊഴിലാളികളുടെ ആവശ്യം അംഗീകരിക്കണം.
കേരള വാട്ടര് അതോറിറ്റി സ്ഥാപന ശാക്തീകരണത്തിന്റെ പേരില് മൈക്രോസോഫ്റ്റു്, ഒറാക്കിള്, സാപ് (SAP) തുടങ്ങിയ ബഹുരാഷ്ട്ര സോഫ്റ്റു്വെയര് കുത്തകകളുടെ പ്രൊപ്രൈറ്റി സേവന സംവിധാനം ഏര്പ്പെടുത്താനുള്ള നീക്കം നടക്കുന്നതായി അറിയുന്നു. സംവിധാനത്തിന്റെ പ്രവര്ത്തന രീതികളൊഴിച്ചു് മൂല കോഡുകളും (Source code) സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യയും വിവരങ്ങളുമൊന്നും വാട്ടര് അതോറിറ്റിക്കു് അവര് ഫലത്തില് കൈമാറില്ല. സ്ഥിരമായി ബഹുരാഷ്ട്ര സോഫ്റ്റു്വെയര് ഭീമന്മാരോടു് ആശ്രിതത്വം സൃഷ്ടിക്കപ്പെടുകയും നിലനിര്ത്തപ്പെടുകയും വാട്ടര് അതോറിറ്റിയുടെ വിഭവം ചോര്ത്തപ്പെടുകയുമാണു് ഉണ്ടാകാന് പോകുന്നതു്. 35 കോടിയോളം രൂപ ആദ്യ ചെലവും 22% വാര്ഷിക മെയിന്റനന്സു് സേവനച്ചെലവുമാണു് ഈ പദ്ധതിക്കു് വിഭാവനം ചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്നതു്. ഭാവിയില് നിര്ബന്ധമായും അടിച്ചേല്പ്പിക്കപ്പെടാന് പോകുന്ന വേര്ഷന് പുതുക്കലിനും മറ്റും ആവശ്യമായി വരുന്ന ചെലവു് വേറെ വേണ്ടി വരും. ഡാറ്റാ സുരക്ഷയ്ക്ക് വേണ്ടിയുള്ള പ്രത്യേക സോഫ്റ്റു് വെയറുകളും നെറ്റു് വര്ക്കു് സുരക്ഷയ്ക്കാവശ്യമായ പ്രത്യേക സംവിധാനങ്ങളും കമ്പ്യൂട്ടര് ഉപകരണങ്ങളുടെ ചെലവും ഭാവിയില് വര്ദ്ധിപ്പിക്കും.
കേരളത്തില് തന്നെ ലഭ്യമായ സാങ്കേതിക കഴിവും സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റുവെയറും ഉപയോഗിക്കാന് തയ്യാറായാല് ബഹുരാഷ്ട്ര കുത്തകകളിലുള്ള സ്ഥായിയായ ആശ്രിതത്വം ഒഴിവാക്കാം. വാട്ടര് അതോറിറ്റി ഒഫീസര്മാരുടേയും ജീവനക്കാരുടേയും ഒരു സംഘം സേവനം നല്കുന്നവരോടൊപ്പം ആദ്യം മുതല് തന്നെ പ്രവര്ത്തിച്ചു് തുടങ്ങിയാല് ആദ്യ സേവന കരാര് കാലം തീരുമ്പോഴേയ്ക്കും പൂര്ണ്ണമായ നടത്തിപ്പിനും സാധാരണ ഗതിയിലുള്ള മാറ്റങ്ങള്ക്കും മെച്ചപ്പെടുത്തലിനും വികസനത്തിനുമുള്ള സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യ സ്വാംശീകരിക്കാന് കഴിയും. സഹകരണ സംഘമടക്കം പ്രാദേശിക സേവന ദാതാക്കളാകട്ടെ അത്തരം സംയുക്ത പ്രോജക്ടിനും അതിലൂടെയുള്ള സാങ്കേതിക കൈമാറ്റത്തിനും തയ്യാറാണു് താനും. സ്ഥാപന ശാക്തീകരണത്തോടൊപ്പം നിലവിലുള്ള മുഴുവന് ജീവനക്കാരുടേയും ശാക്തീകരണവും എളുപ്പത്തില് നടക്കുന്നു. സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റു് വെയര് പ്ളാറ്റു്ഫോമുകള് ലൈസന്സില്ലാതെയും മൂലകോഡുകളോടു് കൂടിയും ലഭ്യമാകുന്നതിനാല് മുഴുവന് കാര്യങ്ങളും പഠിക്കാനും സ്ഥിരമായ ആശ്രിതത്വം ഒഴിവാക്കാനും സ്വശ്രയത്വം കൈവരിക്കാനും കഴിയും. ആവര്ത്തിച്ചുള്ള ലൈസന്സു് ഫീ ആവശ്യമില്ല. നെറ്റു്വര്ക്കു് സുരക്ഷയും വിവര സുരക്ഷയും സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റു്വെയറിന്റെ സ്വാഭാവിക സാങ്കേതിക മികവിന്റെ ഭാഗമെന്നതു് പോലെ തന്നെ പ്രാദേശിക സേവന ദാതാക്കള്ക്കു് പ്രത്യേക സംവിധാനങ്ങളൊരുക്കാന് കഴിയുന്നതുമാണു്. ഭാവിയില് പ്രത്യേക ചെലവു് വേണ്ടിവരുന്നില്ല. കമ്പ്യൂട്ടര് ഉപകരണങ്ങളുടെ ചെലവും ഗണ്യമായി കുറയും. ചുരുക്കത്തില് ഇന്നു് വേണ്ടിവരുമെന്നു് കണക്കാക്കപ്പെട്ടിട്ടുള്ള 35 കോടി രൂപയുടെ പകുതിയിലും താഴെ മാത്രം തുക കൊണ്ടു് ഒറാക്കിളോ സാപ്പോ അവരുടെ നിലവിലുള്ള മുന്കൂട്ടി തയ്യാറാക്കപ്പെട്ട പാക്കേജു് വഴി ലഭ്യമാകുന്നതിനേക്കാള് കൂടുതലും (പൈപ്പു് ലൈനുകളുടെ കിടപ്പു് ഓണ്ലൈന് കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യാന് കഴിയുന്ന ഭൂതല വിവര സംവിധാനമടക്കം) മെച്ചപ്പെട്ടതുമായ സേവനം സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റു്വെയറുപയോഗിച്ചു് പ്രാദേശിക സേവന ദാതാക്കള്ക്കു് നല്കാന് കഴിയും. സ്വാഭാവികമായും വാര്ഷിക മെയിന്റനന്സു് ചെലവും പകുതിയിലും താഴെയായി കുറയും.
വാട്ടര് അതോറിറ്റി ജീവനക്കാരുടെ സംഘടനകള് സ്ഥാപന ശാക്തീകരണ പരിപാടിയോടു് ക്രിയാത്മകമയി പ്രതികരിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളതു് സ്ഥാപനത്തിന്റെ ശരിയായ താല്പര്യം മുന് നിര്ത്തി മാനേജു്മെന്റു് പ്രവര്ത്തിക്കും എന്ന ധാരണയോടെയാണു്. അതിന്നാധാരമായി അവര് കണ്ടിരുന്നതു് ഇടതു്പക്ഷ ജനാധിപത്യ മുന്നണി സര്ക്കാരിന്റെ പ്രഖ്യാപിത ഐറ്റി നയവും അതില് സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റു്വെയറിനു് നല്കിയിരുന്ന പ്രത്യേക പരിഗണനയുമാണു്. അതിനെയെല്ലാം കാറ്റില് പറത്തി ബഹുരാഷ്ട്ര കുത്തക സോഫ്റ്റു്വെയര് കമ്പനികളെ സഹായിക്കുകയും പ്രാദേശിക ശാക്തീകരണവും വാട്ടര് അതോറിറ്റി ജീവനക്കാരുടെ ശാക്തീകരണവും അസാധ്യമാക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്ന നടപടികളുമായി വാട്ടര് അതോറിറ്റി അധികാരികള് മുന്നോട്ടു് പോകുന്നതു് തടയണമെന്നു് കേരള സര്ക്കാരിനോടും ഐറ്റി വകുപ്പധികാരികളോടും ജലവിഭവ വകുപ്പു് മന്ത്രിയോടും അഭ്യര്ത്ഥിക്കുന്നു.
ജോസഫു് തോമസു്
കേരളത്തില് തന്നെ ലഭ്യമായ സാങ്കേതിക കഴിവും സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റുവെയറും ഉപയോഗിക്കാന് തയ്യാറായാല് ബഹുരാഷ്ട്ര കുത്തകകളിലുള്ള സ്ഥായിയായ ആശ്രിതത്വം ഒഴിവാക്കാം. വാട്ടര് അതോറിറ്റി ഒഫീസര്മാരുടേയും ജീവനക്കാരുടേയും ഒരു സംഘം സേവനം നല്കുന്നവരോടൊപ്പം ആദ്യം മുതല് തന്നെ പ്രവര്ത്തിച്ചു് തുടങ്ങിയാല് ആദ്യ സേവന കരാര് കാലം തീരുമ്പോഴേയ്ക്കും പൂര്ണ്ണമായ നടത്തിപ്പിനും സാധാരണ ഗതിയിലുള്ള മാറ്റങ്ങള്ക്കും മെച്ചപ്പെടുത്തലിനും വികസനത്തിനുമുള്ള സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യ സ്വാംശീകരിക്കാന് കഴിയും. സഹകരണ സംഘമടക്കം പ്രാദേശിക സേവന ദാതാക്കളാകട്ടെ അത്തരം സംയുക്ത പ്രോജക്ടിനും അതിലൂടെയുള്ള സാങ്കേതിക കൈമാറ്റത്തിനും തയ്യാറാണു് താനും. സ്ഥാപന ശാക്തീകരണത്തോടൊപ്പം നിലവിലുള്ള മുഴുവന് ജീവനക്കാരുടേയും ശാക്തീകരണവും എളുപ്പത്തില് നടക്കുന്നു. സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റു് വെയര് പ്ളാറ്റു്ഫോമുകള് ലൈസന്സില്ലാതെയും മൂലകോഡുകളോടു് കൂടിയും ലഭ്യമാകുന്നതിനാല് മുഴുവന് കാര്യങ്ങളും പഠിക്കാനും സ്ഥിരമായ ആശ്രിതത്വം ഒഴിവാക്കാനും സ്വശ്രയത്വം കൈവരിക്കാനും കഴിയും. ആവര്ത്തിച്ചുള്ള ലൈസന്സു് ഫീ ആവശ്യമില്ല. നെറ്റു്വര്ക്കു് സുരക്ഷയും വിവര സുരക്ഷയും സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റു്വെയറിന്റെ സ്വാഭാവിക സാങ്കേതിക മികവിന്റെ ഭാഗമെന്നതു് പോലെ തന്നെ പ്രാദേശിക സേവന ദാതാക്കള്ക്കു് പ്രത്യേക സംവിധാനങ്ങളൊരുക്കാന് കഴിയുന്നതുമാണു്. ഭാവിയില് പ്രത്യേക ചെലവു് വേണ്ടിവരുന്നില്ല. കമ്പ്യൂട്ടര് ഉപകരണങ്ങളുടെ ചെലവും ഗണ്യമായി കുറയും. ചുരുക്കത്തില് ഇന്നു് വേണ്ടിവരുമെന്നു് കണക്കാക്കപ്പെട്ടിട്ടുള്ള 35 കോടി രൂപയുടെ പകുതിയിലും താഴെ മാത്രം തുക കൊണ്ടു് ഒറാക്കിളോ സാപ്പോ അവരുടെ നിലവിലുള്ള മുന്കൂട്ടി തയ്യാറാക്കപ്പെട്ട പാക്കേജു് വഴി ലഭ്യമാകുന്നതിനേക്കാള് കൂടുതലും (പൈപ്പു് ലൈനുകളുടെ കിടപ്പു് ഓണ്ലൈന് കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യാന് കഴിയുന്ന ഭൂതല വിവര സംവിധാനമടക്കം) മെച്ചപ്പെട്ടതുമായ സേവനം സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റു്വെയറുപയോഗിച്ചു് പ്രാദേശിക സേവന ദാതാക്കള്ക്കു് നല്കാന് കഴിയും. സ്വാഭാവികമായും വാര്ഷിക മെയിന്റനന്സു് ചെലവും പകുതിയിലും താഴെയായി കുറയും.
വാട്ടര് അതോറിറ്റി ജീവനക്കാരുടെ സംഘടനകള് സ്ഥാപന ശാക്തീകരണ പരിപാടിയോടു് ക്രിയാത്മകമയി പ്രതികരിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളതു് സ്ഥാപനത്തിന്റെ ശരിയായ താല്പര്യം മുന് നിര്ത്തി മാനേജു്മെന്റു് പ്രവര്ത്തിക്കും എന്ന ധാരണയോടെയാണു്. അതിന്നാധാരമായി അവര് കണ്ടിരുന്നതു് ഇടതു്പക്ഷ ജനാധിപത്യ മുന്നണി സര്ക്കാരിന്റെ പ്രഖ്യാപിത ഐറ്റി നയവും അതില് സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റു്വെയറിനു് നല്കിയിരുന്ന പ്രത്യേക പരിഗണനയുമാണു്. അതിനെയെല്ലാം കാറ്റില് പറത്തി ബഹുരാഷ്ട്ര കുത്തക സോഫ്റ്റു്വെയര് കമ്പനികളെ സഹായിക്കുകയും പ്രാദേശിക ശാക്തീകരണവും വാട്ടര് അതോറിറ്റി ജീവനക്കാരുടെ ശാക്തീകരണവും അസാധ്യമാക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്ന നടപടികളുമായി വാട്ടര് അതോറിറ്റി അധികാരികള് മുന്നോട്ടു് പോകുന്നതു് തടയണമെന്നു് കേരള സര്ക്കാരിനോടും ഐറ്റി വകുപ്പധികാരികളോടും ജലവിഭവ വകുപ്പു് മന്ത്രിയോടും അഭ്യര്ത്ഥിക്കുന്നു.
ജോസഫു് തോമസു്
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Memorandum submitted to the Hon. Minister for Water Resources, Govt of Kerala on behalf of Democratic Alliance for Knowledge Freedom and Free Software Movement of India.
Respected Sir,
Sub : Use of Swathanthra Software for institution stregnthening program in Kerala Water Authority as part of JICA and e-governance projects thereon – reg.
The e-governance project proposals in KWA are part of the JICA package. JICA doesnot prescribe any condition as to the selection of software platforms or packages. What they are concerned with is Institutional Strengthening of Kerala Water Authority to make its operations viable. An IT master plan was drawn up in 2005. It was prepared with the technical support of M/s Tokyo Engineering Consultants Consortium (TECC), the consultants of JICA project. The IT Master plan prescribes a number of packages for various areas all of them on Oracle as the Data base. The IT master plan happened to be so, prescribing Oracle as RDBMS, due to the technical awareness prevailing in the year 2005. Development of different packages were entrusted to different software vendors like NIC, IBS, TCS, CMC etc. They are at various stages of development or implementation. The most advanced among them are ABACUS, the billing and revenue package and CRS, the complaint redressal system. They are implemented in Trivandrum City and is awaiting roll out to the entire state. Networking is about to start. Some of the proposed solutions are yet to start development.
The issue at present is regarding the choice of Relational Data Base Management System (RDBMS). Of late 'Database comparison report for KWA' was prepared by TECC, consultants for JICA. In this report they have given a clear recommendation to go in for Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). They have calculated the total cost of ownership (TCO) for 5 years for the two options. The result is TOC for Oracle is $23,72,400 and that of My SQL is $53,590. Contrary to the finding KWA Board has taken a decision to purchase Oracle Enterprise edition for its database. It is understood that the cost of Oracle Enterprise edition can be anywhere from Rs. 3 crores to Rs. 9 crores. There will, also, be annual licenece fee, which will be around 22% of the cost. This will impose heavy financial burden on KWA, both as initial investment as also recurring cost. Use of 'Oracle', being a proprietary software, is against the IT policy of Government of Kerala, which stresses the use of FOSS wherever possible. In the case of KWA, all its database requirements can be met with RDBMS like postgreSQL or MySQL that are distributed under GPL. RDBMS, whether it is Oracle, MS-SQL, My-SQL or PostgreSQL, are all conforming to SQL standard and data can be ported across them using SQL. Oracle and MS-SQL are proprietary and are to be paid license fee based on number of users. In case of My-SQL and PostgreSQL, they are available under General Public Licence ensuring freedom to use it in any number of installations, copy it for any purpose, learn the architecture and source code, modify and develop to meet any user requirement that may be felt necessary and transfer to others free or for a price, ie. sharing or doing business using it.
The decision to go in for proprietary software has been taken without proper evaluation of ground realities. The KWA authorities are swayed by the high profile marketing strategy of Software Corporates. There is a government order making it mandatory for any department or PSU to obtain the approval of IT mission / IT Department before implementing e-governance plan. The e-governance plan of KWA had been formulated without consulting even the IT mission or IT Department. Even now, this program is going on without any consultations with them. In absence of supply of source code and technology transfer, KWA will not be able to empower itself with the new technology leading to perennial vendor dependancy. KWA will incur huge financial liability due to the decision to go in for proprietary software, especially Oracle.
The database of the already implemented two software packages on a pilot basis in Thiruvananthapuram and are going to be rolled out to the state is Oracle 10G Standard edition. It is pointed out that Oracle database is already used for them and it is only logical to upgrade to Oracle Enterprise edition. Oracle Enterprise is totally different from Oracle 10G. For the roll out phase the cost of Oracle Enterprise Edition based on number of users will be prohibitive. KWA has already spent around 67 lakhs for purchasing different software platforms and tools which could altogether be avoided in case Swathanthra Software was used. Already around 87 lakhs were spent for development of various application packages using proprietary platforms and tools.
Recently a decision has been taken to purchase MS Windows for about 50% of the systems instead of LINUX. Earlier a decision had been taken to utilize LINUX in all the computers. The decision to purchase Windows operating system is also against the government policy. As operating system Gnu/Linux is far superior to Windows in all respects, cost, security and stability. Windows is infected with virus when used on network while Gnu/Linux is not at all affected by virus problem. In case of Windows, the vendor designed security alone is possible while in case of Gnu/Linux KWA can get its own security system implemented, even with the use of security algorithm specific to various software components.
It is learnt, of late, that there is a move to hand over the whole e-governance project of KWA to a private company called ‘Sarfinity’ on a swiss challenge basis. In swiss challenge method, the company makes a proposal for the e-governance project of KWA and KWA tenders the work based on their proposal. Once the tenders are opened, the company will get a chance to quote for the work. Clearly, this is against the principles of transparency and rules on public tendering process. Moreover, it is against developing local expertise in Information Technology solutions within the state, both in public sector and small and medium sector, which is the widest employment generating area as far as the state is concerned.
Despite all the expenditure already incurred, using Swathanthra Software will be the cheaper and better option. Despite the additional cost of replicating the interfaces, migration at this stage will be cheaper. Major cost among various project components relates to implementation. This is same for both proprietary as well as swathanthra software. The second major component happens to be software platform licences in case of proprietary software. As for Swathanthra Software no expenditure need be incurred for this. Additional cost of replicating interfaces is offset against this expenditure avoided when Swathanthra Software is used. Data already generated can be easily migrated to postgreSQL. SRS and designs already prepared for the packages that are developed could be used for developing interfaces using Swathanthra Software Tools. But this option, which is far less expensive, is not being explored by the management.
The KWA management may be favouring 'Oracle' with the idea of having integrated solutions as against the fragmented or stand alone networks for various applications like billing, accounting, customer management, employee management etc. Solution based on Swathanthra Software developed locally will also be integrated one, if it is designed so. If ready built packages are required, they too are there in Swathanthra Software resources. OpenERP, OpenBravo, ERP5 etc are there. Cost incurred for both models will be almost same for the first installation. Then for subsequent installations the cost will come down. But that will not be case with License fee for proprietary solutions. They levy monopoly rent for the products and continue to maintain dependancy for ever.
Information Technology having application in all areas of life, self empowerment by the society as a whole is important for its sustainable development free of intervention from vested interests. Free Software is a tool for self development and local development. It provides the necessary environment for technology assimiliation by allowing freedom to use, learn, modify, copy, share and even to do business.
If KWA management is worried about service support for Data Base, they can keep assured that Local expertise is available for PostgreSQL more than Oracle. In case of PostgreSQL, it is freely available and hence open to study and development and hence local expertise is developing. While, in case of Oracle only resellers and agents are having even user level expertise which is only peripheral and not indepth. International support for PostgreSQL and MySQL is available through the network of world class IT professionals developing Swathanthra Software. Paid consultancy and service support are also available for PostgreSQL and MySQL from Multi-National IT firms, if that is what is required. Still, it will be cost effective than the per user licence system of proprietary RDBMS, Oracle.
Under the circumstances, it is requested that your good offices may be utilised to see that the interest of the state, the people, the institution and the PSUs and local small and medium industry is safe guarded through the use of Swathanthra Software and local expertise that benefit all the stake holders through all round empowerment of all the concerned, the state government, the institution, the workers and the people. The nature of intervention requested are :
> To keep the decision of KWA Board to purchase Oracle enterprise licence in abeyance to have a practical comparison by actual use of the proprietary and Swathanthra Software. This will not prolong the over all project period as this practical comparison can be completed before completion of networking after which roll out is to take place.
> To order a fair comparison of the proposed Oracle and other proprietary software with Swathanthra Software and PostgreSQL by actual use. ABACUS with proprietary software Oracle is in use in Trivandrum city. The same billing and revenue package with Swathanthra software and PostgreSQL be got developed and implemented in another area and compared. The additional expenditure will only be a fraction of the license fee required for Oracle if the present package as such is rolled out which is saved with the use of Swathanthra Software.
> To ensure the use of Swathanthra Software in all the Institutional Strengthening Programs of Kerala Water Authority, including e-governance and resouce management systems, once the Swathanthra Software platforms, tools and package developed as above is tested and proved. Integrated information technology system to meet the JICA criteria is very well possible with a comprehensive approach and design though implementated in modules/stages.
> To ensure joint development team, consisting of in house team constituted for the purpose and IT vendors within the state (PSUs like SPACE, Keltron, CDiT, NIC, etc and Small and Medium Enterprises of co-operative and private) to facilitate inhouse IT empowerment, institutional strengthening, technology assimilation by KWA and local employment and IT industrial base.
> To have a project cycle consisting of (1) Comprehensive System Design and integration by a joint team of Swathanthra Software Professionals and inhouse team for the entire program and (2) Component/Module level prototype development strictly according to the above comprehensive system design by joint teams of local vendors and in house team and then (3) roll out of the same through the in house team with consultancy and service support from the successful joint developers for all other modules under the guidance of the above team responsible for system design and integration.
Successful models of effective and fruitful technology transfer using Swathanthra Software through participatory approach of joint development beneficial to the government departments and PSUs are available for case study.
The project being the first of its kind under the Govt of Kerala and DAKF & FSMI being voluntary organisations pledged to promote the use of Free Software, hereby offer our voluntary services for providing consultancy to KWA IT projects to have a comprehensive system design and integration.
Hope this issue will receive your kind immediate attention, despite your busy schedule in solving the problems faced by the people of Kerala.
Yours Sincerely
sd/-
Joseph Thomas
President FSMI & Convenor DAKF
E.mail : thomas@fsmi.in, Mobile : 9447738369
Trivandrum,
03-07-2010.
Encl : License Agreements of Oracle & GPL'd Softwares for comparison of the conditions.
Sub : Use of Swathanthra Software for institution stregnthening program in Kerala Water Authority as part of JICA and e-governance projects thereon – reg.
The e-governance project proposals in KWA are part of the JICA package. JICA doesnot prescribe any condition as to the selection of software platforms or packages. What they are concerned with is Institutional Strengthening of Kerala Water Authority to make its operations viable. An IT master plan was drawn up in 2005. It was prepared with the technical support of M/s Tokyo Engineering Consultants Consortium (TECC), the consultants of JICA project. The IT Master plan prescribes a number of packages for various areas all of them on Oracle as the Data base. The IT master plan happened to be so, prescribing Oracle as RDBMS, due to the technical awareness prevailing in the year 2005. Development of different packages were entrusted to different software vendors like NIC, IBS, TCS, CMC etc. They are at various stages of development or implementation. The most advanced among them are ABACUS, the billing and revenue package and CRS, the complaint redressal system. They are implemented in Trivandrum City and is awaiting roll out to the entire state. Networking is about to start. Some of the proposed solutions are yet to start development.
The issue at present is regarding the choice of Relational Data Base Management System (RDBMS). Of late 'Database comparison report for KWA' was prepared by TECC, consultants for JICA. In this report they have given a clear recommendation to go in for Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). They have calculated the total cost of ownership (TCO) for 5 years for the two options. The result is TOC for Oracle is $23,72,400 and that of My SQL is $53,590. Contrary to the finding KWA Board has taken a decision to purchase Oracle Enterprise edition for its database. It is understood that the cost of Oracle Enterprise edition can be anywhere from Rs. 3 crores to Rs. 9 crores. There will, also, be annual licenece fee, which will be around 22% of the cost. This will impose heavy financial burden on KWA, both as initial investment as also recurring cost. Use of 'Oracle', being a proprietary software, is against the IT policy of Government of Kerala, which stresses the use of FOSS wherever possible. In the case of KWA, all its database requirements can be met with RDBMS like postgreSQL or MySQL that are distributed under GPL. RDBMS, whether it is Oracle, MS-SQL, My-SQL or PostgreSQL, are all conforming to SQL standard and data can be ported across them using SQL. Oracle and MS-SQL are proprietary and are to be paid license fee based on number of users. In case of My-SQL and PostgreSQL, they are available under General Public Licence ensuring freedom to use it in any number of installations, copy it for any purpose, learn the architecture and source code, modify and develop to meet any user requirement that may be felt necessary and transfer to others free or for a price, ie. sharing or doing business using it.
The decision to go in for proprietary software has been taken without proper evaluation of ground realities. The KWA authorities are swayed by the high profile marketing strategy of Software Corporates. There is a government order making it mandatory for any department or PSU to obtain the approval of IT mission / IT Department before implementing e-governance plan. The e-governance plan of KWA had been formulated without consulting even the IT mission or IT Department. Even now, this program is going on without any consultations with them. In absence of supply of source code and technology transfer, KWA will not be able to empower itself with the new technology leading to perennial vendor dependancy. KWA will incur huge financial liability due to the decision to go in for proprietary software, especially Oracle.
The database of the already implemented two software packages on a pilot basis in Thiruvananthapuram and are going to be rolled out to the state is Oracle 10G Standard edition. It is pointed out that Oracle database is already used for them and it is only logical to upgrade to Oracle Enterprise edition. Oracle Enterprise is totally different from Oracle 10G. For the roll out phase the cost of Oracle Enterprise Edition based on number of users will be prohibitive. KWA has already spent around 67 lakhs for purchasing different software platforms and tools which could altogether be avoided in case Swathanthra Software was used. Already around 87 lakhs were spent for development of various application packages using proprietary platforms and tools.
Recently a decision has been taken to purchase MS Windows for about 50% of the systems instead of LINUX. Earlier a decision had been taken to utilize LINUX in all the computers. The decision to purchase Windows operating system is also against the government policy. As operating system Gnu/Linux is far superior to Windows in all respects, cost, security and stability. Windows is infected with virus when used on network while Gnu/Linux is not at all affected by virus problem. In case of Windows, the vendor designed security alone is possible while in case of Gnu/Linux KWA can get its own security system implemented, even with the use of security algorithm specific to various software components.
It is learnt, of late, that there is a move to hand over the whole e-governance project of KWA to a private company called ‘Sarfinity’ on a swiss challenge basis. In swiss challenge method, the company makes a proposal for the e-governance project of KWA and KWA tenders the work based on their proposal. Once the tenders are opened, the company will get a chance to quote for the work. Clearly, this is against the principles of transparency and rules on public tendering process. Moreover, it is against developing local expertise in Information Technology solutions within the state, both in public sector and small and medium sector, which is the widest employment generating area as far as the state is concerned.
Despite all the expenditure already incurred, using Swathanthra Software will be the cheaper and better option. Despite the additional cost of replicating the interfaces, migration at this stage will be cheaper. Major cost among various project components relates to implementation. This is same for both proprietary as well as swathanthra software. The second major component happens to be software platform licences in case of proprietary software. As for Swathanthra Software no expenditure need be incurred for this. Additional cost of replicating interfaces is offset against this expenditure avoided when Swathanthra Software is used. Data already generated can be easily migrated to postgreSQL. SRS and designs already prepared for the packages that are developed could be used for developing interfaces using Swathanthra Software Tools. But this option, which is far less expensive, is not being explored by the management.
The KWA management may be favouring 'Oracle' with the idea of having integrated solutions as against the fragmented or stand alone networks for various applications like billing, accounting, customer management, employee management etc. Solution based on Swathanthra Software developed locally will also be integrated one, if it is designed so. If ready built packages are required, they too are there in Swathanthra Software resources. OpenERP, OpenBravo, ERP5 etc are there. Cost incurred for both models will be almost same for the first installation. Then for subsequent installations the cost will come down. But that will not be case with License fee for proprietary solutions. They levy monopoly rent for the products and continue to maintain dependancy for ever.
Information Technology having application in all areas of life, self empowerment by the society as a whole is important for its sustainable development free of intervention from vested interests. Free Software is a tool for self development and local development. It provides the necessary environment for technology assimiliation by allowing freedom to use, learn, modify, copy, share and even to do business.
If KWA management is worried about service support for Data Base, they can keep assured that Local expertise is available for PostgreSQL more than Oracle. In case of PostgreSQL, it is freely available and hence open to study and development and hence local expertise is developing. While, in case of Oracle only resellers and agents are having even user level expertise which is only peripheral and not indepth. International support for PostgreSQL and MySQL is available through the network of world class IT professionals developing Swathanthra Software. Paid consultancy and service support are also available for PostgreSQL and MySQL from Multi-National IT firms, if that is what is required. Still, it will be cost effective than the per user licence system of proprietary RDBMS, Oracle.
Under the circumstances, it is requested that your good offices may be utilised to see that the interest of the state, the people, the institution and the PSUs and local small and medium industry is safe guarded through the use of Swathanthra Software and local expertise that benefit all the stake holders through all round empowerment of all the concerned, the state government, the institution, the workers and the people. The nature of intervention requested are :
> To keep the decision of KWA Board to purchase Oracle enterprise licence in abeyance to have a practical comparison by actual use of the proprietary and Swathanthra Software. This will not prolong the over all project period as this practical comparison can be completed before completion of networking after which roll out is to take place.
> To order a fair comparison of the proposed Oracle and other proprietary software with Swathanthra Software and PostgreSQL by actual use. ABACUS with proprietary software Oracle is in use in Trivandrum city. The same billing and revenue package with Swathanthra software and PostgreSQL be got developed and implemented in another area and compared. The additional expenditure will only be a fraction of the license fee required for Oracle if the present package as such is rolled out which is saved with the use of Swathanthra Software.
> To ensure the use of Swathanthra Software in all the Institutional Strengthening Programs of Kerala Water Authority, including e-governance and resouce management systems, once the Swathanthra Software platforms, tools and package developed as above is tested and proved. Integrated information technology system to meet the JICA criteria is very well possible with a comprehensive approach and design though implementated in modules/stages.
> To ensure joint development team, consisting of in house team constituted for the purpose and IT vendors within the state (PSUs like SPACE, Keltron, CDiT, NIC, etc and Small and Medium Enterprises of co-operative and private) to facilitate inhouse IT empowerment, institutional strengthening, technology assimilation by KWA and local employment and IT industrial base.
> To have a project cycle consisting of (1) Comprehensive System Design and integration by a joint team of Swathanthra Software Professionals and inhouse team for the entire program and (2) Component/Module level prototype development strictly according to the above comprehensive system design by joint teams of local vendors and in house team and then (3) roll out of the same through the in house team with consultancy and service support from the successful joint developers for all other modules under the guidance of the above team responsible for system design and integration.
Successful models of effective and fruitful technology transfer using Swathanthra Software through participatory approach of joint development beneficial to the government departments and PSUs are available for case study.
The project being the first of its kind under the Govt of Kerala and DAKF & FSMI being voluntary organisations pledged to promote the use of Free Software, hereby offer our voluntary services for providing consultancy to KWA IT projects to have a comprehensive system design and integration.
Hope this issue will receive your kind immediate attention, despite your busy schedule in solving the problems faced by the people of Kerala.
Yours Sincerely
sd/-
Joseph Thomas
President FSMI & Convenor DAKF
E.mail : thomas@fsmi.in, Mobile : 9447738369
Trivandrum,
03-07-2010.
Encl : License Agreements of Oracle & GPL'd Softwares for comparison of the conditions.
Get ready for the next 'Great Crash'
(Courtesy :New York Times, Jun 30, 2010, 03.02pm IST)
The next Great Crash is coming. Guaranteed. Maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow. But, in all likelihood, sooner than we think.
How can I be so sure? Because the history of modern markets is a story of meltdowns. The stock market crashed in 1987, the bond market in 1994. Mexico tanked in 1994, East Asia in 1997. Long-Term Capital Management blew up in 1998, Russia that same year. Dot-coms dotbombed in 2000. In 2007 — well, you know the rest.
And that was just the last 20 years or so. The stagflation of the 1970s, the Depression of the 1930s, the panics in the 1900s ... and back and back and back it goes, all the way to the Dutch and their tulip bulbs.
In those giddy years before the Great Recession, it seemed as if we’d grown accustomed to the wild ride. Wall Street certainly had. Jamie Dimon , the chairman and chief executive of JPMorgan Chase likes to say when his daughter came home from school one day and asked what a financial crisis was, he told her: ”It’s the kind of thing that happens every 5-7 years.”
No one should be surprised, Dimon insists, that booms go bust. That’s the way markets work. Most Americans probably find that answer unsatisfying to put it politely. After all, millions have lost their homes, their jobs, their savings. Perhaps something is wrong if CEOs expect the markets to break down every half decade or so.
But now here comes the Dodd-Frank Act, which is supposed to ensure that we never repeat that 2008 finale of Wall Street Gone Wild. The bill, if signed into law, might help us avoid another sorry episode like that. But one thing it won’t do is prevent another crisis — if only because the next one probably won’t be like the last one.
So amid all the back-and-forth over this bill, keep in mind that one of the most important aspects of the act: It would give Washington policy makers a powerful tool to mitigate the next too-big-to-fail blow-up, however that blow-up manifests itself.
For the first time, Washington would have what is known as resolution authority, that is, the power to wind down a giant financial institution that runs into trouble.
If policymakers had had that power during the tumultuous autumn of 2008, they might have averted the catastrophic failure of Lehman Brothers. They might have placed the teetering American International Group into conservatorship. And they might have taken over Bank of America and Citigroup, and possibly even Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Senior management would have been tossed out.
“We will have a financial crisis again — it’s just a question of the frequency,” said the economist Kenneth Rogoff, who, with Carmen M Reinhart, wrote a terrific book titled ‘This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly’. The title says it all. We’ve been through this before and will go through it again.
While Dodd-Frank might avert another crisis in the short term, Rogoff says the legislation itself is less important than how regulators implement it — and keep on implementing it over the years. Before World War II, “banking crises were epidemic,” Rogoff said. Then things settled down because “regulation had become pretty draconian” and laws were actually enforced.
But memories fade. “Having a deep financial crisis is the best vaccination for another right away,” Rogoff said. Down the road, a lot will depend on the regulators. Ten or 15 years after a crisis, and sometimes a lot less, watchdogs start to doze. Political winds change. Regulators loosen up.
Many on Capitol Hill insist Dodd-Frank means the end of too big to fail, period. Many on Wall Street insist it means the end of American finance. Bankers and their lobbyists argue that American businesses and consumers will ultimately suffer, since all these rules will end up throttling the vital flow of credit through the economy.
Dodd-Frank, whatever its pros and cons, helps prepare us for the next Big One — whatever that might be.
The next Great Crash is coming. Guaranteed. Maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow. But, in all likelihood, sooner than we think.
How can I be so sure? Because the history of modern markets is a story of meltdowns. The stock market crashed in 1987, the bond market in 1994. Mexico tanked in 1994, East Asia in 1997. Long-Term Capital Management blew up in 1998, Russia that same year. Dot-coms dotbombed in 2000. In 2007 — well, you know the rest.
And that was just the last 20 years or so. The stagflation of the 1970s, the Depression of the 1930s, the panics in the 1900s ... and back and back and back it goes, all the way to the Dutch and their tulip bulbs.
In those giddy years before the Great Recession, it seemed as if we’d grown accustomed to the wild ride. Wall Street certainly had. Jamie Dimon , the chairman and chief executive of JPMorgan Chase likes to say when his daughter came home from school one day and asked what a financial crisis was, he told her: ”It’s the kind of thing that happens every 5-7 years.”
No one should be surprised, Dimon insists, that booms go bust. That’s the way markets work. Most Americans probably find that answer unsatisfying to put it politely. After all, millions have lost their homes, their jobs, their savings. Perhaps something is wrong if CEOs expect the markets to break down every half decade or so.
But now here comes the Dodd-Frank Act, which is supposed to ensure that we never repeat that 2008 finale of Wall Street Gone Wild. The bill, if signed into law, might help us avoid another sorry episode like that. But one thing it won’t do is prevent another crisis — if only because the next one probably won’t be like the last one.
So amid all the back-and-forth over this bill, keep in mind that one of the most important aspects of the act: It would give Washington policy makers a powerful tool to mitigate the next too-big-to-fail blow-up, however that blow-up manifests itself.
For the first time, Washington would have what is known as resolution authority, that is, the power to wind down a giant financial institution that runs into trouble.
If policymakers had had that power during the tumultuous autumn of 2008, they might have averted the catastrophic failure of Lehman Brothers. They might have placed the teetering American International Group into conservatorship. And they might have taken over Bank of America and Citigroup, and possibly even Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Senior management would have been tossed out.
“We will have a financial crisis again — it’s just a question of the frequency,” said the economist Kenneth Rogoff, who, with Carmen M Reinhart, wrote a terrific book titled ‘This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly’. The title says it all. We’ve been through this before and will go through it again.
While Dodd-Frank might avert another crisis in the short term, Rogoff says the legislation itself is less important than how regulators implement it — and keep on implementing it over the years. Before World War II, “banking crises were epidemic,” Rogoff said. Then things settled down because “regulation had become pretty draconian” and laws were actually enforced.
But memories fade. “Having a deep financial crisis is the best vaccination for another right away,” Rogoff said. Down the road, a lot will depend on the regulators. Ten or 15 years after a crisis, and sometimes a lot less, watchdogs start to doze. Political winds change. Regulators loosen up.
Many on Capitol Hill insist Dodd-Frank means the end of too big to fail, period. Many on Wall Street insist it means the end of American finance. Bankers and their lobbyists argue that American businesses and consumers will ultimately suffer, since all these rules will end up throttling the vital flow of credit through the economy.
Dodd-Frank, whatever its pros and cons, helps prepare us for the next Big One — whatever that might be.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യയും സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയറും - സ്വയം ശാക്തീകരണത്തിനും പ്രാദേശിക-ദേശീയ ശാക്തീകരണത്തിനും
വിവര സാങ്കേതിക രംഗത്തു് നടക്കുന്ന കുതിച്ചു് ചാട്ടം, അഭൂതപൂര്വ്വമാണു്. വിവര വിസ്ഫോടനം നടക്കുന്നു. വിവര വിടവു് വര്ദ്ധിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. സമ്പത്തുല്പ്പാദന-വിതരണ-വിപണന മേഖലകളുടെ പുനസംഘടനയ്ക്കു് വഴിയൊരുക്കുന്നു. എല്ലാ മേഖലകളേയും അതു് ഇളക്കി മറിക്കുന്നു. ഒരു മേഖലയേയും വെറുതേ വിടുന്നില്ല. തുടങ്ങിയ പ്രതികരണങ്ങള് അത്ഭുതാദരങ്ങളോടെയും ഭയാശങ്കകളോടെയും പല കോണുകളില് നിന്നും നാം കേള്ക്കുന്നു. കൃഷിമുതല് പൊതു ഭരണം വരേയും കലയും സാഹിത്യവും മുതല് വിവിധ ശാസ്ത്ര-സാങ്കേതിക മേഖലകള് വരേയുമുള്ള സര്വ്വ മേഖലകളിലും വിവരം കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യുന്നുണ്ടു്. അവിടെയെല്ലാം വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യയ്ക്കു് പ്രയോഗ സാധ്യതകളുണ്ടു്. അവയേയെല്ലാം അത് സ്വാധീനിക്കുന്നു. ആ മേഖലകളിലെ പ്രക്രിയകളെല്ലാം പുതിയ രീതിയില് നടത്താമെന്നു് വരുന്നു. വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വികാസം നിലവിലുള്ള സമൂഹ ഘടനയിന്മേല് നശീകരണാത്മകവും നവീകരണാത്മകവുമായ ഫലങ്ങള് ഉളവാക്കുന്നുണ്ടു്.
വിവര വിനിമയം സമൂഹത്തോടൊപ്പം
വ്യക്തികള് തമ്മിലുള്ള വിവര വിനിമയം സമൂഹത്തോടൊപ്പം പിറന്നു. അതിനൊപ്പം വളര്ന്നു് വികസിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നു. അടുത്തു് നിന്നവരുമായിപ്പോലും ഫലപ്രദമായി വിവര വിനിമയം ചെയ്യാന് കഴിയാതിരുന്ന ആദ്യ കാലത്തു് നിന്നു് ലോകത്തെവിടെയുമുള്ള ആരുമായും എത്ര വിവരവും സമയ-ദൂര പരിധികളില്ലാതെ കൈമാറാന് കഴിയുമാറായിരിക്കുന്നു. ഈ മഹാ പ്രയാണം ശബ്ദം, ചിത്രം, ലിപി എന്നീ മൂന്നു് പ്രധാന കൈവഴികളിലായി ഭാഷണം, ഉച്ചഭാഷണം, പാട്ടു്, സംഗീതം, അവയുടെ വിദൂര വിനിമയ രീതികള് (Telephony – Both ways, circuit switching, Radio – One way broadcast), ചിത്ര ലേഖനം, ഫോട്ടോഗ്രാഫി, അഭിനയം, ചലച്ചിത്രം, ചിഹ്നം, ലിപി, അക്ഷരം, അക്കം, അച്ചടി, വിദൂര വിവര വിനിമയം (Morse Telegraphy, Teleprinter, Telex, മെസ്സേജു് സ്വിച്ചിങ്ങ്), ഇവയില് പലതിന്റേയും സംയോജിത രൂപങ്ങളായ വിവിധ കലാരൂപങ്ങള്, സിനിമ, ടിവി, കമ്പ്യൂട്ടര് തുടങ്ങിയവയിലൂടെ കടന്നു് ഇന്നു് ഇവയുടെയെല്ലാം ഉല്ഗ്രഥിത രൂപമായ ആധുനിക ബഹു-മാധ്യമ വിവര വിനിമയ ശൃംഖലയിലെത്തി നില്ക്കുന്നു. മേല്പ്പറഞ്ഞവയോരോന്നും അതതു് കാലത്തു് സമൂഹ പുരോഗതിയെ നിര്ണ്ണായകമായി സ്വാധീനിച്ചിട്ടുള്ള വലിയ കുതിച്ചു ചാട്ടങ്ങളായിരുന്നു. ഉല്ഗ്രഥനം നടന്നതു് ശബ്ദ-ചിത്ര-ലിപി സംയോജനം സാദ്ധ്യമാക്കിയ ഡിജിറ്റല് വിവര ഘടനയിലൂടെയാണു്. ശബ്ദവും ചിത്രവും അക്ഷരവും അക്കവും ഡിജിറ്റല് ചിഹ്നങ്ങളായി പരിവര്ത്തിപ്പിച്ചു് കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യുന്നു. ഇതിന്റെ ഭാഷ ബൈനറിയാണു്. അതാകട്ടെ, ഒരേ സമയം ചിത്രലേഖന മാധ്യമവും സംഖ്യാ സംവിധാനവും ഭാഷയുമാണു്. ചിത്രവും ഭാഷയും കണക്കും തമ്മിലുള്ള അതിര്വരമ്പുകള് ഇല്ലാതായി. മൈക്രോപ്രോസസര് ഡിജിറ്റല് ചിഹ്നങ്ങളെ കമ്പ്യൂട്ടറിനുള്ളിലെ വിവിധ ഘടകങ്ങള് തമ്മിലും കമ്പ്യൂട്ടറുകള് (ഇതില് ടെലിഫോണും, മൊബൈല് ഫോണും അടക്കം മൈക്രോപ്രോസസറുകളുപയോഗിക്കുന്ന വിവിധങ്ങളായ ഉപകരണങ്ങളും പെടും) തമ്മിലും കൈമാറുന്നു. ഇതിലൂടെ വിവരങ്ങളുടെ വിനിമയവും വിശകലനവും വിവിധങ്ങളായ ഉപയോഗവും സാധിക്കുന്നു.
മേല്പറഞ്ഞവ വിവര വിനിമയ സംവിധാനങ്ങളുടെ കാര്യമാണു്. അവയുടെ വികാസം വിവരങ്ങള് കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യുന്ന ഭൌതികോപകരണങ്ങളുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ടും വിവരങ്ങളുമായി തന്നെ (ഉള്ളടക്കം) ബന്ധപ്പെട്ടും ഉണ്ടായ പുരോഗതിയുടെ ആകെത്തുകയാണു്.
ഉപകരണങ്ങളുടെ വികാസം (Hardware)
ഉപകരണങ്ങളുടെ (Hardware) രംഗത്തും സമാന്തരമായി മാറ്റങ്ങളുണ്ടായിട്ടുണ്ടു്. മെക്കാനിക്കല് (അച്ചടി, ടൈപ്പ്റൈറ്റിങ്ങ്, കാമറ), ഇലക്ട്രോ മെക്കാനിക്കല് (Morse Key, Sounder and circuit connecting them, Teleprinter, Electric typewriter, printer etc), ഇലക്ട്രോണിക് (Eletronic typewriter, Electronic Teleprinter etc), ഡിജിറ്റല് (ആധുനിക കമ്പ്യൂട്ടര്, ഡിജിറ്റല് കാമറ, മൊബൈല് ഫോണ്, തുടങ്ങി ആധുനിക ഡിജിറ്റല് ഉപകരണങ്ങളെല്ലാം) എന്നീ ഘട്ടങ്ങളിലൂടെ കടന്നു പോന്നിട്ടുണ്ടു്. ഇലക്ട്രോ മെക്കാനിക്കല് യുഗത്തില് ഇലക്ട്രോ മാഗ്നറ്റും ഇലക്ട്രോണിക് യുഗത്തില് സെമികണ്ടക്ടറും ഡിജിറ്റല് യുഗത്തില് ട്രാന്സിസ്റ്ററും ഉപയോഗിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. ഉപകരണങ്ങള്ക്കുള്ളില് ഇലക്ട്രിക്-ഇലക്ട്രോണിക് സര്ക്യൂട്ടുകള്ക്കായി കേബിളുകള്ക്കു് പകരം പ്രിന്റഡ് സര്ക്യൂട്ടുകളുപയോഗിച്ചു. ഇലക്ട്രോണിക്സിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാന ഘടകങ്ങളായ റസിസ്റ്റര്, ഡയോഡ്, ട്രാന്സിസ്റ്റര് തുടങ്ങിയവയും ഇലക്ട്രിക്കല് ഘടകങ്ങളായ ട്രാന്സ്ഫോര്മര്, ഇന്ഡക്ടന്സ്, കപ്പാസിറ്റര് തുടങ്ങിയവയും അവയെ പരസ്പരം ബന്ധിപ്പിക്കുന്ന കേബിളുകളും അടങ്ങുന്ന ഇന്റഗ്രേറ്റഡ് സര്ക്യൂട്ടുകള് സാധ്യമായി. തുടര്ന്നു് മൈക്രോപ്രോസസറുകളും രംഗത്തെത്തി. ഒരു ക്ലോക്കു് സിഗ്നലിനനുസരിച്ചു് വിവര ഖണ്ഡങ്ങളെ ഒരിടത്തു് നിന്നു് മറ്റൊരിടത്തേയ്ക്കു്, സ്രോതസില് നിന്നു് സംഭരണിയിലേയ്ക്കോ ഒരു സംഭരണിയില് നിന്നു് മറ്റൊന്നിലേയ്ക്കോ ലക്ഷ്യത്തിലേയ്ക്കോ, മാറ്റുക എന്നതു് മാത്രമാണു് മൈക്രോപ്രോസസറുകള് ചെയ്യുന്നതു്. വിവരം എടുക്കുകയും കൊടുക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുക എന്ന മൈക്രോപ്രോസസറുകളുടെ ഈ ലളിതമായ പ്രവര്ത്തനത്തെ നിര്ദ്ദേശങ്ങളിലൂടെ (സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയര്) സങ്കീര്ണ്ണമായ പ്രവര്ത്തനങ്ങള് നടത്താന് ഉപയോഗിക്കുകയാണു് ചെയ്യുന്നതു്. മൈക്രോപ്രോസസറുകളുടെ ഉള്ളിലുള്ള രജിസ്റ്ററില് ഒരക്കത്തെ വലത്തേയ്ക്കോ ഇടത്തേയ്ക്കോ മാറ്റുന്നതിലൂടെ കൂട്ടുകയോ കുറയ്ക്കുകയോ ചെയ്യുക എന്ന ഓപ്പറേഷന് നടക്കുന്നു. അവയുടെ ആവര്ത്തനത്തിലൂടെ ഗുണനവും ഹരണവും അടക്കമുള്ള എല്ലാ ക്രീയകളും സാധ്യമാകുന്നു.
വിവര ഘടകങ്ങളുടെ (Software) വികാസം
ഉള്ളടക്കമാകട്ടെ, വിവരം (Content), വിവിര വിനിമയ രീതികള് (Protocols), വിവര വിനിമയോപകരണങ്ങള് (Programs or Instruction sets) എന്നതെല്ലാം ചേര്ന്നതാണു്. ടെലിഗ്രാഫി ആദ്യം മോഴ്സ് കോഡുപയോഗിച്ചു. ആദ്യത്തെ സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയര്. അതു് യന്ത്രങ്ങളുപയോഗിച്ചു് ദൂരെയിരിക്കുന്ന മനുഷ്യര് തമ്മില് വിവരം കൈമാറിയ യന്ത്ര ഭാഷയായിരുന്നു. യന്ത്രങ്ങള്ക്കു് തമ്മില് വിവരം കൈമാറാന് ആ ഭാഷ ഉപയോഗിക്കാന് കഴിയുമായിരുന്നില്ല. കാരണം അതു് മനുഷ്യനു് മാത്രം വ്യവച്ഛേദിച്ചെടുക്കാന് കഴിയുന്നതായിരുന്നു. അതു് വ്യത്യസ്ഥ സമയ ദൈര്ഘ്യമുള്ള രണ്ടു് വിവര ഖണ്ഡങ്ങള് ചേര്ന്നതായിരുന്നു. അവയുടെ വ്യത്യസ്ത എണ്ണം വിവര ഖണ്ഡങ്ങളുപയോഗിച്ചായിരുന്നു അക്ഷരങ്ങളും അക്കങ്ങളും ചിഹ്നങ്ങളുമെല്ലാം സൃഷ്ടിച്ചതു്. യന്ത്രങ്ങള്ക്കു് ഏതെങ്കിലും ഒരു വ്യതിരിക്തത മാത്രമേ വ്യവച്ഛേദിച്ചെടുക്കാന് കഴിയൂ. അതിനാല് യന്ത്ര ഭാഷ വേറെ വേണ്ടി വന്നു. ടെലിപ്രിന്ററിനും കമ്പ്യൂട്ടറിനും പറ്റിയ ബൈനറി രൂപപ്പെട്ടു. കറണ്ടു് ഇണ്ടു്, കറണ്ടു് ഇല്ല. അല്ലെങ്കില് +ve, -ve എന്നീ വ്യതിരിക്താവസ്ഥകളുപയോഗിച്ചു. അവയെ 0, 1 എന്നിവ കൊണ്ടു് അഭിസംബോധന ചെയ്തു. ബൈനറി ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്ന ഒട്ടേറെ ഭാഷകള് വ്യത്യസ്ത ആവശ്യങ്ങള്ക്കായി രൂപപ്പെടുത്തപ്പെട്ടിട്ടുണ്ടു്. ടെലിപ്രിന്ററിനു് 5 സ്ഥാനങ്ങളുള്ള CCITT No II ഭാഷ ഉപയോഗിച്ചു. കമ്പ്യൂട്ടറിനു് 8 സ്ഥാനങ്ങളുള്ള ASCII ഉപയോഗിച്ചു. ഇന്നു് ലോക ഭാഷകളെയെല്ലാം ഉള്ക്കൊള്ളാനാവശ്യമായത്ര കോഡുകള് സാധ്യമാക്കുന്നതിനു് Unicode ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നു. മലയാളത്തിനും അതിലൊരു സ്ഥാനമുണ്ടു്. ഈ ഭാഷകളുപയോഗിച്ചു് യന്ത്രങ്ങളോടു് വിവര വിനിമയം നടത്തുന്നതിനു് ചില ക്രമീകരണങ്ങളും നിയമങ്ങളും ആവശ്യമാണു്. അവയെ പ്രോട്ടോകോള് എന്നു് പറയുന്നു. കത്തെഴുതുമ്പോള് കവറില് അയക്കുന്ന ആളുടേയും കിട്ടേണ്ട ആളുടേയും മേല്വിലാസം എവിടെ എഴുതണം എന്നതു് ക്രമീകരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നതു് പോലെ. യന്ത്രത്തിനു് വിവരവും നിര്ദ്ദേശവും ക്രമീകരണങ്ങളും പറഞ്ഞു് കൊടുക്കാന് ആദ്യകാലത്തു് 0 ങ്ങളും 1 കളും ആവര്ത്തിച്ചു് ടൈപ്പു് ചെയ്തു് കൊടുക്കുകയായിരുന്നു. സമയവും അദ്ധ്വാനവും ലഘൂകരിക്കാന് മറ്റു് കമ്പ്യൂട്ടര് ഭാഷകള് രൂപപ്പെടുത്തപ്പെട്ടു. അവയില് ടൈപ്പു് ചെയ്യുന്നതു് യന്ത്ര ഭാഷയിലേയ്ക്കു് പരിവര്ത്തിപ്പിച്ചു് കൊടുക്കാന് പ്രത്യേകം ഇന്റര്പ്രറ്ററുകളോ കമ്പയിലറുകളോ ഉപയോഗിച്ചു. ഇന്നു് മനുഷ്യഭാഷയും അക്കങ്ങളും ചിഹ്നങ്ങളും നേരിട്ടുപയോഗിക്കുന്നത്ര ആ ഭാഷകള് വികസിപ്പിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. ഇവയെല്ലാം ചേര്ന്ന വിവര പ്രപഞ്ചമാണു് സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയറിന്റേതു്.
വിവര വിനിമയ വേഗം
ക്ലോക്കിന്റെ വേഗം വര്ദ്ധിക്കുന്നതിനനുസരിച്ചു് ഡിജിറ്റല് വിവര ഖണ്ഡങ്ങളുടെ വലിപ്പം കുറയ്ക്കുകയും വിനിമയ വേഗം വര്ദ്ധിക്കുകയും സമയം കുറയ്ക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. വിവര വിനിമയത്തിലെ സമയ-ദൂര പരിമിതികള് ഇതിലൂടെ മറികടന്നിരിക്കുന്നു. ഡിജിറ്റല് വിവരങ്ങളുടെ ഇലക്ട്രോണിക് സംഭരണ സാധ്യത പേപ്പര് സംവിധാനങ്ങള് അറിവിനു് മേല് ചെലുത്തിയിരുന്ന ഉപഭോഗ പരിമിതികളും (പേപ്പറില് പരത്തിയെഴുതി സൂക്ഷിച്ച വിവരങ്ങള് എടുത്തുപയോഗിക്കുന്നതിനാവശ്യമായ വര്ദ്ധിച്ച അദ്ധ്വാനവും സമയവും) മറികടക്കാന് സഹായിച്ചു. എത്ര വിവരവും എത്ര നാളത്തേയ്ക്കും സൂക്ഷിച്ചു വെയ്ക്കാം. വിവരം അതിവേഗം എടുത്തുപയാഗിക്കാം. എത്ര വിവരവും പരസ്പരം കൂട്ടിയും കുറച്ചും ഗുണിച്ചും ഹരിച്ചും താരതമ്യം ചെയ്തും വിശകലനം ചെയ്യാം. അതിലൂടെ പഴയ വിവരങ്ങള് നഷ്ടപ്പെടുത്താതെ പുതിയ വിവരങ്ങള് സൃഷ്ടിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. ഇതാണു് ഇന്നു് നടക്കുന്ന വിവര വിസ്ഫോടനത്തിന്റെ നാള്വഴി.
പൊതു ഉടമസ്ഥതയില് നിന്നു് സ്വകാര്യ ഉടമസ്ഥതയിലേയ്ക്കു്
ഈ ഘട്ടം വരെ സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയറുകള്ക്കു് സ്വകാര്യ ഉടമസ്ഥത ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല. ഈ ഘട്ടത്തില് കമ്പ്യൂട്ടറുകളുടെ വിവിധ ഘടകങ്ങളെ കൂട്ടിയോജിപ്പിച്ചു് പ്രവര്ത്തിപ്പിക്കുന്നതിനുപയോഗിച്ച ഡിസ്ക് ഓപ്പറേറ്റിങ്ങ് സിസ്റ്റം (DOS) വിലയ്ക്കു് വാങ്ങി മൈക്രോസോഫ്റ്റും കത്തെഴുതാനും കണക്കു് കൂട്ടാനും മറ്റും പ്രത്യേകോപയോഗങ്ങള്ക്കുള്ള പാക്കേജുകളുണ്ടാക്കി മറ്റു് പലരും പകര്പ്പവകാശം സ്ഥാപിച്ചു് ലൈസന്സ് ഫീ ഈടാക്കിത്തുടങ്ങി. ഇതിനൊരു ന്യായീകരണവുമില്ലെന്നു് കണ്ടു്, അന്നേ വരെ സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയര് അറിവു് പരസ്പരം യഥേഷ്ടം കൈമാറി ഉപയോഗിച്ചു പോന്ന പ്രോഗ്രാമര്മാര് ഈ പുതിയ സ്വകാര്യ ഉടമസ്ഥതയോടു് കലഹിച്ചു. അവര് നിര്മ്മിക്കുന്നവ പൊതു ഉടമസ്ഥതയില് ഇന്റര്നെറ്റില് ലഭ്യമാക്കി. ഇതാണു് സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയര്. ലോകത്താകെ ശൃംഖലാ ബന്ധിതരായ അവര് സ്വന്തം ജീവിത വൃത്തിക്കു് വേണ്ടി സൃഷ്ടിക്കുന്നവ സമൂഹവുമായി പങ്കു് വെയ്ക്കുന്നു. അവ രഹസ്യമാക്കി വെച്ചിട്ടു് അവര്ക്കൊരു ഗുണവുമില്ല. സമൂഹവുമായി പങ്കുവെക്കുമ്പോളാകട്ടെ, സമൂഹം അതു് മെച്ചപ്പെടുത്തുകയും അവര്ക്കു് തിരിച്ചു് ഗുണം ലഭിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. പങ്കുവെയ്ക്കലിന്റെ ഈ പുതിയ സംസ്കാരം സാമൂഹ്യമായ എല്ലാ നന്മകളുടേയും ഉറവിടമാണെന്നതിനാല് ആതു് വിജയക്കൊടി പാറിക്കുന്നു. നാല് ലക്ഷത്തിലേറെ സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയറുകള് ഇന്നു് ഇന്റര്നെറ്റില് ലഭ്യമാണു്. ഒരു പഠനം അനുസരിച്ചു് ഇന്നത്തെ നിരക്കില് സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയറിലേക്കുള്ള മാറ്റം തുടര്ന്നാല് 2017 എത്തുമ്പോള് പ്രൊപ്രൈറ്ററി സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയറുകള് അരങ്ങൊഴിഞ്ഞിരിക്കും. ഇതിനെതിരെ ആഗോള ഭീമന്മാര് പുതിയ കുതന്ത്രങ്ങള് മെനയുന്നുണ്ടു്.
വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യാ വികാസത്തിന്റെ സാമൂഹ്യ മാനങ്ങള്
വിവര സാങ്കേതിക രംഗത്തു് നടക്കുന്ന കുതിച്ചു കയറ്റം ഉയര്ത്തിവിടുന്ന എല്ലാ സാധ്യതകളും പ്രത്യാഘാതങ്ങളും ഒട്ടേറെ വെളിവായിട്ടുണ്ടെങ്കിലും നാളിതു് വരെ മുഴുവന് വെളിവാക്കപ്പെട്ടിട്ടില്ല. ഒളിഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്ന ഉപയോഗങ്ങളും ദൂഷ്യങ്ങളും ഇനിയും കണ്ടെത്താനും അനുഭവിക്കാനുമാണിരിക്കുന്നതു്. സാമ്പത്തിക പ്രവര്ത്തന മേഖലകളായ കൃഷി, നിര്മ്മാണം, വിപണനം, ധനകാര്യം, ഇന്ഷുറന്സ്, വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം, ആരോഗ്യം തുടങ്ങിയവയോ ഭരണമോ കല, സാഹിത്യം, സംസ്കാരം തുടങ്ങിയ സാമൂഹ്യ മേഖലകളോ ഏതുമാകട്ടെ, വിവര സാങ്കേതിക മുന്നേറ്റത്തിന്റെ നശീകരണാത്മകവും പുനരുജ്ജീവനാത്മകവുമായ ഫലങ്ങള് നേരിടുകയാണു്. ഫലം നശീകരണാത്മകമോ പുനരുജ്ജീവനാത്മകമോ എന്നതു് ആരു് എന്തിനു് വേണ്ടിയാണു് ഈ സങ്കേതങ്ങള് ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നതു് എന്നതിനെ വളരെയേറെ ആശ്രയിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. ഇന്നവ ഏറിയകൂറും ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നതു് മുതലാളി വര്ഗ്ഗമാണു്. ലക്ഷ്യം ലാഭവുമാണു്.
എല്ലാ പ്രക്രയികളേയും കാര്യക്ഷമമാക്കി, അദ്ധ്വാനവും അതിലൂടെ കൂലിയും പരമാവധി കുറയ്ക്കുകയാണവര് ചെയ്യുന്നതു്. ഇതാണു് പുതു തലമുറ സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളുടെ മുഖ മുദ്ര. സ്വാഭാവികമായും പഴയ തലമുറ സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളും തൊഴിലാളികളും നശീകരണാത്മകമായ ഫലം അനുഭവിക്കുകയാണു്. പുതു തലമുറ സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളെ പുനരുജ്ജീവനാത്മക ഫലത്തിന്റെ മാതൃകകളായി ഉയര്ത്തിക്കാട്ടാന് നിലവിലുള്ള വ്യവസ്ഥിതിയുടെ വക്താക്കള് ശ്രമിക്കുന്നുണ്ടു്. അതല്ലെന്നതാണു് വസ്തുത. അവയും നശീകരണാത്മക ഫലത്തെയാണു് പ്രതിനിധാനം ചെയ്യുന്നതു്. കാരണം, സാമൂഹ്യ പുരോഗതിയോ ക്ഷേമമോ അല്ല, ലാഭം മാത്രമാണവയുടെ ഉന്നം. ഇതില് ഏതു് ജയിക്കുമെന്നതു് ബഹുജനങ്ങളെ സംബന്ധിച്ചിടത്തോളം പ്രസക്തമല്ലാതായിരിക്കുന്നു. കാരണം രണ്ടും മൂലധനത്തിന്റെ താല്പര്യമാണിന്നു് സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്നതു്. ജനങ്ങളെ കൊള്ളയടിക്കുകക തന്നെയാണു് രണ്ടും ചെയ്യുന്നതു്. രാഷ്ട്രാന്തരീയ കുത്തകകളേയും ബഹുരാഷ്ട്ര മൂലധനത്തേയും നേരിടുന്ന കാര്യം പരിഗണിക്കുമ്പോളാകട്ടെ പൊതുമേഖലയും പുതു തലമുറ സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളും തമ്മില് വലിയ അന്തരമുണ്ടു് താനും. അങ്ങിനെ നോക്കുമ്പോള് പൊതുമേഖലയുടെ നിലനില്പു് പ്രാദേശിക-ദേശീയ സാമൂഹത്തിന്റെ അടിയന്തിരാവശ്യമായി ഭവിക്കുന്നു. പക്ഷെ, ആഗോള മൂലധന താല്പര്യവുമായി സ്വയം താദാത്മ്യം പ്രാപിക്കാന് ശ്രമിക്കുന്ന ദേശീയ കുത്തക മുതലാളിത്തമാണു് നയിക്കുന്നതെന്നതിനാല് പൊതു മേഖലയുടെ മേല്പറഞ്ഞ ദൌത്യം ഈ ഘട്ടത്തില് നിര്വ്വഹിക്കപ്പെടുന്നില്ല. കാരണം അവയുടെ ഉടമസ്ഥത കയ്യാളുന്ന തദ്ദേശീയ മൂലധനത്തിനു് ഇനി മേലാല് അതാവശ്യമില്ലാതായിരിക്കുന്നു. അതിനാല് കുത്തകകള്ക്കും ബഹുരാഷ്ട്ര മൂലധനത്തിനും വേണ്ടി പൊതു മേഖല പോലും ഉപയോഗിക്കപ്പെടുകയോ പൊളിച്ചടുക്കപ്പെടുകയോ ആണു് ഇന്നു് നടക്കുന്നതു്. ഇതു് സമൂഹ സമ്പത്തിന്റെ എല്ലാ രൂപങ്ങള്ക്കും ബാധകവുമാണു്. പ്രകൃതി വിഭവങ്ങളും പരിസ്ഥിതിയുമെല്ലാം മുച്ചൂടും നശിപ്പിക്കപ്പെടുകയാണു്. ആന കരിമ്പിന് കാട്ടില് കയറിയെന്നു് പറയുന്ന അവസ്ഥയിലാണു് ആഗോള മൂലധനത്തിന്റെ വാഴ്ച. ലോകത്തെമ്പാടുമെത്താനും ചൂഷണം നടത്താനും വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യ അവരെ സഹായിച്ചു.
പൊതു മേഖലയുടേയും പൊതു സ്വത്തുക്കളുടേയും സംരക്ഷണം
പക്ഷെ, പൊതുമേഖലയ്ക്കു് അവയിലെ ജീവനക്കാരുടെ നിലനില്പുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ടു് ഇന്നും പ്രസക്തിയുണ്ടു്. പൊതുവെ മറ്റു് തൊഴിലാളികള്ക്കു്, അവരുടെ കൂലിയും സേവന വ്യവസ്ഥകളുമായി ബന്ധപ്പട്ടു് പൊതു മേഖലയ്ക്കു് പ്രസക്തിയേറുകയാണു്. പ്രത്യേകിച്ചും, കൂലിക്കും തൊഴില് ദിനത്തിനും, തൊഴിലിനു തന്നെയും ഒരു വ്യവസ്ഥയുമില്ലാതായിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്ന ഇന്നത്തെ ഘട്ടത്തില്. ബഹുജനങ്ങള്ക്കാകട്ടെ, ആഗോള-ദേശീയ കുത്തകകള് കമ്പോളാധിപത്യം സ്ഥാപിച്ചു് ചൂഷണം നടത്തുന്നതിനെതിരായ ഉപകരണങ്ങളെന്ന നിലയില് പൊതു മേഖലയ്ക്കു് ഇന്നും പ്രസക്തിയുണ്ടു്. ഇനിയങ്ങോട്ടു്, ഇന്ത്യന് ഭരണവര്ഗ്ഗത്തിന്റേയോ ഭരണകൂടത്തിന്റേയോ പിന്തുണയില്ലാതെ പൊതു മേഖലയുടെ സംരക്ഷണവും ശാക്തീകരണവും തൊഴിലാളികളും ബഹുജനങ്ങളും ചേര്ന്നു് ഏറ്റെടുക്കുക എന്ന കടമ നിര്വ്വഹിക്കാനാവുമോ എന്നതാണു് പൊതു മേഖലയുടെ നിലനില്പു് നേരിടുന്ന വെല്ലുവിളി. ഭരണകൂട പിന്തുണയില്ലാതെ അതു് സാധിക്കില്ല. ഭരണകൂടമാകട്ടെ, അതിനെ പിന്തുണയ്ക്കുകയുമില്ല. പൊതു മേഖല സംരക്ഷിക്കാന് ഭരണാധികാരം തന്നെ ലക്ഷ്യമിടേണ്ട ഘട്ടത്തിലെത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നു. പൊതു സമ്പത്തിന്റെ മറ്റെല്ലാ രൂപങ്ങള്ക്കും പരിസ്ഥിതിക്കും ഇതു് ബാധകമാണു്.
വൈദഗ്ദ്ധ്യ ശോഷണം മറികടക്കണം
വിവരം കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യുന്നതിലെ പുതിയ സാങ്കേതങ്ങള് സ്വായത്താമാക്കാത്ത എല്ലാ വിഭാഗം ജനങ്ങളും പിന്നോക്കം തള്ളപ്പെടുന്നു. സാമൂഹ്യ പുരോഗതിയുടെ ഉന്നത ശ്രേണികളില് മൂലധന ശക്തികളാണുള്ളതു്. പക്ഷെ, വിദ്യാസമ്പന്നരും തൊഴില് വൈദഗ്ദ്ധ്യം നേടിയവരും സംഘടിതരുമെന്ന നിലയില് തൊഴിലാളി വര്ഗത്തിലെ അംഗങ്ങള് താരതമ്യേന ഉയര്ന്ന പടവുകളിലെത്തിയിരുന്നു. എന്നാല് അവര് നാളിതു് വരെ സ്വായത്തമാക്കിയിരുന്ന വിവര സങ്കേതങ്ങള് അപ്രസക്തമായി മാറുമ്പോള് അവരും പിന്നോക്ക വിഭാഗങ്ങളുടെ അണികളിലേയ്ക്കു് തള്ളപ്പെടുന്നു. തീര്ച്ചയായും സംഘടിതരെന്ന നിലയ്ക്കു് അവര്ക്കു് ഏറ്റവും എളുപ്പം ആ പിന്നോക്കാവസ്ഥ മറികടക്കാന് കഴിയുക തന്നെ ചെയ്യും. എന്നാല്, അവര്ക്കു് പുതിയൊരു ദൌത്യം കൂടി ഏറ്റെടുക്കേണ്ടതായി വന്നിരിക്കുന്നു. തങ്ങള്ക്കെതിരെ നിലയുറപ്പിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന മുതലാളി വര്ഗ്ഗത്തെ തള്ളി താഴെയിട്ടു് കൊണ്ടല്ലാതെ ഇനിയൊരു പടവു് കയറാനാവാത്ത ഘട്ടത്തിലെത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നതിനാല് ആ വര്ഗ്ഗപരമായ കടമ നിര്വഹിക്കാന് അവര് പിന്നോക്കം നില്കുന്ന മറ്റെല്ലാവരേയും തങ്ങളോടൊപ്പം ശാക്തീകരിക്കാന് നിര്ബ്ബന്ധിതരായിരിക്കുന്നു. സ്വയം ശാക്തീകരണവും പ്രാദേശിക ശാക്തീകരണവും ദേശീയ ശാക്തീകരണവും അവരുടെ അജണ്ടയില് മുഖ്യ ഇനങ്ങളായി വരുന്നു. ഭാഷാ പഠനം, കണക്കു് പഠനം, ലോക വിവര ഭണ്ഡാഗാരം ഉപയോഗിക്കാനുള്ള കഴിവു് നേടല് എന്നിവയെ അടിസ്ഥാനമാക്കിയുള്ള പുതിയൊരു ശാക്തീകരണം ആവശ്യമായി വന്നിരിക്കുന്നു. തൊഴിലാളികളുടെ പ്രാദേശിക പഠന കേന്ദ്രങ്ങള് ഈ കടമ നിറവേറ്റാനുപകരിക്കും.
ഭരണ പാടവം നേടണം
ഇവിടെ പൊതുമേഖലയിലെ തൊഴിലാളികള്ക്കു് ഒരു അധിക കടമ ഏറ്റെടുക്കേണ്ടി വരും. രാഷ്ട്ര ഭരണം കയ്യാളാന് തൊഴിലാളി വര്ഗ്ഗം സ്വയം ശാക്തീകരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നതിന്റെ മാര്ഗ്ഗമായി പൊതു മേഖലാ ഭരണം കയ്യാളണം. സ്ഥാപന ഭരണത്തില് തൊഴിലാളി പങ്കാളിത്തമെന്ന മുന് നിലപാടില് നിന്നു് ഒട്ടേറെ മുന്നോട്ടു് പോകേണ്ടതുണ്ടു്. പൊതു മേഖലാ ഭരണം തൊഴിലാളികള് തന്നെ ഏറ്റെടുക്കേണ്ടിയിരിക്കുന്നു. സ്ഥാപന ഭരണം ജനാധിപത്യപരമായി പുനസംഘടിപ്പിക്കപ്പെടണം. കണക്കു് സൂക്ഷിപ്പും ആസൂത്രണവും കമ്പോളം കണ്ടെത്തലും ഉല്പന്ന-സേവന-സ്ഥാപന വൈവിദ്ധ്യവല്ക്കരണവും വികസനവും അടക്കം എല്ലാ കാര്യങ്ങളും തൊഴിലാളികള് കൂട്ടായി ഏറ്റെടുക്കണം. ചുരുക്കത്തില്, നാളിതു് വരെ പൊതുമേഖല സ്റ്റേറ്റ് മുതലാളിത്തത്തിന്റെ ഉപകരണമായിരുന്നു എന്ന അവസ്ഥ മാറി അവ ശരിയായ സാമൂഹ്യ ഉടമസ്ഥതയിലേയ്ക്കു് വരണം. ഇതാവണം, കേന്ദ്ര സര്ക്കാര് മുന്നോട്ടു് വെയ്ക്കുന്ന 'ഷെയര് വില്പനയിലൂടെ സാമൂഹ്യ ഉടമസ്ഥത' എന്ന മൂലധന പ്രീണന പരിപാടിക്കു് ബദല് മുദ്രാവാക്യം. ഇവിടെ ഷെയറോ ഉടമസ്ഥതയോ മാറേണ്ട കാര്യമില്ല. ഇന്നു് തന്നെ അവ പൊതു ഉടമസ്ഥതയിലാണുള്ളതു്. മാനേജു്മെന്റു് മാറിയാല് മതി. അതു് തൊഴിലാഴികള് ഏറ്റെടുക്കണം. മേല്നോട്ടം സ്ഥാപനം നിലനില്ക്കുന്ന പ്രദേശത്തെ ജനപ്രതിനിധികളും വഹിക്കണം. അവയുടെ നിലനില്പില് താല്പര്യമുള്ള തൊഴിലാളികളേയും ബഹുജനങ്ങളേയും തന്നെ മാനേജ്മെന്റ് ഏല്പിക്കുമ്പോള് അവര് അതിനെ നിലനിര്ത്തുകയും ശാക്തീകരിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യും.
വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യ പുതിയ സാമൂഹ നിര്മ്മിതിയുടെ ഉപകരണം
ഇത്തരത്തില് തൊഴിലാളികള് ഭരണം ഏറ്റെടുക്കമ്പോള് വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യയുടെ സാധ്യതകള് അവര്ക്കു് ഭരണം നടത്താന് സഹായകമാകും. എളുപ്പത്തില് കണക്കു് സൂക്ഷിക്കാനും എല്ലാ വിഭവങ്ങളുടേയും വിവരം ഉപയോഗിച്ചു് അതതു് സമയത്തു് ആവശ്യാനുസരണം ഉല്പന്നങ്ങള് ഉണ്ടാക്കുകയും വിപണനം നടത്തുകയും സേവങ്ങള് പ്രദാനം ചെയ്യുകയും ചെയ്യുന്ന രീതിയില് പ്രക്രിയകളെയെല്ലാം പുനര് നിര്മ്മിക്കാനും അങ്ങിനെ സ്ഥാപന ഭരണം കാര്യക്ഷമമാക്കാനും വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യ അവരെ സഹായിക്കും. ഇവിടെ തൊഴിലാളി ക്ഷേമവും സാമൂഹ്യ ക്ഷേമവും മാത്രമായിരിക്കും മാറ്റങ്ങളുടെയെല്ലാം ലക്ഷ്യം.
കണക്കു് സൂക്ഷിപ്പു്
വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യയെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള മുന് വിവരണത്തിന് നിന്നു് ഉത്ഭൂതമാകുന്ന അറിവു് ഉപയോഗിച്ചു് സ്ഥാപന ഭരണം പുനക്രമീകരിക്കാന് തൊഴിലാളി നേതൃത്വത്തിനു് എളുപ്പം സാധിക്കും. കണക്കു് സൂക്ഷിപ്പാണു് വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യയുടെ പ്രയോഗത്തോടെ സമൂലമായി പരിഷ്കരിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന ഒരു മേഖല. നാളിതു് വരെ, പരിപാവനമായി കണ്ടിരുന്ന, അടിസ്ഥാന രേഖകളെന്നു് വ്യവഹരിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരുന്ന, കാഷ് ബുക്കും ലെഡ്ജറുകളും പുതിയ സംവിധാനത്തില് വെറും റിപ്പോര്ടുകള് മാത്രമാണു്. സ്ഥാപനത്തിന്റെ സാമ്പത്തികാരോഗ്യസ്ഥിതി അറിയാന് വര്ഷാവസാനം വരേയോ മാസാവസാനം വരേയോ പോലും കാത്തിരിക്കേണ്ടതില്ല. ഏതു് സമയത്തും ബലന്സ് ഷീറ്റും ലാഭ നഷ്ടങ്ങളും കാണിക്കുന്ന റിപ്പോര്ടുകള് എടുക്കാനും കാണാനും കഴിയും. അടിസ്ഥാന രേഖകള് പണവും സാധന സാമഗ്രികളും കൊടുക്കുകയോ വാങ്ങുകയോ ചെയ്യുന്നതിന്റെ രേഖകള് മാത്രമാണു്. അവ കൃത്യമായും സുരക്ഷിതമായും വിവര വ്യവസ്ഥയുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെടുത്തുന്ന നമ്പറിട്ടു് ക്രമ പ്രകാരം വെയ്ക്കുകയും അവയുടെ വിവരങ്ങള് വിവര സംവിധാനത്തിലേയ്ക്കു് നല്കുകയും ചെയ്യുക എന്നതാണു് പുതിയ സംവിധാനം. കാഷ്ബുക്കും ലെഡ്ജറുകളും, ആവശ്യാനുസരണം, പ്രിന്റ് എടുത്തു് ബന്ധപ്പട്ട ഉത്തരവാദപ്പെട്ടവര് പരിശോധിച്ചു് സാക്ഷ്യപ്പെടുത്തി രോഖകളായി സൂക്ഷിക്കാവുന്നതാണു്. ഡബിള് അക്കൌണ്ടിങ്ങ് തുടങ്ങി കണക്കു് സൂക്ഷിപ്പിലെ എല്ലാ സങ്കീര്ണ്ണതകളും പ്രാഥമിക വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം ലഭിച്ചവര്ക്കു് പോലും മനസിലാകത്തക്ക തരത്തില് കണക്കു് പഠനം ഇതോടെ ലളിതമാകും. ഇന്നു് കണക്കു് സൂക്ഷിപ്പു് ഏതാനും ചിലരുടെ കുത്തകയും ബഹുഭൂരിപക്ഷത്തിനും ബാലികേറാമലയുമായിരിക്കുന്ന സ്ഥിതി മാറ്റാന് പുതിയ ലളിതമായ കണക്കു് സൂക്ഷിപ്പു് സംവിധാനവും രീതിയും ഉപകരിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യും.
സ്ഥാപന ഭരണം (e-governance, ERP)
സ്ഥാപനത്തിലെ എല്ലാ വിഭവങ്ങളുടേയും (തൊഴിലാളികള്, ഉപഭോക്താക്കള്, സേവന ദാതാക്കള്, സ്ഥലം, കെട്ടിടം, യന്ത്രങ്ങള്, ഉപകരണങ്ങള് തുടങ്ങി എല്ലാം) വിവരം ശേഖരിച്ചു്, സംഭരിച്ചു്, ഉപയോഗിച്ചു് എല്ലാ പ്രവര്ത്തനങ്ങളും ചടുലമായി നടത്താന് കഴിയും എന്നതാണു് വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യയുടെ സാധ്യത. അതിനു് കമ്പ്യൂട്ടറുകള്ക്കോ സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയറിനോ അമിത പ്രാധാന്യം കല്പ്പിക്കേണ്ട ആവശ്യമില്ല. അത്യാവശ്യത്തിനു് അവ ഉപയോഗിക്കുകയും വേണം. വിവരം ശേഖരിച്ചു് വെയ്ക്കാന് അവ ആവശ്യമാണു്. നല്ലൊരു വിവര സംഭരണി (RDBMS) വേണം. അതു് തൊഴിലാളികള്ക്കു് വഴങ്ങുന്നതാവണം. വിവരം കൊടുക്കാനും എടുക്കാനും മാറ്റാനും കഴിയണം. ഇവയ്ക്കുള്ള ഇന്റര് ഫേസു് സ്ക്രീനുകള് നിര്മ്മിക്കലാണു് ഇന്നു് സോഫ്റ്റു്വെയര് വികസനം എന്ന പേരില് നമ്മുടെ വിഭവം തട്ടിച്ചു് കൊണ്ടു പോകുന്ന ഐടി കമ്പനികള് ചെയ്യുന്നതും എന്നാല് മറ്റള്ളവര്ക്കു് അറിയാത്തതുമായ പണി. വിവര ഘടന ഉണ്ടാക്കാന് അതതു് സ്ഥാപനത്തിലെ തൊഴിലാളികളുടെ വൈദഗ്ദ്ധ്യം തന്നെയാണു് വേണ്ടതു്. പ്രക്രിയകള് കണ്ടെത്തി അവയിലൂടെ നടക്കുന്ന വിവര മാറ്റങ്ങള് നിര്ണ്ണയിക്കാനും സ്ഥാപനത്തിലെ തൊഴിലാളികളുടെ പ്രവര്ത്തന പരിചയം തന്നെയാണു് ഏതു് ഐടി കമ്പനിയും ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നതു്. പിന്നെന്തു് കൊണ്ടു് സ്ഥാപന തലത്തില് തന്നെ തൊഴിലാളികള്ക്കും മാനേജു്മെന്റിനും കൂടി അതു് ചെയ്തു കൂടാ ? രണ്ടു് കൂട്ടരും ഇക്കാര്യത്തില് ഒരേ പടവിലാണു്. അവരെ ചൂഷണം ചെയ്യുകയാണു് കഴുത്തറുപ്പന്മാരായ ഐടി കുത്തകകള്. കാര്യക്ഷമതയും നവീകരണവും ശാക്തീകരണത്തോടൊപ്പം മതിയെന്നു് തീരുമാനിക്കണം. അല്ലാത്ത പക്ഷം അടിമത്തമായിരിക്കും ഫലം. ആദ്യം പേപ്പര് അധിഷ്ഠിത സംവിധാനത്തിനു് പകരം വിവരാധിഷ്ഠിത ഭരണ സംവിധാനം ഉപയോഗിച്ചു് തുടങ്ങണം. അതിനു് വലിയ ചെലവോ ബഹുരാഷ്ട്ര കുത്തകകളുടെ സഹായമോ ആവശ്യമില്ല. ക്രമേണ, വൈദഗ്ദ്ധ്യം ഉയരുന്ന മുറയ്ക്കു്, കാഴ്ചക്കു് ഇമ്പമുള്ളതും പ്രയോഗിക്കാന് എളുപ്പമുള്ളതുമായ സംവിധാനങ്ങള് സ്വതന്ത്രമായി ലഭിക്കുന്നവ ഉപയോഗിക്കുകയോ സ്വയം വികസിപ്പിക്കുകയോ ചെയ്യാം. വൈദഗ്ദ്ധ്യ പോഷണത്തിനു് ഈ വിവിധ ഘട്ടങ്ങളിലൂടെ കടന്നു് പോകേണ്ടതുണ്ടു്.
ഭരണ വ്യവസ്ഥാ പുനസൃഷ്ടി (System re-engineering)
മറ്റൊന്നു്, സ്ഥാപന ഭരണ വ്യവസ്ഥ എങ്ങിനെ വേണമെന്നതാണു്. ഒരു സ്ഥാപനം എങ്ങിനെയായിത്തീരണം എന്നു് നിശ്ചയിക്കുക എന്നതു് മറ്റാരെങ്കിലും ചെയ്യുന്നതിനേക്കാള് നല്ലതു് ആ സ്ഥാപനം തന്നെ തീരുമാനിക്കുന്നതാണു്. അതിനു് ഒരു ഐടി കമ്പനിയുടെ സേവനമല്ല, മാനേജു്മെന്റു് ഉപദേശകരുടെ സേവനമാണു് വേണ്ടതു്. തീര്ച്ഛയായും ഇക്കാര്യത്തില് ലോകത്തു് നടക്കുന്ന കാര്യങ്ങള് കണ്ണും കാതും തുറന്നു് പഠിക്കാന് തയ്യാറായാല് ആര്ക്കും ചെയ്യാവുന്നതേയുള്ളു. ആവശ്യമെങ്കില്, പൊതു മേഖലയോടു് കൂറുള്ള, സ്ഥാപന ശാക്തീകരണത്തിനായി പ്രവര്ത്തിക്കാന് തയ്യാറുള്ള ഉപദേഷ്ടാക്കളെ കണ്ടെത്തി അവരുടെ സേവനം ഉപയോഗിക്കുകയുമാകാം. അതതു് സ്ഥാപനത്തില് ചെയ്യാന് കഴിയാത്ത കാര്യങ്ങള് മാത്രം പുറം കരാറിലൂടെ ചെയ്യിക്കുകയുമാകാം. അത്തരം കാര്യങ്ങള് സാങ്കേതിക കൈമാറ്റം നടത്താന് തയ്യാറുള്ളവരെക്കൊണ്ടു് മാത്രമേ ചെയ്യിക്കാന് പാടുള്ളു. കഴുത്തറുപ്പന് ചൂഷകരുടെ മേല് ആശ്രിതത്വം ഉണ്ടാകാതിരിക്കാന് പൊതു വിവര ഘടനകളും (Open Document Formats) സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയര് (Free Software) ഉപകരണങ്ങളും മാത്രമേ ഉപയോഗിക്കാവൂ. ഇതിലൂടെ തൊഴിലാളി ശാക്തീകരണവും മാനേജ്മെന്റ് ശാക്തീകരണവും മൊത്തത്തില് സ്ഥാപന ശാക്തീകരണവും നടക്കും. ഇത്തരത്തില് വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യ ഉപയോഗിക്കുമ്പോള്, സ്വാഭാവികമായും, വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യയുടെ പുനരുജ്ജീവനാത്മക ഫലം സമൂഹത്തിനു് അനുഭവവേദ്യമാക്കും.
കേരള സമൂഹം ഇക്കാര്യത്തിലും പരീക്ഷണത്തിനിറങ്ങണം
കേരളത്തില് ഇടതു് പക്ഷ ജനാധിപത്യ മുന്നണി സര്ക്കാരാണു് ഭരിക്കുന്നതെന്നതിനാല് മേല്പറഞ്ഞ രീതിയിലുള്ള പൊതു മേഖലാ മാനേജു്മെന്റു് സംവിധാനവും വിവര സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യാപ്രയോഗവും സ്വതന്ത്ര വിജ്ഞാനോപയോഗവും പരീക്ഷണ വിധേയമാക്കാന് കഴിയണം. നമ്മുടെ പൊതു മേഖലാ സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളെ കാര്യക്ഷമമാക്കാനും നിലനിര്ത്താനും അതുപകരിക്കും. നമ്മുടെ പൊതു സേവനത്തുറകളുടെ കാര്യക്ഷമതയും ഗുണമേന്മയും ഉയര്ത്താനും കഴിയും. പൊതുവിദ്യാഭ്യാസ രംഗം, പ്രത്യേകിച്ചും ഉന്നത വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ രംഗം അതിനനുസരിച്ചു് മാറാന് തയ്യാറാകണം. ഗവേഷണ രംഗത്തും സ്വതന്ത്ര വിജ്ഞാന സങ്കല്പങ്ങള് ഉപയോഗിക്കാന് നമുക്കു് കഴിയണം. സാമ്രാജ്യത്വ ആഗോളവല്ക്കരണ ഘട്ടത്തില് ബഹുരാഷ്ട്ര മൂലധനത്തിന്റെ കുത്തൊഴുക്കിനെതിരെ പ്രാദേശിക ജനസമൂഹത്തിന്റെ ചെറുത്തു് നില്പിനുള്ള സാംസ്കാരികവും ബൌദ്ധികവും സാങ്കേതികവും സാമ്പത്തികവുമായ പശ്ചാത്തലമൊരുക്കാനും വിജയത്തിലേക്കുള്ള പാത വെട്ടിത്തുറക്കാനും പൊതുമേഖലയുടേയും പൊതു സ്വത്തിന്റേയും പ്രകൃതിയുടേയും പരിസ്ഥിതിയുടേയും സംരക്ഷണം ഉറപ്പാക്കാനും ഇത്തരം ഒരു പരിവര്ത്തനം ഉപകരിക്കും.
ജോസഫ് തോമസ്,
പ്രസിഡണ്ടു്, എഫ്. എസ്. എം. ഐ 16-06-2010
FSMI Note on Draft Policy on Open Standards for e-Governance Version 1.1
Free Software Movement of India a national coalition of free software
organizations would like to submit comments on the Draft Policy on Open
Standards for e-Governance Version 1.1 dated May 2010, for the kind
consideration of the Department of Information Technology.
We thank DIT and all those involved in drafting this policy which is
commendable. This policy is a landmark policy for e-Governance and has
tremendous long term implications in e-Governance and also on the future
of the information society in India. We welcome DIT's initiative in
creating this policy because the provisioning of public goods like open
standards can be done only through government intervention. The current
situation, where de-facto proprietary standards, encumbered by heavy
royalties, is a serious threat to the emerging global knowledge commons;
and the free flow of ideas and information across the world. From a
financial perspective and sovereignity of the nation, propagating
proprietary standards would be tantamount to transferring wealth and
knowledge from the citizens of our country into private hands. It is
therefore heartening to note that DIT has taken a decisive step to
mandate open standards. At the same time, we request DIT to define open
standards more clearly in the policy and finalize it without delay,
since the policy has been in the works since 2007 and has been delayed
several times.
Our biggest concern is with Section 4.1.2 of the policy, which states
that, “The patent claims necessary to implement the Identified Standard
shall be available on a Royalty-Free basis for the life time of the
Standard. If such Standards are not found feasible then in the wider
public interest, Fair, Reasonable and Non Discriminatory terms and
conditions (FRAND) or Reasonable and Non Discriminatory terms and
conditions (RAND) with no payment could be considered.”
*We request DIT to take a very firm stance and remove the FRAND/RAND
sentence from this section because it is a huge anomaly in a section
titled, “Mandatory Characteristics.” *The entire sentence, “If such
Standards are not found feasible then in the wider public interest,
Fair, Reasonable and Non Discriminatory terms and conditions (FRAND) or
Reasonable and Non Discriminatory terms and conditions (RAND) with no
payment could be considered” should be moved to Section 4.3 that deals
with “Non-availability of Open Standard which meets all Mandatory
Characteristics.” We understand that in certain cases, some exceptions
will have to be made. These exceptions can be handled through Section
4.3. Placing the exception in Section 4.1.2 conveys the impression that
DIT is not firm in its resolve to guide the country towards open
standards and therefore removing it from this section will go a long way
in correcting that impression, without hampering DIT's flexibility in
any way.
/4.3 Non-availability of Open Standard which meets all Mandatory
Characteristics /
The Designated Body tasked with selecting standards must be selected
transparently and with representation from a wide variety of
stakeholders to prevent circumvention of the policy. This is a crucial
area of interest to civil society, especially after the recent
controversy around the OOXML standardisation process. The blatant manner
in which international standards organizations were subverted, national
standards organizations were stuffed with Gold and Premium partners of a
proprietary software vendor and every single loophole in the
standardization process brutally exploited,
should serve as a cautionary tale. Given the disregard that some
proprietary vendors have shown for the sovereignty of countries and for
the long-term interests of users, any standard emanating from such
proprietary vendor must be treated with extreme caution. We request DIT
to stand firm against vendors of proprietary standards and offer the
whole-hearted support of Free Software Movement of India and its member
Organizations in the effort to implement genuine open standards and free
India from the clutches of proprietary standards.
Yours Sincerely
Y.Kiran Chandra
General Secretary
Free Software Movement of India
201, Karan Centre, SD Road
Secunderabad.
+919490098011
+914027845288
Fax: +914027845289
organizations would like to submit comments on the Draft Policy on Open
Standards for e-Governance Version 1.1 dated May 2010, for the kind
consideration of the Department of Information Technology.
We thank DIT and all those involved in drafting this policy which is
commendable. This policy is a landmark policy for e-Governance and has
tremendous long term implications in e-Governance and also on the future
of the information society in India. We welcome DIT's initiative in
creating this policy because the provisioning of public goods like open
standards can be done only through government intervention. The current
situation, where de-facto proprietary standards, encumbered by heavy
royalties, is a serious threat to the emerging global knowledge commons;
and the free flow of ideas and information across the world. From a
financial perspective and sovereignity of the nation, propagating
proprietary standards would be tantamount to transferring wealth and
knowledge from the citizens of our country into private hands. It is
therefore heartening to note that DIT has taken a decisive step to
mandate open standards. At the same time, we request DIT to define open
standards more clearly in the policy and finalize it without delay,
since the policy has been in the works since 2007 and has been delayed
several times.
Our biggest concern is with Section 4.1.2 of the policy, which states
that, “The patent claims necessary to implement the Identified Standard
shall be available on a Royalty-Free basis for the life time of the
Standard. If such Standards are not found feasible then in the wider
public interest, Fair, Reasonable and Non Discriminatory terms and
conditions (FRAND) or Reasonable and Non Discriminatory terms and
conditions (RAND) with no payment could be considered.”
*We request DIT to take a very firm stance and remove the FRAND/RAND
sentence from this section because it is a huge anomaly in a section
titled, “Mandatory Characteristics.” *The entire sentence, “If such
Standards are not found feasible then in the wider public interest,
Fair, Reasonable and Non Discriminatory terms and conditions (FRAND) or
Reasonable and Non Discriminatory terms and conditions (RAND) with no
payment could be considered” should be moved to Section 4.3 that deals
with “Non-availability of Open Standard which meets all Mandatory
Characteristics.” We understand that in certain cases, some exceptions
will have to be made. These exceptions can be handled through Section
4.3. Placing the exception in Section 4.1.2 conveys the impression that
DIT is not firm in its resolve to guide the country towards open
standards and therefore removing it from this section will go a long way
in correcting that impression, without hampering DIT's flexibility in
any way.
/4.3 Non-availability of Open Standard which meets all Mandatory
Characteristics /
The Designated Body tasked with selecting standards must be selected
transparently and with representation from a wide variety of
stakeholders to prevent circumvention of the policy. This is a crucial
area of interest to civil society, especially after the recent
controversy around the OOXML standardisation process. The blatant manner
in which international standards organizations were subverted, national
standards organizations were stuffed with Gold and Premium partners of a
proprietary software vendor and every single loophole in the
standardization process brutally exploited,
should serve as a cautionary tale. Given the disregard that some
proprietary vendors have shown for the sovereignty of countries and for
the long-term interests of users, any standard emanating from such
proprietary vendor must be treated with extreme caution. We request DIT
to stand firm against vendors of proprietary standards and offer the
whole-hearted support of Free Software Movement of India and its member
Organizations in the effort to implement genuine open standards and free
India from the clutches of proprietary standards.
Yours Sincerely
Y.Kiran Chandra
General Secretary
Free Software Movement of India
201, Karan Centre, SD Road
Secunderabad.
+919490098011
+914027845288
Fax: +914027845289
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Press Note National Conference on Free Software 2010
We sent the following rejoinder to Mathrubumi but Mathrubumi has not carried our rejoinder. We are recording our rejoinder in our website.
http://www.nc2010.fsmk.org/content/rejoinder-mathrubumis-fabricated-report
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is with reference to your report in Mathrubumi on Monday , March 22 , 2010 by NS Binu Raj.
We are deeply saddened that a paper of repute like Mathrubumi is giving way to such malafide and defamatory reports.
http://www.mathrubhumi.com/online/malayalam/news/story/221531/2010-03-22...
The above report has not considered basic journalistic ethics and code of conduct of getting the version of the concerned person, in this case our democratically elected General Secretary Shri Kiran Chandra of the Free Software Movement of India (FSMI) before publishing a report. The report says Shri Kiran Chandra (who is also a member of board of directors of FSF-India a sister organisation of Free Software Foundation, headed By Richard Mathew Stallman) is a representative of an IT company , Novell. Do you have any proof for this? Why is this report publishing outright lies. We condemn such lies and demand an apology.
The General Secretary of an esteemed organization has been unnecessarily defamed without any basis. Hence we request you to publish an apology for the same. We also request you to correct this mistake by publishing our version of the story.
The following are reports of the event from Independent bloggers and newspapers of repute.
http://ideasareimmortal.blogspot.com/2010/03/national-conference-on-free...
http://ideasareimmortal.blogspot.com/2010/03/nc2010-day-2-and-free-softw...
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/59304/making-sense-unjust-world.html
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/19/stories/2010031961140300.htm
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/20/stories/2010032064330300.htm
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/21/stories/2010032154350500.htm
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/cities/Bangalore/article245413.ece
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/58966/free-software-movement-gaining...
http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/events/show/2260-a-run
http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/events/show/2210-national-conference
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/article261275.ece
We are a free software movement and we are not concerned with the political affiliations of its members. Members of all political parties and non members are welcome to join. There are indeed professors and academicians from institutions like IISc , IIMB, IIIT were part of this conference and some of them are elected office bearers of the Free Software Movement of India. We do not know on what basis and facts you determined them to be part of a politcal party. This is mis-representation, lies and baseless articulations.
The conference was sponsored by companies and public institutions. We have been in constant touch with the president of Free Software Foundation , Boston , Richard M. Stallman , the founder of this movement on the basis of sponsorships for this conference. You can contact Richard M Stallman and take his direct opinion. We are sure the author of the report didn't want to do so.
https://my.fsf.org/donate/patron/
https://my.fsf.org/donate/patron/logos/
In the above page you could see the names of some of the monopolies as your report says. This is the patron page of the FSF, Boston. Taking support doesn't construe dilution of the free software message and the founder of this movement has clarified it many times. We have only followed the same practice of the free software foundation of not endorsing the views of sponsors.
We had invited the chairman of FSF India, Dr G Nagarjuna, to participate in the conference and he couldn't because of certain commitments he had made earlier. One of the working group members of FSF India Abhas abhinav who is from Bangalore has participated in one of our sessions in the conference. Which again shows the fabricated and biased nature of this report. Shri VS Achuthandan couldn't participate because of the election code of conduct and so couldnt the other misister from Karnatka Shri Katta Subramania Naidu.
For the sake of the basic journalistic ethic “Facts are sacred and comment is free” We once again request you to uphold this journalistic ethic in reporting.
Highlights of the Conference
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/59304/making-sense-unjust-world.html
A glance at the pictures revealed the cruelty of living in an unequal world, the story in short of those who had clicked them.
The plight of slum children portrayed in the photo exhibition was arranged as part of the national conference on Free Software held in the city at the weekend. Fifty pictures taken by the slum children were on display. Indeed, it was harder for many visitors to believe that the pictures were taken by the slum children.
Although children that age prepare for the day's class work eating breakfast made by their moms, school-goers in our locality have to rise at five in the morning and work at a couple of houses before they start to school,” said Saraswati, a volunteer at the Free Software conference, who works with the slum project initiated by Free Software Movement of Karnataka (FSMK) volunteers at her slum near Sudarshan Layout in Bannerghatta Road.
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/21/stories/2010032154350500.htm
‘IT has entered Indian consciousness as a commodity'
The Free Software movement may be perceived as a rather nascent movement in India. However, the thronging audience at the National Free Software conference held here on Saturday makes a compelling case to the contrary. Sharing knowledge, in true Free Software spirit, and deliberating on implementation of open standards and practices in public software, the two-day conference is packed with sessions ranging from case studies of public Free Software to hands-on technical or “coding” sessions on GNU/Linux-based platforms. Over 1,700 Free Software enthusiasts, academics and students from across the country are attending the event.
National Free Software coalition formed
This coalition, which has 16 movements in its fold, to begin with, aims at taking Free Software and its ideological implications to computer users “across the digital divide” and to various streams of science and research. The conference, that had around 1,500 participants, had parallel session that deliberated on many of these social and technical facets of the Free Software philosophy. Besides presenting case studies on implementation of Free Software in States such as Kerala, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, it also offered popular hands-on technical or ‘coding' sessions on GNU/Linux-based platforms.
Free software movement gaining ground By S Chatterjee
Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the doyen of Indian nationalism described ‘swaraj’ as his ‘birthright,’ which had to be had by all means.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/58966/free-software-movement-gaining-ground.html
“The FSM further demands that the UAIDI project, for giving a unique identity card to all our citizens, should be executed with free software, by involving the Indian IT industry and is interacting with the industry to popularise many of its ideas in the IT industrial sector itself.
The FSMK is running IT schools in slum areas with enthusiastic participation from the members of the community, who not only proved to be quick learners but showed surprising levels of innovation “
“Umashankar, former Managing Director of Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu, regaled the audience with short presentations of various Free and Open Source projects in e-governance. “A 2007 Gartner report decreed that by 2017 proprietary systems would be obsolete. It is the developing countries with large demand and cost constraints, which would move faster,” Mr. Umashankar said.”
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/21/stories/2010032154350500.htm
Why Free Software is relevant
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/20/stories/2010032064330300.htm
BANGALORE: Consider the analogy of the proverbial elephant and the blind men. While different people may develop a nuanced understanding of the tail, tusk or head; in a proprietary world there is no economic calculus that allows them to talk and share their knowledge. This is where the concept and philosophy of Free Software becomes critical in solving global, interdependent societal problems such as climate change, observes K. Gopinath, professor of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) and a supporter of the Free Software movement. He is also the chairman of the National Conference on Free Software being held at the Central College campus starting today. Prof. Gopinath says he is overwhelmed by the response the event has received what with over 1,500 participants having registered. “In 1993 when IISc. organised a conference on intellectual property and its social/technical implications, it followed a top-down approach. In contrast, this conference is no longer an academic exercise but driven by people who are touched by, and believe in, Free Software,” he explains.
Slum Computer Center Paintings
Inaugural Session
AC3 Photo Exhibition
1000+ students particpate
Towards bridging the digital divide
Deepa Kurup
‘Namma Debian' was released at a slum computing centre in Bangalore
FILLING A VACUUM:Software professionals who support free software explaining the features of ‘Namma Debian' at a slum off Bannerghatta Road in Bangalore.
BANGALORE: Even tech-savvy computer users often fail to grasp the concept of Free Software or fathom the philosophy behind it. However, in this non-descript slum settlement located diametrically behind the high-rise IT office buildings on Bannerghatta Road, there is remarkable clarity and awareness on software freedom.
Tucked away at the end of a crowded lane, the Ambedkar Community Computing Center (AC3) hosted an unusual programme on Sunday. A motley crowd of software professionals, free software enthusiasts, students and residents gathered to create music, share information and perspective, and officially release “Namma Debian”, the Kannada version of Linux distribution system.
“Namma Debian” is the localised version of Debian GNU/Linux, a popular and stable free operating system — that runs your computer and comes bundled with a set of programme utilities that are all from the Free, GNU/Linux stable. Raghavendra, a student and a FOSS volunteer, described the evening as “Thiruvizha” a Tamil word for celebration.
“It was beautiful to see residents enthusiastically participating in an event — conceptually still distant to them — with a hope that at least it would benefit their children someday,” he said.
Shedding light on another issue, Vidya, who suffers from partial visual impairment, spoke on the issues that the visually impaired face while using computers.
Demonstrating various technical issues with the proprietary tools she uses, she spoke about the fact that accessibility tools (such as screen readers and related software, all in the proprietary domain) were extremely expensive. At the end of her eloquent talk, members of the FSMK (Free Software Movement of Karnataka) committed themselves to working towards solving these issues by developing better, more accessible and free tools or software in this domain.
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/17/stories/2010031751130200.htm
Freedom Walk as Run up
“The lacuna in the society we are addressing surfaced again while interacting with people, when one person inquired about the conference and expressed his interest in participating in it, but also told us he was an illiterate and that he knows only Kannada. We then welcomed him to the conference, briefing him about the gamut of Kannada related activities we are organizing as a run-up to the conference and in the conference itself. He was glad to accept the invite.
While campaigning continued profusely,an auto driver approached us. He was curious as to what we were doing. After listening to us he introduced himself. He has completed his Electronics Hardware training and conveyed to us his interest in learning some software technologies. He was interested in the National Conference as well, and told that he would be contacting the FSMK office at Madiwala for further details. “
http://www.nc2010.fsmk.org/content/rejoinder-mathrubumis-fabricated-report
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is with reference to your report in Mathrubumi on Monday , March 22 , 2010 by NS Binu Raj.
We are deeply saddened that a paper of repute like Mathrubumi is giving way to such malafide and defamatory reports.
http://www.mathrubhumi.com/online/malayalam/news/story/221531/2010-03-22...
The above report has not considered basic journalistic ethics and code of conduct of getting the version of the concerned person, in this case our democratically elected General Secretary Shri Kiran Chandra of the Free Software Movement of India (FSMI) before publishing a report. The report says Shri Kiran Chandra (who is also a member of board of directors of FSF-India a sister organisation of Free Software Foundation, headed By Richard Mathew Stallman) is a representative of an IT company , Novell. Do you have any proof for this? Why is this report publishing outright lies. We condemn such lies and demand an apology.
The General Secretary of an esteemed organization has been unnecessarily defamed without any basis. Hence we request you to publish an apology for the same. We also request you to correct this mistake by publishing our version of the story.
The following are reports of the event from Independent bloggers and newspapers of repute.
http://ideasareimmortal.blogspot.com/2010/03/national-conference-on-free...
http://ideasareimmortal.blogspot.com/2010/03/nc2010-day-2-and-free-softw...
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/59304/making-sense-unjust-world.html
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/19/stories/2010031961140300.htm
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/20/stories/2010032064330300.htm
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/21/stories/2010032154350500.htm
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/cities/Bangalore/article245413.ece
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/58966/free-software-movement-gaining...
http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/events/show/2260-a-run
http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/events/show/2210-national-conference
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/article261275.ece
We are a free software movement and we are not concerned with the political affiliations of its members. Members of all political parties and non members are welcome to join. There are indeed professors and academicians from institutions like IISc , IIMB, IIIT were part of this conference and some of them are elected office bearers of the Free Software Movement of India. We do not know on what basis and facts you determined them to be part of a politcal party. This is mis-representation, lies and baseless articulations.
The conference was sponsored by companies and public institutions. We have been in constant touch with the president of Free Software Foundation , Boston , Richard M. Stallman , the founder of this movement on the basis of sponsorships for this conference. You can contact Richard M Stallman and take his direct opinion. We are sure the author of the report didn't want to do so.
https://my.fsf.org/donate/patron/
https://my.fsf.org/donate/patron/logos/
In the above page you could see the names of some of the monopolies as your report says. This is the patron page of the FSF, Boston. Taking support doesn't construe dilution of the free software message and the founder of this movement has clarified it many times. We have only followed the same practice of the free software foundation of not endorsing the views of sponsors.
We had invited the chairman of FSF India, Dr G Nagarjuna, to participate in the conference and he couldn't because of certain commitments he had made earlier. One of the working group members of FSF India Abhas abhinav who is from Bangalore has participated in one of our sessions in the conference. Which again shows the fabricated and biased nature of this report. Shri VS Achuthandan couldn't participate because of the election code of conduct and so couldnt the other misister from Karnatka Shri Katta Subramania Naidu.
For the sake of the basic journalistic ethic “Facts are sacred and comment is free” We once again request you to uphold this journalistic ethic in reporting.
Highlights of the Conference
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/59304/making-sense-unjust-world.html
A glance at the pictures revealed the cruelty of living in an unequal world, the story in short of those who had clicked them.
The plight of slum children portrayed in the photo exhibition was arranged as part of the national conference on Free Software held in the city at the weekend. Fifty pictures taken by the slum children were on display. Indeed, it was harder for many visitors to believe that the pictures were taken by the slum children.
Although children that age prepare for the day's class work eating breakfast made by their moms, school-goers in our locality have to rise at five in the morning and work at a couple of houses before they start to school,” said Saraswati, a volunteer at the Free Software conference, who works with the slum project initiated by Free Software Movement of Karnataka (FSMK) volunteers at her slum near Sudarshan Layout in Bannerghatta Road.
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/21/stories/2010032154350500.htm
‘IT has entered Indian consciousness as a commodity'
The Free Software movement may be perceived as a rather nascent movement in India. However, the thronging audience at the National Free Software conference held here on Saturday makes a compelling case to the contrary. Sharing knowledge, in true Free Software spirit, and deliberating on implementation of open standards and practices in public software, the two-day conference is packed with sessions ranging from case studies of public Free Software to hands-on technical or “coding” sessions on GNU/Linux-based platforms. Over 1,700 Free Software enthusiasts, academics and students from across the country are attending the event.
National Free Software coalition formed
This coalition, which has 16 movements in its fold, to begin with, aims at taking Free Software and its ideological implications to computer users “across the digital divide” and to various streams of science and research. The conference, that had around 1,500 participants, had parallel session that deliberated on many of these social and technical facets of the Free Software philosophy. Besides presenting case studies on implementation of Free Software in States such as Kerala, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, it also offered popular hands-on technical or ‘coding' sessions on GNU/Linux-based platforms.
Free software movement gaining ground By S Chatterjee
Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the doyen of Indian nationalism described ‘swaraj’ as his ‘birthright,’ which had to be had by all means.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/58966/free-software-movement-gaining-ground.html
“The FSM further demands that the UAIDI project, for giving a unique identity card to all our citizens, should be executed with free software, by involving the Indian IT industry and is interacting with the industry to popularise many of its ideas in the IT industrial sector itself.
The FSMK is running IT schools in slum areas with enthusiastic participation from the members of the community, who not only proved to be quick learners but showed surprising levels of innovation “
“Umashankar, former Managing Director of Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu, regaled the audience with short presentations of various Free and Open Source projects in e-governance. “A 2007 Gartner report decreed that by 2017 proprietary systems would be obsolete. It is the developing countries with large demand and cost constraints, which would move faster,” Mr. Umashankar said.”
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/21/stories/2010032154350500.htm
Why Free Software is relevant
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/20/stories/2010032064330300.htm
BANGALORE: Consider the analogy of the proverbial elephant and the blind men. While different people may develop a nuanced understanding of the tail, tusk or head; in a proprietary world there is no economic calculus that allows them to talk and share their knowledge. This is where the concept and philosophy of Free Software becomes critical in solving global, interdependent societal problems such as climate change, observes K. Gopinath, professor of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) and a supporter of the Free Software movement. He is also the chairman of the National Conference on Free Software being held at the Central College campus starting today. Prof. Gopinath says he is overwhelmed by the response the event has received what with over 1,500 participants having registered. “In 1993 when IISc. organised a conference on intellectual property and its social/technical implications, it followed a top-down approach. In contrast, this conference is no longer an academic exercise but driven by people who are touched by, and believe in, Free Software,” he explains.
Slum Computer Center Paintings
Inaugural Session
AC3 Photo Exhibition
1000+ students particpate
Towards bridging the digital divide
Deepa Kurup
‘Namma Debian' was released at a slum computing centre in Bangalore
FILLING A VACUUM:Software professionals who support free software explaining the features of ‘Namma Debian' at a slum off Bannerghatta Road in Bangalore.
BANGALORE: Even tech-savvy computer users often fail to grasp the concept of Free Software or fathom the philosophy behind it. However, in this non-descript slum settlement located diametrically behind the high-rise IT office buildings on Bannerghatta Road, there is remarkable clarity and awareness on software freedom.
Tucked away at the end of a crowded lane, the Ambedkar Community Computing Center (AC3) hosted an unusual programme on Sunday. A motley crowd of software professionals, free software enthusiasts, students and residents gathered to create music, share information and perspective, and officially release “Namma Debian”, the Kannada version of Linux distribution system.
“Namma Debian” is the localised version of Debian GNU/Linux, a popular and stable free operating system — that runs your computer and comes bundled with a set of programme utilities that are all from the Free, GNU/Linux stable. Raghavendra, a student and a FOSS volunteer, described the evening as “Thiruvizha” a Tamil word for celebration.
“It was beautiful to see residents enthusiastically participating in an event — conceptually still distant to them — with a hope that at least it would benefit their children someday,” he said.
Shedding light on another issue, Vidya, who suffers from partial visual impairment, spoke on the issues that the visually impaired face while using computers.
Demonstrating various technical issues with the proprietary tools she uses, she spoke about the fact that accessibility tools (such as screen readers and related software, all in the proprietary domain) were extremely expensive. At the end of her eloquent talk, members of the FSMK (Free Software Movement of Karnataka) committed themselves to working towards solving these issues by developing better, more accessible and free tools or software in this domain.
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/17/stories/2010031751130200.htm
Freedom Walk as Run up
“The lacuna in the society we are addressing surfaced again while interacting with people, when one person inquired about the conference and expressed his interest in participating in it, but also told us he was an illiterate and that he knows only Kannada. We then welcomed him to the conference, briefing him about the gamut of Kannada related activities we are organizing as a run-up to the conference and in the conference itself. He was glad to accept the invite.
While campaigning continued profusely,an auto driver approached us. He was curious as to what we were doing. After listening to us he introduced himself. He has completed his Electronics Hardware training and conveyed to us his interest in learning some software technologies. He was interested in the National Conference as well, and told that he would be contacting the FSMK office at Madiwala for further details. “
Free Software Movement of India, Tasks & Challenges Ahead.
Initiating Gnu/Project (1983), establishing the Gnu Foundation (1984) and Free Software Foundation (1985) and defining the legal frame work of General Public License (GPL), Mr. Richard Mathew Stallman and his colleagues contributed immensely to the social cause. A college student, son of a worker from Finland, Mr Linus Torvald, who was just 18 years old, proved the effectiveness of this movement by creating the Linux kernel in 1991. Foundation for the success of Free Software was laid. Gnu Foundation lead the movement to heights of success. The concept of social ownership is being spread to other areas of knowledge. Open Hardware, Open Standards, Open Access Journals, Creative Commons etc are at different stages of advancement. Free Software and its legal frame work of GPL established successful models demonstrating advantages of social ownership on means of production.
What has been defeated by the Free Software Movement is the appropriation of socially owned software, unlike the appropriation of socially owned land during the pre-historic period and usurping of the tools off of medieval craftsmen who owned them. This crushing defeat inflicted on the exploitative system, though limited to the software domain, has also contributed to the agravation of the crisis it faces.
FSMI views free software not only as an emotional issue involving ethics of freedom but also as one of the streams of concrete means of struggle for the emancipation of mankind from all forms of exploitation. Historically, knowledge has been free. Monopolisation of knowledge started with the emergence of classes. The struggle for freeing the knowledge also started with it. Democratisation of knowledge takes place side by side with democratic expansion. But, even today, though the society is pledged to democracy, knowledge has not disseminated down to all the strata because democracy is not allowed to be rooted deep. Even with that limitation, the dissemination and spread of conventional knowledge tools down to the people cause unimaginable hurdles to the exploiting classes.
It is then, that the new information, communication and entertainment tools became handy for them. The convergence of Voice, Image and Text into digital data revolutionised the information processing of all kinds. The limitations of conventional means of information processing in its repeated use also could be overcome by the new tools. The capability of new tools in enabling repeated use of data gave rise to information explosion. That raised the acceptability of the new tools sky high. A new division based on ownership of knowledge capital has become possible. The new division of society happened to be between those who own or has access to the new tools and those do not. As in the case of denial of conventional knowledge in the past, proprietisation of new tools became handy to sustain the deprivation and possibility for exploitation. Around the same period, in the final lap of 20th centurry, new commodities were identified in the process of search for new markets. Services were transformed into commodity. New ownership forms were required to establish monopoly over them. That has lead to Intellectual Proprty Right (IPR) regime. Copy right was established on software and proprietation and monopolisation of software started.
Software professionals, the most advanced among the working class whose tools were snatched away before their own eyes, responded sharply to the day light robbery. They created software as a public asset against those in proprietary regime. For them what is important is their intellectual property and not intellectual property right.
Knowledge resource is taken from the society for both free as well as proprietary systems. New knowledge is generated through its use, adding new value to it in both cases. The new value generated and added to the existing ones ensure their livelihood. Proprietary ones are created or upgraded by the limited hired labour in the gaol like sweat rooms of monopoly software houses. Free Software system share the process knowledge with the society. That do not subject the society to infinite loot as done by proprietary software owners, who keep the process knowledge secret. Hence free software regime get back the support from the society. Bugs are settled by the first who identify it if he can. Or it is done by the first who knows, comes across and gets time. Thus free software gets richer and bugfree fast. No virus threat. High level of data security. High order of net work stability. There is no wonder free software has grown in quality and quantity surpassing the proprietary ones. According to a study, free software will take half the market share by 2010 and proprietary software will be out of the market by 2017. Other conditions remaining same, this may be true according to present trends. But, conditions do not remain the same.
Information Technology has application every where information is used, in management of the society, communication, production, distribution, entertainment, social organisations, every where. But this field is dominated by multinational monopoly houses. Indian companies are providing software service by giving patent fee to the multinationals. Premium price is levied on IT services. Wealth is syphoned from other sectors to software sector and from underdeveloped, developing and rest of the developed nations to the US. IT and Software has become a tool of imperialist exploitation and its sustenance. The ill effects of software monopoly is evident in all sectors. All these factors increases the importance of software in the present day competitive world.
These new tools are being used in the production process by the monopoly capital. Comprehensive and dynamic information network increased the mobility of capital. Capital was liberated from all forms of local as well as national bounds. Industry utilise it to reduce cost of production, both labour and wages. It enabled the industrial capitalists to increase their profit rate through making the management, production, marketing, movement of raw materials and produced goods dynamic and less expensive. It helped them to increase their profits through organising production at sources of raw materials or where wages are less or near to the market whichever is more profitable, reducing stock holding and thereby investment by producing only what is being sold achieved through integrating all process including that of production and market access by the communication network, organising distributed production centres as against the large manufacturing centres in the classical industrial era, often outsourcing the work, avoiding permanent labour, engaging contract or homestead labour at reduced wages instead, and through all these reducing the organised strength and avoiding them opportunity to organise, reducing wages, increasing working hours. The new communication network helped them to reduce the wage bill by substituting the skilled labourers with unkilled labour. It also helped to convert vast majority of workers into contract labourers and thus to weaken the organised strength of the labour.
Migration to free software avoids the resource drain from the local community. It contributes to expansion of national market. Business opportunities and income of small and medium enterprises will go up. Profit earned by Indian service providers will increase. SMEs can be empowered with efficient business management system using state of the art information technology infrastructure and make them competitive at par with Multinationals. Such efficient management system is not accessible to them at present. Free Software will help our students to acquire real knowledge on software. Today, while using proprietary softwares, they only view its exterior features and are learning only the operational procedure without access to its source code. Students of other disciplines are unable to have the required software tools to learn their subjects due to prohibitive costs. Migration to Free Software solves these problems too. The migration of even corporate bodies to free software is the proof for its financial and technical superiority.
Free Software Movement is spreading world over. It took roots in India in the second half of 1990's. Study groups and Users groups were formed in different parts of the country. Individual and collective initiatives for practical applications were visible at different parts of the country. FSFI was instituted. By and large they limited their activities to local software development communities and interaction among them being limited to the cyber space. Local language computing was an area which was much benefitted by the spread of the idea of free software. Naturally, this lead to emergence of state wide initiatives. Now with the formation of Free Software Movement of India it surfaces on the national plane.
FSMI doesnot claim the monopoly of Software Movement in the country. FSMI approaches the Indian movement realistically. FSFI has got its role to play in technical as well as legal domains. Users groups have got their slots for spread of free software and local empowerment. Free Software Movement has so far been advancing with a distributed architecture. A power centre is not required for it. Interaction and co-operation among them exists over internet. Many internet groups are in the process of forming larger congregations.
By and large, they are unable to acquire the much required capability of spreading the message of software freedom and the possibilities of Free Software use over to the vast expanse of the country. Even today despite passage of over two decades from the first Linux kernel was succesfully developed, Govt of India and most of the State Governments are yet to identify its advantages and to start use them. Only Kerala with its it@school project, ORUMA of KSEB, Insight of Space, Malayalam Computing, Malayalam projects and CATFOSS of CDiT etc and Tamilnadu with its Elcot could advance with the use of Free Software. it@school project started in 2003 using proprietary software was migrated to Free Software over a threat of agitation by the teachers union, KSTA. ORUMA of KSEB was initiated by an internal team on the initiative of the workers and officers associations there. FSFI, with its headquarters in Trivandrum has definitely helped these advancements.
Threats of monopoly software companies through central government funding and consulting agencies do exist against such local initiatives. Such threats are not against free software projects alone but is equally applicable to projects using proprietary platforms like Information Kerala Mission (IKM), the agency responsible for e-governance projects of Panchayathi Raj Institutions. IT projects of Municipal Corporations, though covered by IKM, is one by one handed over to the IT corporates using proprietary platforms and taking monopoly profit by retaining all knowhow secret, under JNURM, a centrally sponsored scheme. What is required for sustained local empowerment is migration of IKM, Akshaya, SPARK etc to Free Software, establishing them as successful local level alternatives. Use of Free Software alone shall generate and build up the necessary compulsion for allowing local alternatives.
The major advantage offered by Free Software is the opportunity for local and national empowerment. If that is not utilised, on some or the other arguments and excuses, the hold of the monopoly capital will be tightened. Globally, Google, Amazone etc are using Free Softare. But, they are Transnational Corporations. They are treading on a course more dangerous than that of the Novell who brought shame to the free software movement by its Microsoft tie-up. They are building a business model, named cloud computing, by giving total end user services, monopolising hardware, networking, platforms and such other infrastructure etc along with application software. Users neednot worry about any thing other than a browser to run on the terminal. Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) etc. are the practical applications. Sharing of various resources will reduce the cost considerably. Sharing and co-operation reduces the expenditure. Reduced price of commodities has always been the best tool for monopolising any market. The low cost of cloud services will definitely enable the corporates to take over any IT service market. In the process, they establish absolute monopoly over the data, which enhance their power and weaken any further resistance. The result is that the freedom successfully returned and ensured by the successful free software movement is being denied to not only to local communities but to nationalities even. This is the single major threat posed by the free software movement, today. The prejudices against commercial use of free software, over emphasis on the ethical value of freedom it offers, consequent conflicts between free software and open source streams etc are inhibiting the spread of Free Software.
The alternative succesfully established by Free Software Movement against software proprietisation indicates the way to meet the challenge from the present monopolisation drive through clouds. But this challenge cannot be met effectively by individuals or even small groups alone, as was possible in the case of software. Intervention of society with consolidation of sizable strength and resources is required. As Free software against proprietary software, public clouds (owned by society) shall have to be set up against private clouds. Local self government institutions, state governments departments, public sector undertakings, universities, engineering colleges, co-operatives and such other socially owned organisations and local business community wedded to local empowerment have to be mobilised to share this responsibility. Such public clouds set up locally can play a decisive role in further democratic advance of the society as a whole, side by side with empowerment of backward communities of all hues and thus step by step, at the same time, faster development of the society. That means, inorder to defend the software freedom established by the free software movement, it has to consolidate its strength and to mobilise maximum resources. That cannot be achieved by a movement of communities of software developers' alone, howsoever distributed or centralised their organisational architecture is. The answer is network of organisations representing people of all walks of life. Sure, free software, the software developers' community as also the Free Software Foundation will have a crucial role in it. There is no limit as to the number of net works. What is important is that they shall be networked. Peer to Peer. Network to Network.
This is the objective with which Democratic Alliance for Knowledge Freedom (DAKF) in Kerala and the Free Software Movement of India (FSMI), nationwide are formed. Both are congregation of communities. Every community joining these networks can work for the objectives with which they are formed, while, at the same time, unitedly working for defending and expanding software freedom and bridging digital devide. Each of the community can retain its identity. The central organisation will not act as a monopoly power. It will only lead the massive activities that are required at any particular period of time by consolidating the strengths of communities for well defined objectives agreed by all. These networks are not against any other networks. The new networks will not make any other active network redundant, either. FSMI as also DAKF shall always be ready for joint action with any other organisation for defending software freedom and bridging digital devide.
Joseph Thomas, President, FSMI, 15-04-2010
What has been defeated by the Free Software Movement is the appropriation of socially owned software, unlike the appropriation of socially owned land during the pre-historic period and usurping of the tools off of medieval craftsmen who owned them. This crushing defeat inflicted on the exploitative system, though limited to the software domain, has also contributed to the agravation of the crisis it faces.
FSMI views free software not only as an emotional issue involving ethics of freedom but also as one of the streams of concrete means of struggle for the emancipation of mankind from all forms of exploitation. Historically, knowledge has been free. Monopolisation of knowledge started with the emergence of classes. The struggle for freeing the knowledge also started with it. Democratisation of knowledge takes place side by side with democratic expansion. But, even today, though the society is pledged to democracy, knowledge has not disseminated down to all the strata because democracy is not allowed to be rooted deep. Even with that limitation, the dissemination and spread of conventional knowledge tools down to the people cause unimaginable hurdles to the exploiting classes.
It is then, that the new information, communication and entertainment tools became handy for them. The convergence of Voice, Image and Text into digital data revolutionised the information processing of all kinds. The limitations of conventional means of information processing in its repeated use also could be overcome by the new tools. The capability of new tools in enabling repeated use of data gave rise to information explosion. That raised the acceptability of the new tools sky high. A new division based on ownership of knowledge capital has become possible. The new division of society happened to be between those who own or has access to the new tools and those do not. As in the case of denial of conventional knowledge in the past, proprietisation of new tools became handy to sustain the deprivation and possibility for exploitation. Around the same period, in the final lap of 20th centurry, new commodities were identified in the process of search for new markets. Services were transformed into commodity. New ownership forms were required to establish monopoly over them. That has lead to Intellectual Proprty Right (IPR) regime. Copy right was established on software and proprietation and monopolisation of software started.
Software professionals, the most advanced among the working class whose tools were snatched away before their own eyes, responded sharply to the day light robbery. They created software as a public asset against those in proprietary regime. For them what is important is their intellectual property and not intellectual property right.
Knowledge resource is taken from the society for both free as well as proprietary systems. New knowledge is generated through its use, adding new value to it in both cases. The new value generated and added to the existing ones ensure their livelihood. Proprietary ones are created or upgraded by the limited hired labour in the gaol like sweat rooms of monopoly software houses. Free Software system share the process knowledge with the society. That do not subject the society to infinite loot as done by proprietary software owners, who keep the process knowledge secret. Hence free software regime get back the support from the society. Bugs are settled by the first who identify it if he can. Or it is done by the first who knows, comes across and gets time. Thus free software gets richer and bugfree fast. No virus threat. High level of data security. High order of net work stability. There is no wonder free software has grown in quality and quantity surpassing the proprietary ones. According to a study, free software will take half the market share by 2010 and proprietary software will be out of the market by 2017. Other conditions remaining same, this may be true according to present trends. But, conditions do not remain the same.
Information Technology has application every where information is used, in management of the society, communication, production, distribution, entertainment, social organisations, every where. But this field is dominated by multinational monopoly houses. Indian companies are providing software service by giving patent fee to the multinationals. Premium price is levied on IT services. Wealth is syphoned from other sectors to software sector and from underdeveloped, developing and rest of the developed nations to the US. IT and Software has become a tool of imperialist exploitation and its sustenance. The ill effects of software monopoly is evident in all sectors. All these factors increases the importance of software in the present day competitive world.
These new tools are being used in the production process by the monopoly capital. Comprehensive and dynamic information network increased the mobility of capital. Capital was liberated from all forms of local as well as national bounds. Industry utilise it to reduce cost of production, both labour and wages. It enabled the industrial capitalists to increase their profit rate through making the management, production, marketing, movement of raw materials and produced goods dynamic and less expensive. It helped them to increase their profits through organising production at sources of raw materials or where wages are less or near to the market whichever is more profitable, reducing stock holding and thereby investment by producing only what is being sold achieved through integrating all process including that of production and market access by the communication network, organising distributed production centres as against the large manufacturing centres in the classical industrial era, often outsourcing the work, avoiding permanent labour, engaging contract or homestead labour at reduced wages instead, and through all these reducing the organised strength and avoiding them opportunity to organise, reducing wages, increasing working hours. The new communication network helped them to reduce the wage bill by substituting the skilled labourers with unkilled labour. It also helped to convert vast majority of workers into contract labourers and thus to weaken the organised strength of the labour.
Migration to free software avoids the resource drain from the local community. It contributes to expansion of national market. Business opportunities and income of small and medium enterprises will go up. Profit earned by Indian service providers will increase. SMEs can be empowered with efficient business management system using state of the art information technology infrastructure and make them competitive at par with Multinationals. Such efficient management system is not accessible to them at present. Free Software will help our students to acquire real knowledge on software. Today, while using proprietary softwares, they only view its exterior features and are learning only the operational procedure without access to its source code. Students of other disciplines are unable to have the required software tools to learn their subjects due to prohibitive costs. Migration to Free Software solves these problems too. The migration of even corporate bodies to free software is the proof for its financial and technical superiority.
Free Software Movement is spreading world over. It took roots in India in the second half of 1990's. Study groups and Users groups were formed in different parts of the country. Individual and collective initiatives for practical applications were visible at different parts of the country. FSFI was instituted. By and large they limited their activities to local software development communities and interaction among them being limited to the cyber space. Local language computing was an area which was much benefitted by the spread of the idea of free software. Naturally, this lead to emergence of state wide initiatives. Now with the formation of Free Software Movement of India it surfaces on the national plane.
FSMI doesnot claim the monopoly of Software Movement in the country. FSMI approaches the Indian movement realistically. FSFI has got its role to play in technical as well as legal domains. Users groups have got their slots for spread of free software and local empowerment. Free Software Movement has so far been advancing with a distributed architecture. A power centre is not required for it. Interaction and co-operation among them exists over internet. Many internet groups are in the process of forming larger congregations.
By and large, they are unable to acquire the much required capability of spreading the message of software freedom and the possibilities of Free Software use over to the vast expanse of the country. Even today despite passage of over two decades from the first Linux kernel was succesfully developed, Govt of India and most of the State Governments are yet to identify its advantages and to start use them. Only Kerala with its it@school project, ORUMA of KSEB, Insight of Space, Malayalam Computing, Malayalam projects and CATFOSS of CDiT etc and Tamilnadu with its Elcot could advance with the use of Free Software. it@school project started in 2003 using proprietary software was migrated to Free Software over a threat of agitation by the teachers union, KSTA. ORUMA of KSEB was initiated by an internal team on the initiative of the workers and officers associations there. FSFI, with its headquarters in Trivandrum has definitely helped these advancements.
Threats of monopoly software companies through central government funding and consulting agencies do exist against such local initiatives. Such threats are not against free software projects alone but is equally applicable to projects using proprietary platforms like Information Kerala Mission (IKM), the agency responsible for e-governance projects of Panchayathi Raj Institutions. IT projects of Municipal Corporations, though covered by IKM, is one by one handed over to the IT corporates using proprietary platforms and taking monopoly profit by retaining all knowhow secret, under JNURM, a centrally sponsored scheme. What is required for sustained local empowerment is migration of IKM, Akshaya, SPARK etc to Free Software, establishing them as successful local level alternatives. Use of Free Software alone shall generate and build up the necessary compulsion for allowing local alternatives.
The major advantage offered by Free Software is the opportunity for local and national empowerment. If that is not utilised, on some or the other arguments and excuses, the hold of the monopoly capital will be tightened. Globally, Google, Amazone etc are using Free Softare. But, they are Transnational Corporations. They are treading on a course more dangerous than that of the Novell who brought shame to the free software movement by its Microsoft tie-up. They are building a business model, named cloud computing, by giving total end user services, monopolising hardware, networking, platforms and such other infrastructure etc along with application software. Users neednot worry about any thing other than a browser to run on the terminal. Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) etc. are the practical applications. Sharing of various resources will reduce the cost considerably. Sharing and co-operation reduces the expenditure. Reduced price of commodities has always been the best tool for monopolising any market. The low cost of cloud services will definitely enable the corporates to take over any IT service market. In the process, they establish absolute monopoly over the data, which enhance their power and weaken any further resistance. The result is that the freedom successfully returned and ensured by the successful free software movement is being denied to not only to local communities but to nationalities even. This is the single major threat posed by the free software movement, today. The prejudices against commercial use of free software, over emphasis on the ethical value of freedom it offers, consequent conflicts between free software and open source streams etc are inhibiting the spread of Free Software.
The alternative succesfully established by Free Software Movement against software proprietisation indicates the way to meet the challenge from the present monopolisation drive through clouds. But this challenge cannot be met effectively by individuals or even small groups alone, as was possible in the case of software. Intervention of society with consolidation of sizable strength and resources is required. As Free software against proprietary software, public clouds (owned by society) shall have to be set up against private clouds. Local self government institutions, state governments departments, public sector undertakings, universities, engineering colleges, co-operatives and such other socially owned organisations and local business community wedded to local empowerment have to be mobilised to share this responsibility. Such public clouds set up locally can play a decisive role in further democratic advance of the society as a whole, side by side with empowerment of backward communities of all hues and thus step by step, at the same time, faster development of the society. That means, inorder to defend the software freedom established by the free software movement, it has to consolidate its strength and to mobilise maximum resources. That cannot be achieved by a movement of communities of software developers' alone, howsoever distributed or centralised their organisational architecture is. The answer is network of organisations representing people of all walks of life. Sure, free software, the software developers' community as also the Free Software Foundation will have a crucial role in it. There is no limit as to the number of net works. What is important is that they shall be networked. Peer to Peer. Network to Network.
This is the objective with which Democratic Alliance for Knowledge Freedom (DAKF) in Kerala and the Free Software Movement of India (FSMI), nationwide are formed. Both are congregation of communities. Every community joining these networks can work for the objectives with which they are formed, while, at the same time, unitedly working for defending and expanding software freedom and bridging digital devide. Each of the community can retain its identity. The central organisation will not act as a monopoly power. It will only lead the massive activities that are required at any particular period of time by consolidating the strengths of communities for well defined objectives agreed by all. These networks are not against any other networks. The new networks will not make any other active network redundant, either. FSMI as also DAKF shall always be ready for joint action with any other organisation for defending software freedom and bridging digital devide.
Joseph Thomas, President, FSMI, 15-04-2010
Free Software, FSMI & DAKF - Social relevance
As far as end users are concerned, free software and proprietary software makes difference only on two counts. Swathanthra software costs lesser and offer better quality by way of data security and network stability, while offering all the freedom in addition. No comparison there. As far as operational ease is concerned both are same as both use Graphic User Interface (GUI). Any one who knows to operate microsoft windows with word, excel and powerpoint can as easily operate Open Office with writer, calc and impress. Paint is no match for GIMP. For beginners, again, both are same. But for students who want to learn and for developers who require expertise, swathanthra software with its source code available for study is far more superior to the proprietary ones whose source code is kept secret. For institutions and organisations with large number of installations, swathanthra software reduce the bill considerably both in short run as also in long run.
The only grey area for swathanthra software for the time being is in getting service support. We get enough support for proprietary software whose quality is despisingly low. We donot get support for swathanthra software which is far more superior in quality and attributes. We the people of Kerala only are to be blamed for it. We were a community who were told of free software as early as 1995 and propagated it in an organised way right from 2000, which no other state or country can claim. Now what is to be done is to intervene in an organised way with dedication. Have user groups in all institutions. Network them into larger congregations. DAKF is there to help you. Take support from it@school trainers. Take support from Hardware vendors and Akshaya entrepreneurs. Pay them liberally. We are saving by way of licence fee.
Initiating Gnu/Project (1983), establishing the Gnu Foundation (1984) and Free Software Foundation (1985) and defining the legal frame work of General Public License (GPL), Mr. Richard Mathew Stallman and his colleagues contributed immensely to the social cause. A college student, son of a worker from Finland, Mr Linus Torvald, who was just 18 years old, proved the effectiveness of this movement by creating the Linux kernel in 1991. Foundation for the success of Free Software was laid. Gnu Foundation lead the movement to heights of success. The concept of social ownership is being spread to other areas of knowledge. Open Hardware, Open Standards, Open Access Journals, Creative Commons etc are at different stages of advancement. Free Software and its legal frame work of GPL established successful models demonstrating advantages of social ownership on means of production.
What has been defeated by the Free Software Movement is the appropriation of socially owned software, unlike the appropriation of socially owned land during the pre-historic period and usurping of the tools off of medieval craftsmen who owned them. This crushing defeat inflicted on the exploitative system, though limited to the software domain, has also contributed to the agravation of the crisis it faces.
FSMI views free software not only as an emotional issue involving ethics of freedom but also as one of the streams of concrete means of struggle for the emancipation of mankind from all forms of exploitation. Historically, knowledge has been free. Monopolisation of knowledge started with the emergence of classes. The struggle for freeing the knowledge also started with it. Democratisation of knowledge takes place side by side with democratic expansion. But, even today, though the society is pledged to democracy, knowledge has not disseminated down to all the strata because democracy is not allowed to be rooted deep. Even with that limitation, the dissemination and spread of conventional knowledge tools down to the people cause unimaginable hurdles to the exploiting classes.
It is then, that the new information, communication and entertainment tools became handy for them. The convergence of Voice, Image and Text into digital data revolutionised the information processing of all kinds. The limitations of conventional means of information processing in its repeated use also could be overcome by the new tools. The capability of new tools in enabling repeated use of data gave rise to information explosion. That raised the acceptability of the new tools sky high. A new division based on ownership of knowledge capital has become possible. The new division of society happened to be between those who own or has access to the new tools and those do not. As in the case of denial of conventional knowledge in the past, proprietisation of new tools became handy to sustain the deprivation and possibility for exploitation. Around the same period, in the final lap of 20th centurry, new commodities were identified in the process of search for new markets. Services were transformed into commodity. New ownership forms were required to establish monopoly over them. That has lead to Intellectual Proprty Right (IPR) regime. Copy right was established on software and proprietation and monopolisation of software started.
Software professionals, the most advanced among the working class whose tools were snatched away before their own eyes, responded sharply to the day light robbery. They created software as a public asset against those in proprietary regime. For them what is important is their intellectual property and not intellectual property right.
Knowledge resource is taken from the society for both free as well as proprietary systems. New knowledge is generated through its use, adding new value to it in both cases. The new value generated and added to the existing ones ensure their livelihood. Proprietary ones are created or upgraded by the limited hired labour in the gaol like sweat rooms of monopoly software houses. Free Software system share the process knowledge with the society. That do not subject the society to infinite loot as done by proprietary software owners, who keep the process knowledge secret. Hence free software regime get back the support from the society. Bugs are settled by the first who identify it if he can. Or it is done by the first who knows, comes across and gets time. Thus free software gets richer and bugfree fast. No virus threat. High level of data security. High order of net work stability. There is no wonder free software has grown in quality and quantity surpassing the proprietary ones. According to a study, free software will take half the market share by 2010 and proprietary software will be out of the market by 2017. Other conditions remaining same, this may be true according to present trends. But, conditions do not remain the same.
Information Technology has application every where information is used, in management of the society, communication, production, distribution, entertainment, social organisations, every where. But this field is dominated by multinational monopoly houses. Indian companies are providing software service by giving patent fee to the multinationals. Premium price is levied on IT services. Wealth is syphoned from other sectors to software sector and from underdeveloped, developing and rest of the developed nations to the US. IT and Software has become a tool of imperialist exploitation and its sustenance. The ill effects of software monopoly is evident in all sectors. All these factors increases the importance of software in the present day competitive world.
These new tools are being used in the production process by the monopoly capital. Comprehensive and dynamic information network increased the mobility of capital. Capital was liberated from all forms of local as well as national bounds. Industry utilise it to reduce cost of production, both labour and wages. It enabled the industrial capitalists to increase their profit rate through making the management, production, marketing, movement of raw materials and produced goods dynamic and less expensive. It helped them to increase their profits through organising production at sources of raw materials or where wages are less or near to the market whichever is more profitable, reducing stock holding and thereby investment by producing only what is being sold achieved through integrating all process including that of production and market access by the communication network, organising distributed production centres as against the large manufacturing centres in the classical industrial era, often outsourcing the work, avoiding permanent labour, engaging contract or homestead labour at reduced wages instead, and through all these reducing the organised strength and avoiding them opportunity to organise, reducing wages, increasing working hours. The new communication network helped them to reduce the wage bill by substituting the skilled labourers with unkilled labour. It also helped to convert vast majority of workers into contract labourers and thus to weaken the organised strength of the labour.
Migration to free software avoids the resource drain from the local community. It contributes to expansion of national market. Business opportunities and income of small and medium enterprises will go up. Profit earned by Indian service providers will increase. SMEs can be empowered with efficient business management system using state of the art information technology infrastructure and make them competitive at par with Multinationals. Such efficient management system is not accessible to them at present. Free Software will help our students to acquire real knowledge on software. Today, while using proprietary softwares, they only view its exterior features and are learning only the operational procedure without access to its source code. Students of other disciplines are unable to have the required software tools to learn their subjects due to prohibitive costs. Migration to Free Software solves these problems too. The migration of even corporate bodies to free software is the proof for its financial and technical superiority.
Free Software Movement is spreading world over. It took roots in India in the second half of 1990's. Study groups and Users groups were formed in different parts of the country. Individual and collective initiatives for practical applications were visible at different parts of the country. FSFI was instituted. By and large they limited their activities to local software development communities and interaction among them being limited to the cyber space. Local language computing was an area which was much benefitted by the spread of the idea of free software. Naturally, this lead to emergence of state wide initiatives. Now with the formation of Free Software Movement of India it surfaces on the national plane.
FSMI doesnot claim the monopoly of Software Movement in the country. FSMI approaches the Indian movement realistically. FSFI has got its role to play in technical as well as legal domains. Users groups have got their slots for spread of free software and local empowerment. Free Software Movement has so far been advancing with a distributed architecture. A power centre is not required for it. Interaction and co-operation among them exists over internet. Many internet groups are in the process of forming larger congregations.
By and large, they are unable to acquire the much required capability of spreading the message of software freedom and the possibilities of Free Software use over to the vast expanse of the country. Even today despite passage of over two decades from the first Linux kernel was succesfully developed, Govt of India and most of the State Governments are yet to identify its advantages and to start use them. Only Kerala with its it@school project, ORUMA of KSEB, Insight of Space, Malayalam Computing, Malayalam projects and CATFOSS of CDiT etc and Tamilnadu with its Elcot could advance with the use of Free Software. it@school project started in 2003 using proprietary software was migrated to Free Software over a threat of agitation by the teachers union, KSTA. ORUMA of KSEB was initiated by an internal team on the initiative of the workers and officers associations there. FSFI, with its headquarters in Trivandrum has definitely helped these advancements.
Threats of monopoly software companies through central government funding and consulting agencies do exist against such local initiatives. Such threats are not against free software projects alone but is equally applicable to projects using proprietary platforms like Information Kerala Mission (IKM), the agency responsible for e-governance projects of Panchayathi Raj Institutions. IT projects of Municipal Corporations, though covered by IKM, is one by one handed over to the IT corporates using proprietary platforms and taking monopoly profit by retaining all knowhow secret, under JNURM, a centrally sponsored scheme. What is required for sustained local empowerment is migration of IKM, Akshaya, SPARK etc to Free Software, establishing them as successful local level alternatives. Use of Free Software alone shall generate and build up the necessary compulsion for allowing local alternatives.
The major advantage offered by Free Software is the opportunity for local and national empowerment. If that is not utilised, on some or the other arguments and excuses, the hold of the monopoly capital will be tightened. Globally, Google, Amazone etc are using Free Softare. But, they are Transnational Corporations. They are treading on a course more dangerous than that of the Novell who brought shame to the free software movement by its Microsoft tie-up. They are building a business model, named cloud computing, by giving total end user services, monopolising hardware, networking, platforms and such other infrastructure etc along with application software. Users neednot worry about any thing other than a browser to run on the terminal. Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) etc. are the practical applications. Sharing of various resources will reduce the cost considerably. Sharing and co-operation reduces the expenditure. Reduced price of commodities has always been the best tool for monopolising any market. The low cost of cloud services will definitely enable the corporates to take over any IT service market. In the process, they establish absolute monopoly over the data, which enhance their power and weaken any further resistance. The result is that the freedom successfully returned and ensured by the successful free software movement is being denied to not only to local communities but to nationalities even. This is the single major threat posed by the free software movement, today. The prejudices against commercial use of free software, over emphasis on the ethical value of freedom it offers, consequent conflicts between free software and open source streams etc are inhibiting the spread of Free Software.
The alternative succesfully established by Free Software Movement against software proprietisation indicates the way to meet the challenge from the present monopolisation drive through clouds. But this challenge cannot be met effectively by individuals or even small groups alone, as was possible in the case of software. Intervention of society with consolidation of sizable strength and resources is required. As Free software against proprietary software, public clouds (owned by society) shall have to be set up against private clouds. Local self government institutions, state governments departments, public sector undertakings, universities, engineering colleges, co-operatives and such other socially owned organisations and local business community wedded to local empowerment have to be mobilised to share this responsibility. Such public clouds set up locally can play a decisive role in further democratic advance of the society as a whole, side by side with empowerment of backward communities of all hues and thus step by step, at the same time, faster development of the society. That means, inorder to defend the software freedom established by the free software movement, it has to consolidate its strength and to mobilise maximum resources. That cannot be achieved by a movement of communities of software developers' alone, howsoever distributed or centralised their organisational architecture is. The answer is network of organisations representing people of all walks of life. Sure, free software, the software developers' community as also the Free Software Foundation will have a crucial role in it. There is no limit as to the number of net works. What is important is that they shall be networked. Peer to Peer. Network to Network.
This is the objective with which Democratic Alliance for Knowledge Freedom (DAKF) in Kerala and the Free Software Movement of India (FSMI), nationwide are formed. Both are congregation of communities. Every community joining these networks can work for the objectives with which they are formed, while, at the same time, unitedly working for defending and expanding software freedom and bridging digital devide. Each of the community can retain its identity. The central organisation will not act as a monopoly power. It will only lead the massive activities that are required at any particular period of time by consolidating the strengths of communities for well defined objectives agreed by all. These networks are not against any other networks. The new networks will not make any other active network redundant, either. FSMI as also DAKF shall always be ready for joint action with any other organisation for defending software freedom and bridging digital devide.
Joseph Thomas, President, FSMI, 15-04-2010
The only grey area for swathanthra software for the time being is in getting service support. We get enough support for proprietary software whose quality is despisingly low. We donot get support for swathanthra software which is far more superior in quality and attributes. We the people of Kerala only are to be blamed for it. We were a community who were told of free software as early as 1995 and propagated it in an organised way right from 2000, which no other state or country can claim. Now what is to be done is to intervene in an organised way with dedication. Have user groups in all institutions. Network them into larger congregations. DAKF is there to help you. Take support from it@school trainers. Take support from Hardware vendors and Akshaya entrepreneurs. Pay them liberally. We are saving by way of licence fee.
Initiating Gnu/Project (1983), establishing the Gnu Foundation (1984) and Free Software Foundation (1985) and defining the legal frame work of General Public License (GPL), Mr. Richard Mathew Stallman and his colleagues contributed immensely to the social cause. A college student, son of a worker from Finland, Mr Linus Torvald, who was just 18 years old, proved the effectiveness of this movement by creating the Linux kernel in 1991. Foundation for the success of Free Software was laid. Gnu Foundation lead the movement to heights of success. The concept of social ownership is being spread to other areas of knowledge. Open Hardware, Open Standards, Open Access Journals, Creative Commons etc are at different stages of advancement. Free Software and its legal frame work of GPL established successful models demonstrating advantages of social ownership on means of production.
What has been defeated by the Free Software Movement is the appropriation of socially owned software, unlike the appropriation of socially owned land during the pre-historic period and usurping of the tools off of medieval craftsmen who owned them. This crushing defeat inflicted on the exploitative system, though limited to the software domain, has also contributed to the agravation of the crisis it faces.
FSMI views free software not only as an emotional issue involving ethics of freedom but also as one of the streams of concrete means of struggle for the emancipation of mankind from all forms of exploitation. Historically, knowledge has been free. Monopolisation of knowledge started with the emergence of classes. The struggle for freeing the knowledge also started with it. Democratisation of knowledge takes place side by side with democratic expansion. But, even today, though the society is pledged to democracy, knowledge has not disseminated down to all the strata because democracy is not allowed to be rooted deep. Even with that limitation, the dissemination and spread of conventional knowledge tools down to the people cause unimaginable hurdles to the exploiting classes.
It is then, that the new information, communication and entertainment tools became handy for them. The convergence of Voice, Image and Text into digital data revolutionised the information processing of all kinds. The limitations of conventional means of information processing in its repeated use also could be overcome by the new tools. The capability of new tools in enabling repeated use of data gave rise to information explosion. That raised the acceptability of the new tools sky high. A new division based on ownership of knowledge capital has become possible. The new division of society happened to be between those who own or has access to the new tools and those do not. As in the case of denial of conventional knowledge in the past, proprietisation of new tools became handy to sustain the deprivation and possibility for exploitation. Around the same period, in the final lap of 20th centurry, new commodities were identified in the process of search for new markets. Services were transformed into commodity. New ownership forms were required to establish monopoly over them. That has lead to Intellectual Proprty Right (IPR) regime. Copy right was established on software and proprietation and monopolisation of software started.
Software professionals, the most advanced among the working class whose tools were snatched away before their own eyes, responded sharply to the day light robbery. They created software as a public asset against those in proprietary regime. For them what is important is their intellectual property and not intellectual property right.
Knowledge resource is taken from the society for both free as well as proprietary systems. New knowledge is generated through its use, adding new value to it in both cases. The new value generated and added to the existing ones ensure their livelihood. Proprietary ones are created or upgraded by the limited hired labour in the gaol like sweat rooms of monopoly software houses. Free Software system share the process knowledge with the society. That do not subject the society to infinite loot as done by proprietary software owners, who keep the process knowledge secret. Hence free software regime get back the support from the society. Bugs are settled by the first who identify it if he can. Or it is done by the first who knows, comes across and gets time. Thus free software gets richer and bugfree fast. No virus threat. High level of data security. High order of net work stability. There is no wonder free software has grown in quality and quantity surpassing the proprietary ones. According to a study, free software will take half the market share by 2010 and proprietary software will be out of the market by 2017. Other conditions remaining same, this may be true according to present trends. But, conditions do not remain the same.
Information Technology has application every where information is used, in management of the society, communication, production, distribution, entertainment, social organisations, every where. But this field is dominated by multinational monopoly houses. Indian companies are providing software service by giving patent fee to the multinationals. Premium price is levied on IT services. Wealth is syphoned from other sectors to software sector and from underdeveloped, developing and rest of the developed nations to the US. IT and Software has become a tool of imperialist exploitation and its sustenance. The ill effects of software monopoly is evident in all sectors. All these factors increases the importance of software in the present day competitive world.
These new tools are being used in the production process by the monopoly capital. Comprehensive and dynamic information network increased the mobility of capital. Capital was liberated from all forms of local as well as national bounds. Industry utilise it to reduce cost of production, both labour and wages. It enabled the industrial capitalists to increase their profit rate through making the management, production, marketing, movement of raw materials and produced goods dynamic and less expensive. It helped them to increase their profits through organising production at sources of raw materials or where wages are less or near to the market whichever is more profitable, reducing stock holding and thereby investment by producing only what is being sold achieved through integrating all process including that of production and market access by the communication network, organising distributed production centres as against the large manufacturing centres in the classical industrial era, often outsourcing the work, avoiding permanent labour, engaging contract or homestead labour at reduced wages instead, and through all these reducing the organised strength and avoiding them opportunity to organise, reducing wages, increasing working hours. The new communication network helped them to reduce the wage bill by substituting the skilled labourers with unkilled labour. It also helped to convert vast majority of workers into contract labourers and thus to weaken the organised strength of the labour.
Migration to free software avoids the resource drain from the local community. It contributes to expansion of national market. Business opportunities and income of small and medium enterprises will go up. Profit earned by Indian service providers will increase. SMEs can be empowered with efficient business management system using state of the art information technology infrastructure and make them competitive at par with Multinationals. Such efficient management system is not accessible to them at present. Free Software will help our students to acquire real knowledge on software. Today, while using proprietary softwares, they only view its exterior features and are learning only the operational procedure without access to its source code. Students of other disciplines are unable to have the required software tools to learn their subjects due to prohibitive costs. Migration to Free Software solves these problems too. The migration of even corporate bodies to free software is the proof for its financial and technical superiority.
Free Software Movement is spreading world over. It took roots in India in the second half of 1990's. Study groups and Users groups were formed in different parts of the country. Individual and collective initiatives for practical applications were visible at different parts of the country. FSFI was instituted. By and large they limited their activities to local software development communities and interaction among them being limited to the cyber space. Local language computing was an area which was much benefitted by the spread of the idea of free software. Naturally, this lead to emergence of state wide initiatives. Now with the formation of Free Software Movement of India it surfaces on the national plane.
FSMI doesnot claim the monopoly of Software Movement in the country. FSMI approaches the Indian movement realistically. FSFI has got its role to play in technical as well as legal domains. Users groups have got their slots for spread of free software and local empowerment. Free Software Movement has so far been advancing with a distributed architecture. A power centre is not required for it. Interaction and co-operation among them exists over internet. Many internet groups are in the process of forming larger congregations.
By and large, they are unable to acquire the much required capability of spreading the message of software freedom and the possibilities of Free Software use over to the vast expanse of the country. Even today despite passage of over two decades from the first Linux kernel was succesfully developed, Govt of India and most of the State Governments are yet to identify its advantages and to start use them. Only Kerala with its it@school project, ORUMA of KSEB, Insight of Space, Malayalam Computing, Malayalam projects and CATFOSS of CDiT etc and Tamilnadu with its Elcot could advance with the use of Free Software. it@school project started in 2003 using proprietary software was migrated to Free Software over a threat of agitation by the teachers union, KSTA. ORUMA of KSEB was initiated by an internal team on the initiative of the workers and officers associations there. FSFI, with its headquarters in Trivandrum has definitely helped these advancements.
Threats of monopoly software companies through central government funding and consulting agencies do exist against such local initiatives. Such threats are not against free software projects alone but is equally applicable to projects using proprietary platforms like Information Kerala Mission (IKM), the agency responsible for e-governance projects of Panchayathi Raj Institutions. IT projects of Municipal Corporations, though covered by IKM, is one by one handed over to the IT corporates using proprietary platforms and taking monopoly profit by retaining all knowhow secret, under JNURM, a centrally sponsored scheme. What is required for sustained local empowerment is migration of IKM, Akshaya, SPARK etc to Free Software, establishing them as successful local level alternatives. Use of Free Software alone shall generate and build up the necessary compulsion for allowing local alternatives.
The major advantage offered by Free Software is the opportunity for local and national empowerment. If that is not utilised, on some or the other arguments and excuses, the hold of the monopoly capital will be tightened. Globally, Google, Amazone etc are using Free Softare. But, they are Transnational Corporations. They are treading on a course more dangerous than that of the Novell who brought shame to the free software movement by its Microsoft tie-up. They are building a business model, named cloud computing, by giving total end user services, monopolising hardware, networking, platforms and such other infrastructure etc along with application software. Users neednot worry about any thing other than a browser to run on the terminal. Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) etc. are the practical applications. Sharing of various resources will reduce the cost considerably. Sharing and co-operation reduces the expenditure. Reduced price of commodities has always been the best tool for monopolising any market. The low cost of cloud services will definitely enable the corporates to take over any IT service market. In the process, they establish absolute monopoly over the data, which enhance their power and weaken any further resistance. The result is that the freedom successfully returned and ensured by the successful free software movement is being denied to not only to local communities but to nationalities even. This is the single major threat posed by the free software movement, today. The prejudices against commercial use of free software, over emphasis on the ethical value of freedom it offers, consequent conflicts between free software and open source streams etc are inhibiting the spread of Free Software.
The alternative succesfully established by Free Software Movement against software proprietisation indicates the way to meet the challenge from the present monopolisation drive through clouds. But this challenge cannot be met effectively by individuals or even small groups alone, as was possible in the case of software. Intervention of society with consolidation of sizable strength and resources is required. As Free software against proprietary software, public clouds (owned by society) shall have to be set up against private clouds. Local self government institutions, state governments departments, public sector undertakings, universities, engineering colleges, co-operatives and such other socially owned organisations and local business community wedded to local empowerment have to be mobilised to share this responsibility. Such public clouds set up locally can play a decisive role in further democratic advance of the society as a whole, side by side with empowerment of backward communities of all hues and thus step by step, at the same time, faster development of the society. That means, inorder to defend the software freedom established by the free software movement, it has to consolidate its strength and to mobilise maximum resources. That cannot be achieved by a movement of communities of software developers' alone, howsoever distributed or centralised their organisational architecture is. The answer is network of organisations representing people of all walks of life. Sure, free software, the software developers' community as also the Free Software Foundation will have a crucial role in it. There is no limit as to the number of net works. What is important is that they shall be networked. Peer to Peer. Network to Network.
This is the objective with which Democratic Alliance for Knowledge Freedom (DAKF) in Kerala and the Free Software Movement of India (FSMI), nationwide are formed. Both are congregation of communities. Every community joining these networks can work for the objectives with which they are formed, while, at the same time, unitedly working for defending and expanding software freedom and bridging digital devide. Each of the community can retain its identity. The central organisation will not act as a monopoly power. It will only lead the massive activities that are required at any particular period of time by consolidating the strengths of communities for well defined objectives agreed by all. These networks are not against any other networks. The new networks will not make any other active network redundant, either. FSMI as also DAKF shall always be ready for joint action with any other organisation for defending software freedom and bridging digital devide.
Joseph Thomas, President, FSMI, 15-04-2010
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