There should be a two fold strategy. Apart from a memorandum to top of the official hierarchy, we have to empower the lower strata of scientific institutions in the use of swathanthra software.
Once we had a debate with officials of NIC Kannur. As posted to this list earlier, government high schools in Kannur parliamentary constituency is provided with computers loaded with swathanthra software and ether boot facility with the financial support from local MP fund. The SEPSIT (Social Entrepreneurship Promotion Society on Information Technology, Kannur ) has voluntarily acted as a consultant to the Kannur MP, Mr. Abdullakutty.
We found it very easy to convince the local political leadership on usage of GPL'd sotware, so they have decided to proceed with it. However the District Collector ( who is the sanctioning authority for MP fund ) approached NIC for technical advice. The NIC officials with least experience on swathanthra software, doubted its functioning and blocked the project for a long duration.
Finally we, the SEPSIT was forced to demonstrate the proposed system to NIC officials. After a week long debate, SEPSIT has succeded in sanctioning the fund. After that SEPSIT, Kannur Science Park ( An institution of Kannur District panchayath built under Peoples Plan Campaign ), S2S2 ( A local institution in swathanthra software business) etc. have provided training and supports to teachers of these schools on swathanthra software. After the successfull implementation of this project one of the NIC official suggested that all NIC system should run on GPL'd software.
Regards,
Anil, Appropriate Technology Promotion Society (ATPS)