The Indian government is trying to encourage the use of computers across the country by distributing free CDs that contain localised versions of popular open source applications.
The government has started distributing CDs containing Tamil-language versions of various open source applications, including the Firefox browser, the OpenOffice.org productivity suite and the Columba email client. It plans to freely distribute 3.5 million copies of the CD to Tamil speakers worldwide, according to R.K.V.S. Raman, a researcher at the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, an organisation involved in the production of the CD.
Raman told ZDNet UK on Wednesday that the CDs are in considerable demand, following a newspaper and television advertising campaign last month.
"We have had a tremendous response to this [initiative]," he said. "In the first two weeks of the campaign we got about 100,000 hits daily on the Web site offering CDs, and about two to three thousand downloads [of Tamil-language applications]. We have already sent out around 50,000 CDs and have a backlog of 35,000."
Once the requested CDs have been sent out, further copies of the CDs will be distributed with computer magazines and newspapers, according to Raman.
Even the President of India, APJ Abdul Kalam, has taken an interest in the project and met the team involved in the production of the CD earlier this month.
The next stage of the project is to distribute CDs containing applications in Hindi, the national language of India. This stage will be launched on 21 June and is likely to involve more than the 3.5 million CDs earmarked for the current phase, said Raman. Eventually, the government plans to release CDs in all of the 22 official languages of India.
Raman believes open source software brings two main advantages to the Indian population — cost, and the freedom to modify the software. "We are sometimes not comfortable with Western user interfaces — they don't make sense in our culture, particularly for rural people who haven't had much access to technology. If we want to modify the software we have to have access to the code," he said.
The Indian government's decision to ship free software in this way is likely to be a blow to Microsoft, which plans to release a low-cost version of Windows in India soon. Microsoft originally hoped to release its Windows XP Starter Edition — a low-cost, feature-restricted version of Windows XP — by the end of March, but is now aiming for a June release.
Talkback
Open Office, but which version - Windows or Linux. I think it would be Windows because not many people in India (like everywhere else) use Linux. So, this won't affect Microsoft as badly as you think. Now, if the govt. had sent Live CDs of Knoppix preinstalled with all the apps... that would have made MS mad.
Which is what they should do. Market low-cost PCs with linux in Indian languages with Open Office. Initial cost will be high-that of development but after that we are home free. Heck would not mind starting the process myself-any takers? would be fun!
they should do that in the US and europe too....
Both Windows and Linux versions were distributed, otherwise this does not make sense visit http://www.ildc.in
Today, almost all software and operating systems and websites in India are
in the English language. Since English is a language spoken by less than 10
percent of India's population (generally considered to be the language of
the affluent) language is a significant barrier for the other 90 percent of
India.
This is creating a new class of people who live in what can be called as
"Information Poverty" even as technology becomes cheaper and cheaper. To
destroy this barrier we need to create a national-level, collaborative
effort to localise Linux to Indian languages.
The task undertaken by CDAC team( formerly NCST) especially Mr RKVS Raman is really amirable.
As an alumni of the same Institute, I have seen these people working really hard to get the project done.
I appreciate Mr Raman's work and wish him all the best.
(http://www.cs.odu.edu/~slohgaon)
Today, almost all software and operating systems and websites in India are
in the English language. Since English is a language spoken by less than 10
percent of India's population (generally considered to be the language of
the affluent) language is a significant barrier for the other 90 percent of
India.
This is creating a new class of people who live in what can be called as
"Information Poverty" even as technology becomes cheaper and cheaper. To
destroy this barrier we need to create a national-level, collaborative
effort to localise Linux to Indian languages.
The task undertaken by CDAC team( formerly NCST) especially Mr RKVS Raman is really amirable.
As an alumni of the same Institute, I have seen these people working really hard to get the project done.
I appreciate Mr Raman's work and wish him all the best.
from
Shrikant Lohgaonkar
http://www.cs.odu.edu/~slohgaon
It's an great initiative by the indian govt. & CDAC. These efforts not only promotes the usage of computer in the lives of indian people but also helps in imparting them the basic knowledge & use of office to their work.
I really appreciate this work of CDAC (formerley NCST)bangalore.
Although this is just an beginning,it will carry on with providing the knowledge of open source and it's usage to the software community of india.
Wishing congrats to the development team.
Although I have no direct connection with India, I am very pleased to see this kind of initiative. This will be a great leveler and give many people a chance to advance that was previously denied. I see similar exciting ideas developing in Peru and Brazil. The world is getting so much more interesting!
It's a welcome move and should be encouraged but before distributing the CDs for the openoffice or any other popular application the government should take IT initiatives to increase the literacy rate. The use of Software can make the learning more interesting through the pictorial representations and the Audio etc..
Brilliant move. The way to go. Probably should also concentrate in distributing free Desktop OS targeting every computer user.