Hi Atul, I certainly think this should be done. You have my full support. Copying this to FSF-FRIENDS. We can locate the MPs' names (even if the Lok Sabha has been dissolved) from the parliament.nic.in site. At least in the Rajya Sabha for now. In addition, we could also get friendly MPs to raise parliamentary questions. I know a couple, and FLOSS issues have already been raised in the Indian parliament, thanks to them. FN
On Mon, 15 Mar 2004, Atul Asthana @ home wrote:
Dear Frederick,
Was planning to start a campaign to write to MLAs/MPs, Ministers, Bureaucrats stating advantages of OSS over Microsoft. Do you think that this campaign can be initiated thru any of the mailing lists (you and I are on, or otherwise)? That is we encourage people on the mailing lists to write to their representatives, bueaucrats known to them etc? Its not a difficult task to find names and addresses of MLAs/MPs/Bureaucrats.
Regards. Atul Asthana atulasthana@gmx.net 2004-03-15 09:51:53
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. --Mahatma Gandhi
======= At 2004-03-10, 13:54:00 Frederick Noronha (FN) fred@sancharnet.in wrote: =======
---------- Forwarded message ----------
10 March, 2004 [ www.i4donline.net ]
Microsoft to conduct five e-Gov seminars in India Microsoft Corporation India today announced a series of five e-Governance seminars targeted at bureaucrats and Government officials. The first seminar in the series will be held at Bhopal. Targeted at bureaucrats and government officials, the seminars will be conduced across of Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Orissa and West Bengal. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/03/10/stories/2004031002281700.htm
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/India-egov/
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Frederick Noronha (FN) wrote:
Hi Atul, I certainly think this should be done. You have my full support. Copying this to FSF-FRIENDS....
On Mon, 15 Mar 2004, Atul Asthana @ home wrote:
Dear Frederick,
Was planning to start a campaign to write to MLAs/MPs, Ministers, Bureaucrats stating advantages of OSS over Microsoft....
It is reported that Microsoft has been fined by the European Commission for certain illegal activities. http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000006&sid=agcEiH8dIET0&r...
<quote> Microsoft Corp. was ordered by European Union regulators to pay a 497 million-euro ($609 million) fine, share secret programming information with competitors and offer a version of Windows without a music and video player, ending a five-year antitrust investigation.
The world's largest software maker illegally used its monopoly in personal computer operating systems to quash competition from rival makers of server software and media players such as RealNetworks Inc., the European Commission ruled. </quote>
Looks like Microsoft has to go a long way before it can even think of assisting Indian States with `e-Governance' Projects. Any kind of dealing with companies or entities with a track record of such illegal activities would be generally avoided by the prudent. Entrusting or even discussing `e-Governance' Projects with such entities fined for illegal behaviour is a grave risk in itself and the very credibility of the decision makers could become questionable.
Of course, availability of free software totally negates the very thought of using non-free software in democracies. Besides, MS has never proved or showed its competence in `e-Governance'. Above all, people truly serious about e-Governance that promises transparency and accountability would be interested in installing and using GNU Mailman or like utility as the first step in this direction.
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Frederick Noronha (FN) -
Ramanraj K