One of the critical activities in which a Democratic Government elected
for the people , by the people and runs on the taxes from the people, should
indulge in is to bring essential products of public consumption to the
public at reasonable costs and if feasible, at no costs.
Our Governments in different States including the Government of
Karnataka are well aware of this principle which is being applied in many
other fields. The question now being raised in the context of Information
Technology being the bread and butter of the majority of Indian middle
class homes is that whether the Government continue to the friend of the
MNCs or raise to the occasion as a "Friend of the Masses".
We do understand that not only the CM of Karantaka but also the
CM s of Andhra and MP are keen to be in the good books of MNCs so
that more and more investments are made in their respective states. However,
we must ensure that in this interstate competition for development we don't
allow MNC s to play one Government against the other to extract benefits
that they are not entitled to.
In the present context of Government initiatives to prevent Software
Piracy, any attempt by the Government to support Copyright enforcement
initiatives without showing concern for alternative strategies for reducing
the need for Copyright infringement will amount to an unfair use of public
resources.
I am not advocating that the Government should support law breakers.
If the law is bad, it has to be fought at the policy making level. We know
that the MNC s are already working with the Ministry of Information Technology
and Nasscom to bring in a legislation in India similar to DMCA of USA so
that Napster like technological innovations can be smothered. This has
to be fought at a different level. What the State Governments like Karnataka
can do is to recognize that any small effort from their end to reduce the
dependence of the community on high priced software can go a long way in
creating jobs outside the MNC workshops.
It is in this context that I urge the Government of Karnataka to seriously
consider steps to encourage development and use of "Open Source" software.
This is a sure path for reduction of software costs.
Please think.. If a good samaritan comes forward to supply rice and
wheat to the public at Rs 2 per kilo or set up more "Darshini's" providing
high quality staple food to the population, and expects the Government
to support his cause, will the Government not jump at the proposal? Will
it then worry about the future of super markets and loss of business from
MNC chains such as McDonalds? This is the same approach that is required
by the Government today in the area of Software. While we don't have to
shy away from protecting the copyright of MNCs we also have to tell them
politely that an elected Government cannot ignore its responsibilities
to support "Copyleft".
What is Open Source Initiative?
"Open Souce" initiative means encouragement for open source software
(OSS), which is software for which the source code is distributed
along with the executable program, and which includes a license allowing
anyone to modify and redistribute the software.
Actual licenses for OSS vary between different companies and development
projects, but they have certain characteristics in common.
-Allowing free redistribution of the software without royalties
or other fees to the author.
-Requiring that source code be distributed with the software or otherwise
made available for no more than the cost of distribution.
-Allowing anyone to modify the software or derive other software from
it, and to redistribute the modified software under the same license
terms.
The basic idea behind open source is very simple. When
programmers can read, redistribute, and
modify the source code for a piece of software, the software evolves.
People improve it, people adapt it, people fix bugs. And this can
happen at a speed that, if one is used to the slow pace of conventional
software development, seems astonishing.
This rapid evolutionary process produces better software than the traditional
closed model, in which only a very few programmers can see the source and
everybody else must blindly use an opaque block of bits.
The Concept of Copyleft:
The concept of Copyleft ( thanks to GNU)
uses copyright law, but flips it over to serve the opposite of its usual
purpose: instead of a means of privatizing software, it becomes a
means of keeping software free.
The central idea of copyleft is that everyone is given permission
to run the program, copy the program, modify the program, and distribute
modified versions--but not permission to add restrictions of their own.
Thus, the crucial freedoms that define "free software" are guaranteed to
everyone who has a copy; they become inalienable rights.
For an effective copyleft, modified versions must also be free. This
ensures that work based on the original becomes available to our
community if it is published. When programmers who have jobs as programmers
volunteer to improve original software, it is copyleft that
prevents their employers from saying, "You can't share those changes, because
we are going to use them to make our proprietary version of the program."
Why Government Should Support Open Source Initiatives:
Governments all over the world are biggest consumers of software. Hence
any move which reduces cost of software in the long run will benefit the
Government more than any body else.
More over, whatever is in the community interest is in the interest
of the Government also.
Support for OSS or Copyleft does not mean leaving legal developers of
Software who thrive on Copyright and Patents in the lurch. In fact assistance
to "Indigenous Software Development" includes help in protecting IPR of
such developers. Let them continue their initiatives. But let the community
have the benefits from OSS as well.
The initiatives required from the Government in this direction are:
Setting up of a "Research and Development Fund"
to provide assistance for Software development and Patenting by local Entrepreneurs.
Appointment of an "Open Source Initiative Promotion officer"
to coordinate with international organizations dedicated to this concept
and establish an Indian initiative in this regard
Conducting of seminars and discussions to share views of
experts in the field on how to reduce the dependence of the common man
on "Licensed Software"
Setting up of specialized financial institutions for the purpose of
financing software developers at a subsidised cost..etc.
The opportunity immediately available for the purpose is IT.com. The initiative
has to come from the Karnataka Government which has shown extra zeal in
declaring its intention to make Karnataka a "Zero Piracy State".
Do we have the courage to discuss this controversial need of the Cyber
Society? Send your Comments to Naavi.
Naavi
June 13, 2001
Related Articles:
Read
about GNU project here
Netscape
Continues to Innovate and Demonstrate Leadership
The
Case for Government Promotion of Open Source Software- By Mitch Stoltz
Comments and Suggestions can be sent
to Naavi