pandarinathan raman wrote:
It is highly irregular to pass comment about officials without knowing full context. It could have been rejected probably some existing applications have to be ported.
What is the present level of computerization in the govt. offices. Does it go anything beyond MSOffice. If a panchayat is capable of handling its requirements using GNU/Linux, preventing it by an order from Trivandrum is sheer misuse of power.
Once I had the following experience. We we met the mayor of a corporation
, that was computerizing some records, to talk about Free Software and he directed us to the officer handling it. When we pointed out about the cost savings the curt response from the officer was "we have enough funds from the government". This is the prevailing mentality. If money is there, just spend it. If somebody under you come up with something better , reject it without assigning any reason.
If linux is rejected due to the lack of some application, he should have point out that reason. Sending an order "strictly objecting to installing linux" is not a sensible thing to do. Such reply comes from the attitude " I do not have to explain any reason since I have power"
I am also a govt. employee and working in a place where more that 100 machines running GNU/Linux for word processing, communication, databases, scientific computing and control applications. Fortunately it not under an official who rejects something without reason.
We can progress by our actions and not by accusing others or by emotional outbursts. For real success in govt sector you should show some successful sites in India entirely running on FS, which I think are reallly rare.
The decision makers in the govt. also should keep their eyes open. They should interact with academics in places like engg. colleges and IITs.
At least they should see what is happening around the world. If they do not do any of these, at least they should not issue orders "strictly objecting to something without assigning any reason" . A nations fate cannot be decided by the information provided by sales representatives. If somebody does that, one can always suspect the motive.
ajith