An Open Letter To Kerala CM: Difference between revisions
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'''Draft ''' | |||
We need to Finalise this draft within 15th Jan 2009 | |||
==Introduction== | ==Introduction== | ||
We, the Free | We, from the Free Software community, would like to bring the issue of procuring proprietary softwares by government departments of Kerala into your attention. Kerala state has an [http://keralaitmission.org/web/main/ITPolicy-2007.pdf IT policy] to use Free software in e-governance. But recently it has been noticed that the policy implementation was ineffective. | ||
==Issues of concern== | ==Issues of concern== | ||
* Government agencies are purchasing proprietary software widely. | * Government agencies are purchasing proprietary software widely. | ||
* Departments are mandating public to use proprietary software. | * Departments are mandating public to use proprietary software. | ||
* Government web sites specifically ask for proprietary web browsers | * Government web sites specifically ask for proprietary web browsers | ||
*# [http://www.keralataxes.in www.keralataxes.in] - advertises | *# [http://www.keralataxes.in www.keralataxes.in] - advertises Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 | ||
*# [http://news.kerala.nic.in/ news.kerala.nic.in] - advertises | *# [http://news.kerala.nic.in/ news.kerala.nic.in] - advertises Microsoft Internet Explorer | ||
* Websites hosted/developed using proprietary technologies | * Websites hosted/developed using proprietary technologies | ||
*# http://www.infokerala.org | *# http://www.infokerala.org | ||
*# http://www.lsg.kerala.gov.in | *# http://www.lsg.kerala.gov.in | ||
*# http://news.kerala.nic.in/ (Site optimised for | *# http://news.kerala.nic.in/ (Site optimised for Microsoft Internet Explorer) | ||
*# http://ikm.gov.in | *# http://ikm.gov.in | ||
*# http://keralataxes.in/ (Site optimised for | *# http://keralataxes.in/ (Site optimised for Microsoft Internet Explorer) | ||
*# http://www.keralaculture.org | *# http://www.keralaculture.org | ||
*# http://www.civilsupplieskerala.gov.in/ | *# http://www.civilsupplieskerala.gov.in/ | ||
*# http://keralamvd.gov.in/ (The services offered in this site are developed using proprietary technology) | *# http://keralamvd.gov.in/ (The services offered in this site are developed using proprietary technology) | ||
* No efforts or plans for migration | * No efforts or plans for migration | ||
* Recent purchase of laptops for secretariat full of | * Recent purchase of laptops for secretariat full of Microsoft. | ||
* Tenders talking of | * Tenders talking of Microsoft support | ||
* Departments are mandating public to use proprietary software. | * Departments are mandating public to use proprietary software. | ||
*# [http://www.keralataxes.in www.keralataxes.in] - needs Microsoft Office Excel | *# [http://www.keralataxes.in www.keralataxes.in] - needs Microsoft Office Excel | ||
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* Its only natural then, that the State's bureaucracy, take charge of this political will of the Government and start implementing the Policy initiatives in letter and spirit. | * Its only natural then, that the State's bureaucracy, take charge of this political will of the Government and start implementing the Policy initiatives in letter and spirit. | ||
* Rough estimates with statistics would reveal that there could well be over 3 million households in Kerala, where at least one person is or has been 'educated' in Free Software, at public expense - an expense that every Keralite is proud of incurring. | * Rough estimates with statistics would reveal that there could well be over 3 million households in Kerala, where at least one person is or has been 'educated' in Free Software, at public expense - an expense that every Keralite is proud of incurring. | ||
* With this figure likely to wield huge political say over election fortunes of a democratic representative seeking authority to legislate and govern, the non-implementation of such an IT Policy amounts to open violation of established civilised norms, subversion of political will and also a likely invitation for destructive social life - all of which are highly undesirable in a 'non-violence loving' | * With this figure likely to wield huge political say over election fortunes of a democratic representative seeking authority to legislate and govern, the non-implementation of such an IT Policy amounts to open violation of established civilised norms, subversion of political will and also a likely invitation for destructive social life - all of which are highly undesirable in a tiny 'non-violence loving' State of Kerala. | ||
* To assist the bureaucracy with implementation of this Policy initiative of the incumbent Government, there's a community ready to offer assistance - be it on measures to be taken to conduct audit on existing instances of deployment of proprietary software, or for technical suggestions on having these violations converted or migrated to Free Software platforms. | * To assist the bureaucracy with implementation of this Policy initiative of the incumbent Government, there's a community ready to offer assistance - be it on measures to be taken to conduct audit on existing instances of deployment of proprietary software, or for technical suggestions on having these violations converted or migrated to Free Software platforms. | ||
==Appeal== | ==Appeal== | ||
We appeal to the Chief Minister | We appeal to the Chief Minister | ||
(a) to look into the conduct of non-compliance by the bureaucracy of the IT Policy 2007, | (a) to look into the conduct of non-compliance by the bureaucracy of the IT Policy 2007, | ||
(b) order a | |||
(c) fix responsibility on officials concerned, if required, and | (b) order a judicial inquiry to ascertain facts on the concerns raised here, | ||
(d) renew the promise that Government is committed to opening up its public software services before its | |||
(c) fix responsibility on officials concerned and apportion blame, if required, and | |||
(d) renew the promise that Government is committed to opening up its public software services before its three-million strong capable native Keralites, who have been trained to using Free Software in a socially responsible and non-violent manner. | |||
==Signatories== | |||
Name, Place, hyperlink (if any) | |||
Petition is still on Draft Stage . Please dont sign Now. | |||
Wait till petition is getting Finalised. Moved the existing signatures to Talk Page | |||