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
Well I am also Govt Employee and implementing Linux in 500beded railway hospital. My point is, with sketchy details like given in the post let us not pass comments.
I think its time we teach software freedom than preach. Unless we make effort to show successful installations we can never make inroads in any sector. I also faced similar situations with few people in Railways. But the attitude should be educating them than casting aspirations. Well I too have very good bosses, who have cut down proprietory softwares at my instance without murmur. It is not the proposal or note that matters in decision, but the people behind the proposal.
It is imperative on our part to create awarness, specifically in the top level and this can be done only by successful installtions in existing computer centeres
We can achieve anything by emotional outbursts
Raman --- Ajith Kumar ajith@nsc.ernet.in wrote: > 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
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pandarinathan raman wrote:
Unless we make effort to show successful installations we can never make inroads in any sector.
(snip)
It is imperative on our part to create awarness, specifically in the top level and this can be done only by successful installtions in existing computer centeres
Pandarinathan, how can you show a successful installation unless you are permitted to make one? Your argument will put us in proverbial egg and hen situation.
Reg. statements about govt servants, I do agree with Sri Pandarinathan to some extent. But, it appears that in the case pointed out by Sri Raju, the govt. is standing in way of adopting free-s/w. Here, the problem is slightly different.
Will somebody please send me a copy of the Secy's order?
Regards, Mahesh T Pai.
Will somebody please send me a copy of the Secy's order?
You can quote the reference number and date from the forwarded mail of Ramanunni. I think this matter should be taken up with the Member Secretary, State Planning Board, Shri SM Vijayanand IAS (secretary@keralaplanningboard.org) who can interpret the legal validity of the Additional Secretary's (of Local Self Government Department - Rural) order vis-a-vis the Panchayat's resolution (whereby it had explicitly stated, that adoption of proprietary technology would make the institution "dependant" and has deeper economic ramifications). Considering the fact that local self governing institutions like Panchayats have been empowered to pass resolutions and bring to the notice of the Government, any issue that has to be reviewed seriously, the Additional Secretary's order appears to be a conscious one (it has taken well over 8 months from the time the Panchayat sent the resolution and reply was obtained).
The forum should decide on how to proceed. I think it would be wrong to leave the Panchayat high and dry. Ramanunni has been posted out to another Panchayat, but he still can maintain link with the Panchayat.
CK Raju
On Friday 04 October 2002 18:37, pandarinathan raman wrote:
I think its time we teach software freedom than preach. Unless we make effort to show successful installations we can never make inroads in any sector. I also faced similar situations with few people in Railways. But the attitude should be educating them than casting aspirations. Well I too have very good bosses, who
The situation is not that easy here. It appears to be a planned move, a well planned one. In so far as the argument of setting up a system on Linux goes, the District Panchayat of Ernakulam had a project called EIID (now rechristened OSS) that had applications built over Linux for the Grama Panchayats, way back in 2000. The project itself had been funded by District Panchayat (more details might turn up on a google search).
It is imperative on our part to create awarness, specifically in the top level and this can be done only by successful installtions in existing computer centeres
Ramanunni had been trained in one out the twenty five odd awareness courses conducted in this area at this institute, setup for training the local bodies in Kerala. That process still continues. Hence we could easily start building up our case for taking a shot at the Government machinery.
CK Raju Kerala Institute of Local Administration.
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Ajith Kumar -
CK Raju -
Mahesh T Pai -
pandarinathan raman