Great step. (Perhaps soon we may be seeing Free Software instead of Open Source - but I think it conveys the *spirit*.)
Hmm... can you elaborate on the 'spirit'ual aspect??
The current (TN's, not mine) spirit is spirit (alcohol) as in Free Beer. Assuming that TN Govt is not part of OS movement, the amended spirit would soon be that as in Free Speech.
CK Raju
doxa@sancharnet.in wrote:
Great step. (Perhaps soon we may be seeing Free Software instead of Open Source - but I think it conveys the *spirit*.)
Hmm... can you elaborate on the 'spirit'ual aspect??
The current (TN's, not mine) spirit is spirit (alcohol) as in Free Beer. Assuming that TN Govt is not part of OS movement, the amended spirit would soon be that as in Free Speech.
Related to this, I have mailed to md@elcot.com (Thiru C. Umashankar IAS, Managing Director of Elcot) asking him to take a look at
http://www.fsf.org http://www.gnu.org
and requesting him to think about FLOSS and not just Open Source; Requesting him to think about GNU and not just Linux. Yet to get a response though.)
Visit http://www.elcot.com for contact information of the relevant folks.
Rgds, anna
Frederick Noronha (FN) fred@bytesforall.org Sun Aug 31 15:47:30 IST 2003] ---------------------------------
Dear Mr Umashankar C:
Thanks for your note, and here's my response.
Firstly, may I point out that I'm a supporter of the Free Software model; and wouldn't like to push the Open Source label just primarily because it appears more business friendly. Freedom (of the software writer and user) is an important issue, and this should reflect in the labels we use, IMHO.
Secondly, your concern is valid. There's much scope for work in this field. But, for this task to be accomplished, we need to involve a whole lot of others, and hence involving a couple of evangelists like Atul and me alone would be grossly insufficient.
As a first step, I'll circulate your note so that others in the debate (FSF-India, LIG, PubSoft, GKD, BytesForAll) get to know of these concerns.
Thirdly, instead of reinventing the wheel, we do need to keep track of the initiatives underway at the international and national levels. In this sphere, a lot of work can -- and should -- be shared.
We need to check up about the plans from Latin America (I think) to promote a distro for government officials.
Let's see how we can take this ahead. Thanks for raising the issues. FN
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 4 Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 05:06:46 -0700 (PDT) From: Umashankar C umashankarc@yahoo.com Subject: A suggestion on open source SW development for e-gov (To Frederick Noronha and Atul)
30-8-03
SUGGESTION TO HOST E-GOVERNANCE APPLICATIONS FREE USING SPONSORSHIP ASSISTANCE
Dear Frederik and Atul, I have a suggestion. I want the two of you to respond.
The proposal is that a team consisting of people like you and the members of this group develop and place the e-gov packages on the web for State and Central Government and their organisations to download and use.
They will be able to modify the code and improve it as well.
I have the full system design for automating a Taluk office, DRDA, Police Station, Office Management, National Old Age Pension Scheme and Block Development Office.
These packages can be converted into open source from the present VB and can be a open source for the entire country.
We can find corporate and other sponsors for various activities such as cost of coding personnel, hardware, hosting etc. The sponsorship should be for three years (at least). I am willing to offer the entire service free on a continuous basis.
People like you can scrutinse the design/code and contribute on regular basis.
Will it work?
I need your suggestions.
Regards.
Umashankar
C.Umashankar IAS., Commissioner, Disciplinary Proceedings, Salem, TN, India. (with effect from 5th Aug.2001) Contact Tel in Chennai: 91-44-22521909 Res. Reliance Mobile:044- 31047424 BSNL Mob: 94432-62009
---------------------------------
A forwarded message calling for participation for LUGS for egov initiatives.
-balaji
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dear All,
Nearly 6 months back, Myslef and Joe meet Mr Umashankar. At that time itself, We discussed about this following plan. I feel, It is a good oppurtunity to spread FOSS in gov operations and get Gov support for our movement. So Just go thru and think, What you can do for this as a Volunteer (+ Partner).
---------- Original Message -------- Subject: Call for OSS partnership and support // LUGs may join ELCOT's efforts (Date: Sat, June 10, 2006 9:16PM)
TamilNadu is one of the pioneers in the use of OSS. Already 6500 computers have reached the village panchayats in linux environment under Panchayat computerisation programme. It is heartening to note that almost all the young IAS officers want only OSS be promoted in their respective offices/jurisdiction. This calls for a quick and efficient role from ELCOT to support the current initiatives of Govt of TN in the area of OSS.
ELCOT looks for partners and volunteers who can join ELCOT's efforts to promote OSS in Government functioning. Already certain companies have expressed willingness to join.
ELCOT is shortly setting up an open source support centre in its corporate office to support government organisations adopting OSS. The support would be for OS (OpenSUSE & FC5), DB (PostgreSQL) and OpenOffice.org suite. ELCOT needs large number of OSS volunteers to make this initiative a public owned effort. ELCOT runs a call centre. This would be upgraded to include support for OSS queries. A website needs to be built to support the volunteers who wish to join the effort. ELCOT is shortly finalising a vendor for the web portal development for this.
LUGs from Chennai and other areas are requested to join the nitiative.
Regards, C.Umashankar IAS., MD ELCOT Co-Moderator of eGovINDIA Group
Mankind deserves open standards and open source software. Only the chosen ones get its taste. Others just hear the taste.
-
Annamalai Gurusami -
doxa＠sancharnet.in -
VMK