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Indian Government Chooses Linux for Academia

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the and-introducing-the-gnu-utilities dept.

Nilesh Chaudhari writes "Following the footsteps of various governments around the world, the Indian Government has decided to standardize on Linux and open source software for academic purposes. The Department of Information Technology says, 'As a first step we are persuading all government institutions to offer courses on Linux and programming for Linux environment. We would also set up Linux Resource Centres in academic institutes (with co-funding from government and industry).' Going by the high targets they have set for mass adoption of IT, this is a step in the absolute right direction."

11 of 194 comments (clear)

  1. INDIA - LAND OF ASSFUCKERS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    As a fully paid-up GNU/Hippie, I shall move there immediately.

  2. Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Here's something I don't understand...Why are all these institutions switching to Linux? Has anyone out there actually tried doing support for Linux? It's a nightmare. Something as basic as X Windows, for example. Driver crashes, etc.

    But Windows...there really is nothing complicated about that. Download drivers for video card, double click on .exe, done. Download installation program, double click on .exe, done. No messy RPMs and whatnot.

    Linux is just too unnecessarily complex...these people will spend more time trying to figure out RPM hell than actually learning.

  3. Re:Language by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    What are they going to do about languages?

    OMG, Linurs inen't InDian lnageuae!!!!!"""@@

    OMG Wath too doO!!!

    dont Now Waht To DO!!!!


    Waet, WE HAEV Teh Sauyce Coad mabbe weE caen H4X0R IT!!!!!!!!!! LOL!



    (That's a thoroughly stupid question you have there.)

  4. Re:Dupe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Fuck you bicht.

  5. This is really a great thing by danny256 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I was worried about countries like India and China bringing strong competition to US software development, but if they are all going to be learning Linux programming, I guess they really won't be competing for american contracts afterall.

    1. Re:This is really a great thing by UnidentifiedCoward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Actually that assumption is incorrect primarily because it will provide them with simple, powerful tools for writing code/application projects. That, in my opinion is a good thing. I think competition is good for the market place and thiink that this is just a step in the right direction. You do realize that you can do win32 development on a Linux box, do you not?

      The reality of the situation is that dollar for dollar, man power, the most expensive resource can be had for approximately 200$ USD a month whereas the same resource here in the States would easily cost you 5000$ USD.

      Without drifting too far off topic, Americans are complacent and fat and refuse to remain competitive. Consider for a moment the idea of forming a technical union. Do you think that would increase or decrease overall productivity and creativity? Think carefully.

  6. Re:Dupe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Who modded this Fucker up??

    with concern,
    Rob

  7. Language is probably part of the reason. by RealAlaskan · · Score: 1, Flamebait
    Language is probably part of the reason that Linux is catching on there. Look here and here, for a start. They've been working on the problem for a while, and are as likely to make progress as is MS. Maybe more likely; I doubt that MS is very interested in localizing their products, even in Hindi. I suspect that Tamil is a complete non-starter, as far as MS is concerned.

    The fact that this decision will help to produce a homegrown hightech industry is a great bonus that reliance on MS would have precluded, but it certainly isn't the only reason for going this route. It's certainly going to be good for us

    --
    See what I've been reading.
  8. Re:Language by cide1 · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    How is this insightful? Linux is mearly a kernel, which has no interaction with the user. Linux userland apps are made by hundreds of developers, using many differant toolkits. I would say that you might put a dialect into KDE, or gnome, but not into the kernel code.

    --
    -- the computer doesn't want any beer, no matter how much you think it does. NEVER, EVER feed your computer beer.
  9. Re:Worrysome by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    It's "worrisome." Not "worrysome." And if it "almost" makes you embarrassed, then what are you complaining about? Take a look at the CIA's history of performing psychological experiments on U.S. citizens, that should make you embarrassed.

    As for the rest of your "point," first of all, you have no idea why the government is considering open-source software. They might just be considering it because it's a cheaper alternative than handing the U.S. and Microsoft a billion dollar cheque every time they need a new Windows lab..Linux distributions are free, after all. Don't pretend that the U.S. has a monopoly on corrupt governments, there's a whole LOT of them out there.

    Laws putting companies "in the lead.." This makes you worried too, eh? That your president is willing to pass legislature to make sure the key components of your own economy remain at the top of the global heap? Yeah, it might be quashing your personal freedoms in the process, but sadly the people who want personal freedom in the U.S. are a quiet, tiny minority of vocal speakers amidst a huge ocean of apathetic citizens. If anyone really was that worried about it, you'd think the anti-war folks would pick up an anti-Bush placard every now and again.

    Added to that, although I'm sure you're tired of having your ridiculousness picked apart by now, permit me to say that I'm not a "genius;" how, exactly, does the oil industry dying have -ANY- relation to free software, at all? How is the government paying for free software (well hey, GPL'ed software..not just free, according to you) of any benefit to anyone in society? Do the millions of people who are currently running Windows, although there -are- other options available, think they'd benefit from free software? Are they screaming out for it? I haven't heard much of it to be honest. Added to that, the minute they find out that GNU/WhitehouseLinux is going to cost them an extra $1000 or so in taxes every year to develop, you'll see a whole lot of people wondering why the hell they'd want any "free" software to begin with.

    Damn you and your confusing, half-finished, pointless pondering.

  10. Re:Language by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    If you fuckers are so educationally advanced, why are you and Pakistan staring down each other with nuclear weapons?

    Yeah, you people sound REALLY enlightened.