LINK: Don't Bill the Gates

["Frederick Noronha" <fred@bytesforall.org>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: "Mahesh Murthy" <mahesh@passionfund.com>
To: <india-gii@lists.cpsr.org>
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 09:44:49 +0530
Subject: [india-gii] Sneak Preview of Business Today Column on Gates'
visit

Since we are on the topic, and at least some of us seem to be 
thinking alike, here is the column that should appear in Business 
Today next Monday: ----- Don't Bill the Gates.  

Let's take the billionaire's healthcare handouts, and turn down the 
software handcuffs.  


By the time this article comes out, the world's richest man would 
have been here and gone. From what I hear around me, our state 
governments are in a tizzy, competing to outdo each other to dazzle 
the gent. All in a hope to get some of his cash into their state.  

Nothing wrong with any of this. But let's look a little closer at why 
the Chief Software Architect is taking 4 days out of that hyper-
valuable time to hobnob with our CMs and CEOs. He's not really here 
because we need his money. He's here because he needs ours.  

Think about it - Microsoft has seen off legal challenges to its 
Windows monopoly. But never before has it seen such a strong 
marketplace challenge - in the form of the open source operating 
system called Linux.  

Linux is all the things a developing economy like India needs - open, 
well-documented, stable, secure, accepted worldwide - and, best of 
all, virtually free. Governments around the world, from Peru to the 
United Kingdom have begun insisting on open source to power their 
national initiatives.  

India is not far behind - Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were 
among the first to direct atleast some of their IT buyers to first 
look at open source for solutions, and only later, at proprietary 
systems like Microsoft before placing orders.  

This worries the famously paranoid Redmonders. Small wonder that the 
CMs of these very states are on Bill's list of people to schmooze on 
this trip. "Hey buddy, I'll come and throw a few scraps your way from 
my private jet - but, pal, you gotta buy Microsoft."  

Governments and their directives are not Bill's only worries. India 
isn't that large a market for software - we barely account for 1% of 
Microsoft's sales. But the fact is that we are home to 10% of the 
world's software developers - and Billy boy just doesn't want Coder 
Coomaraswamy to go over to the Linux side of the development fence.  

Corporations around the world want lower cost, more supportable and 
stable solutions. And the nightmare of India becoming one of the 
world's strong Linux-based development centers has ensured that our 
Ambanis, Tatas and Narayanamurthy's get treatment on par with our 
Chief Ministers. The message again: "Stay with Microsoft and we can 
beat off those Open-source Outlaws and bring the world back to a 
place where a monopolist can still make a decent living."  

The trip is done and over with now - and hopefully some of the 
glamour and space-cadet glow would have faded from those who wanted 
to be photographed with His Billness. Time for a reality check.  

For buyers, it's time to consider how the very nature of software is 
changing. From a point where the internet offered the ultimate open, 
extensible infrastructure we now have offerings like Microsoft's 
Palladium which, in the supposed name of security, takes the free, 
open nature of TCP/IP: the platform under the internet, and adds 
proprietary bits that will ensure that Microsoft controls and gets 
paid virtually every time you go out of the gate onto the net.  

You will also see new Microsoft licensing models that force you to 
pay subscriptions from now till forever for whatever you use. You 
don't have to accept it if you don't want to. There are alternatives. 
 

Further, you will hear standard Microsoft FUD, as they call it 
themselves (rumours that add to Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) that 
Linux is more expensive than Windows to implement. This is Redmond's 
new global anti-Linux positioning - once they realized their earlier 
"Linux is un-American and un-capitalistic" line actually ended up 
making it more popular. Don't take anybody's word for it. Do your own 
study, arrive at your own conclusions. More FUD is expected that 
Linux is insecure - but this coming from notoriously bug-infested 
Microsoft is like Saddam suddenly evangelizing humane democracy.  

If you're a developer, keep an equally open mind. There are 
advantages to being part of the Microsoft camp, especially if you 
want framed photographs you can show your grandchildren - or your 
customers live under a rock and will buy MS, no questions asked. For 
others, there is a global market for Linux-based solutions that is 
rapidly developing. You will have to re-adjust your thinking.  

And as far as the Bill and Melinda Foundation to eradicate AIDS? A 
wonderful effort by all means. The NGOs among you should strive to 
seek connections and funding. And having to write up your reports in 
Word or Excel is a small price to pay.  

---------------------

From: "Mahesh Murthy" <mahesh@passionfund.com>
To: <india-gii@lists.cpsr.org>
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 23:59:55 +0530
Subject: [india-gii] Reposting column on BillG's visit

A few of you have asked for permission to repost this column.

Please feel free to do so at will, <with attributions to Business
Today and hopefully, me;)>

Also there's a rabid discussion on /. about the general topic:
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/11/11/185237&mode=nested&tid=109

Mahesh
mahesh@passionfund.com