BraveGNUIndia * By Frederick Noronha
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Education officialdom
JUST A FEW days before the deadline expired, two talented friends now
working for Red Hat circulated a request-for-discussion. Thanks to Trevor
Warren <twarren _at_ redhat.com> and Biju Chacko <botsie _at_ symonds.net> for putting
this issue on the community's agenda.
Harshprabha, joint-director of the Indian department of information
technology's e-commerce section wants feedback via apatki _at_ mit.gov.in.
Maybe every supporter of getting Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS)
into governments should have sent in submissions. I didn't; but rushed off
to Linux Bangalore 2003. Even if one has disagreements with the priorities
of the mother of all Open Source meetings in the country, it has always been
a great place to learn more and meet up with people....
To cut short the officialese, the DoIT is in the process of framing "various
rules and regulations". It's needs to finalise electronic forms, and the
manner and format in which electronic records are to be filed, or payment is
to be made. So, would secure electronic records be better off if created in
"Open Source" software?
Two scenarios were created. Under one, PDF files were suggested, and the
risks of proprietorial software were highlighted. These included the risks
of Trojanized software, non-evaluation of source-code to evaluate the
software for hidden threats, and in any case, the 'open source' software
would not be made compulsory for transactions between private parties.
In the other option -- actually the choice presented first -- the
officialdom raised concerns about "security in open source software as all
the developers who are hosting source document on the web do not generally
take the responsibility". Three other arguments were (i) the lack of
infrastructure for approving software available from "various varieties"
(ii) that FLOSS might "not be acceptable to the public at large" and (iii)
that adopting FLOSS "could become a legal issue".
Such confused arguments need to be dismissed for what they're worth. Are we
simply missing the point about what benefits FLOSS world can offer India?
In Bangalore itself in early December, Atul Chitnis put it well when he
listed the advantages of the use of FLOSS (or "Open Source", to use the
preferred term there). These ranged from lower initial costs, to the fact
that open standards are used, and that there's no vendor lock-in. FLOSS also
offers multiple support options, the ability to audit the software, a rapid
response to security issues, enhanced stability, and the very real
possiblity for fostering more innovation.
Then, there's the reality of FLOSS building local skills, and encouraging
technological self-dependence. "Combined with cost, security is perhaps the
most important factor pushing FLOSS in every country outside the United
States," argues the interesting 'Free as in Education' report
(www.itfirms.co.za/research.html). Does it make sense for a country claiming
to be a "software super-power" to depend on standards and technologies built
half-way round the globe, and controlled from there?
But let's look beyond just technological efficiency and security. Richard M.
Stallman, the philosopher behind much of today's FLOSS idealism and
dedication, has made an interesting argument in
www.gnu.org/philosophy/schools.html -- on why schools should use exclusively
free software.
Says RMS: "There are general reasons why all computer users should insist on
free software. It gives users the freedom to control their own computers --
with proprietary software, the computer does what the software owner wants
it to do, not what you want it to do. And it gives users the freedom to
cooperate with each other...."
But, says he, there are 'special' reasons: "School should teach students
ways of life that will benefit society as a whole. They should promote the
use of free software just as they promote recycling. If schools teach
students free software, then the students will use free software after they
graduate. This will help society as a whole escape from being dominated (and
gouged) by mega-corporations. Those corporations offer free samples to
schools for the same reason tobacco companies distribute free cigarettes: to
get children addicted. They will not give discounts to these students once
they grow up and graduate."
Proprietary software rejects the thirst for knowledge, as RMS argues.
If officials want to really understand FLOSS, let them simply play their
role in fighting some major obstacles to its spread in countries like ours.
These include the fact that the "bureaucracy is perhaps the most fundamental
barrier to the wider adoption of FLOSS" and the reality that corruption is
"another ingredient" that keeps out cost-efficient and competitive FLOSS
technologies because "companies with enough cash can buy off decision
makers" (as cited in the 'Free as In Education' report available on the
itfirms.co.za URL).
--
The author is a Goa-based freelance writer, and co-founder of
www.bytesforall.org. Email fred _at_ bytesforall.org
Copyleft 2003. This column may be reproduced in its entirity with credit to
the writer and the magazine.
--
Frederick Noronha : http://www.fredericknoronha.net Ph 0091.832.2409490
Freelance Journalist : http://www.bytesforall.org Ph 0091.832.2409783
http://fredericknoronha.blogware.com Cell 0 9822 122436
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