http://164.100.24.219/rsq/quest.asp?qref=89320 GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MINISTRY OF 69 RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 976 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2003 PROMOTION OF FREE LIBRE AND OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE 976. SHRI FALEIRO EDUARDO MARTINHO Will the Minister of COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:- (a) what steps have been taken since the announcement of the Linux India Initiative by Government on the issue of promoting free/libre and open source software within the country; (b) the level of usage of FLOSS products in Government and semi- Government organizations; and (c) whether the research benefits of publicly-funded computing institutions would be made sharable to all, by placing the same under the General Public Licence (GPL) or similar licences that do not restrict sharing of knowledge due to copyright restrictions? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY(SU THIRUNAVUKKARASAR) (a): Two more consultative meetings have been held since then for in-depth discussion on projects and policy positions to be taken-one within the Government and associated agencies and another with NGOs/Civil Society. Various related initiatives, as planned, under Linux India Initiative exercise are also being pursued. (b): They are growing. (c): Research benefits of publicly funded computing institutions are being shared wherever appropriate. For instance, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) had added components relating to a number of Indian languages for Linux available under General Public Licence (GPL) in September, 2003. Similarly, open office solutions have been provided for Indian languages under GPL developed by C-DAC, CollabCAD software developed by National Informatics Centre (NIC) package has also been put in a limited sharing mode within certain agencies of Government. C-DAC has also put its Indian fonts in public domain. Wherever appropriate, software developed under public funded efforts are being shared under GPL or similar licenses that do not restrict the sharing of knowledge due to copyright restrictions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Frederick Noronha (FN) Near Convent, SALIGAO 403511 GOA India Freelance Journalist Tel: +91-832-2409490 MOBILE: 9822122436 http://www.ilug-goa.tk (GNULinux Users Group Goa)