What difference does it make whether microsoft creates a portal for Karnataka government ? Ever seen any of the government websites ? Seen

the

NIC website for government of India ? Shit Happens, I think, should refer

to

the fact that so much more can be acheived by government websites.

Saswata, think of it in this way. Its our money that the government collects in taxes that goes to M$ for the portal.

And by the way... all AP needs may be Zope... or abunch of motivated developers, and they'll probably end up paying M$ by the hour for a portal.

Think Saswata think...

Amol Hatwar.

This brings another angle ........ Why did no one do it before ?

valid point!

BTW, microsoft is not making the portal, it is being made by infosys.

I dunno about that... but then isn't it the same old East India Company thing... you grow cotton, I'll give you clothes. Even if Infosys does make the portal... the products that they'll use will essentially have Microsoft palstered over them. Either way, they win.

I

suspect microsoft will pour a lot of resources into the project since it will become a "showcase".

Exactly... and I would want my state's government to do any foolishness of this kind.

And, more than the portal, my worry is that, as the same article says,

the

Karnataka Government is moving to zero piracy. This means, they will pay a huge quantum of tax money to microsoft to buy M$ software for PCs, etc.

Well as long as its legal its OK. But then money spent is legally a waste!

May be someone should initiate an e-governance project in linux for them

Maybe we should pay close attention to the storm that brews under our own feet.

Warm wishes,

Amol Hatwar.