29 August, 2002

Government may choose Linux instead of Windows

While the government continues to engage the Microsoft Corporation in dialogue to seek exceptional discounts for making its softwares as platform for official operating systems, a recent notification suggest that the stage is set to adopt Linux instead.

“Linux is going to be the corner stone of this initiative, as it is world over the Open Source movement,” said the official correspondence confirming its decision replace the pirated Windows based systems already in use in the government offices.

On the other hand, the government has sought huge, the government has sought huge discount from Microsoft Corporation for adopting its software as platform for the official machinery.

The PC-1 for the project has not been approved so far, The News learnt on authority.

Well-placed official sources told The News, “The Microsoft has already offered over 90 per cent discount to the government but we went to press for more cuts in prices.”

The notification issued undersigned by Salman Ansari, Advisor to Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, says the Linux Task Force will be responsible for technical review of the proposals and PC-1 besides coordinating on all technical and administrative matters related with Linux and the government.

As per the notification, the task force comprises professionals with the objectives to oversee and drive the development of Linux in the IT community.

The Ministry explains, “Open Source is a global information technology phenomenon that brings the benefits of using and developing cutting edge software technology to all.” Open source software frees economically deprived entities from the burden of resorting to software piracy for their genuine software need. “Since the government of Pakistan is committing itself to the reduction of piracy and the protection of intellectual property rights, a programme to make Open Source technology indigenous in the country is strongly needed,” said the official notification circulated to the forum members.

The process of making Linux and Open Source technologies in digenous has to follow the Open Source model itself. “Hence the Linux task Force is being established consisting of volunteers with the desire and capability to participate in the process”.

The notification explained professionals in the Task Force would also come out with R&D programmers for creating government founded projects to create user friendly client-server software, training strategies and usage in the development of applications.

The government plans to form various sub-groups under the umbrella of the Linux Task Force, which would contribute by initiating various inventive projects in different critical areas with regard to Linux.

The newly formed body will also “help in formulating policies and guidelines that will in turn create opportunities for Pakistani people in the field of Linux”.

The task force will hold meetings, seminars and conferences to “propagate and educate the user community at large”. Policy makers, technocrats and technical experts from various software houses will participate in such programmes to bring awareness of Linux and its usefulness among the layman class, said the official document.

The Ministry hopes that the professionals associated in the task force would pick up various threads to perform various key activities to engage their professionalism to deal with manoeuvring productive activities for achieving ultimate goals of Linux.

Salman Ansari explained in the notification that the initiative has roots in several discussions on the issue of protection of intellectual property rights and adoption of open source as a national strategy. The government believes that this would “provide a basis for creating a skill set to enable our people to do original work, create a pool of Linux expertise and get into the real nuts and bolts issues like embedded software using the Linux platform”.