[odf-discuss] adopters: "Two More Indian States ....."

[David Cartwright]

The Indian market is of critical importance to Microsoft, both because 
of its own potential, as well as the impact on markets outside India 
that stem from technology choices made by Indian developers.

So it is not surprising that Microsoft's recently launched a marketing 
campaign aimed at fostering Indian bloggers to showcase their "thoughts 
and experiences around Microsoft technologies and technology in general."

More details on Microsoft's "Hunt for the Best Developer Bloggers in 
India" campaign can be found here:
http://www.microsoft.com/india/blogstars/

So don't be surprised when there is a sudden spurt of Indian bloggers 
denigrating Open Source Software and Open Standards such as the 
OpenDocument Format!

... david

JohnNewell at mac.com wrote:
>
> At 
> <http://i5bala.blogspot.com/2006/10/two-more-indian-states-may-also-avoid.html> 
> Balakumar Muthu, Chennai,India blogger notes:
> "Two More Indian States May Also Avoid Microsoft Products !!
> "Last month, Indian state Kerala Government banned on the use of 
> Microsoft Products in schools. This movement had a great impact on the 
> Open Source community. Now, similarly other two Indian states like 
> West Bengal and Tripura might follow this path. ......."
>
>
> He directs to 
> <http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=142832>
> " ...... 'Keep that door open,' Stallman shouted jovially to the crowd 
> flocking in and out of the seminar hall during a tea-break. "But not 
> the windows," added 84-year old chief minister in matching spirits.
>
> "CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Sitaram Yechury seems to be open source' best 
> friend in West Bengal. He doesn't stop at citing Kerala's example to 
> the state governments but prescribes it to the central government too. 
> "The government should be forced to use free software and GNU-Linux 
> based operating systems in the delivery of information for public use 
> so that costs are kept low," he maintains. For the West Bengal 
> government, it has always been a balancing act between the demands of 
> large global corporations and the possibility of a more sustainable 
> and cheaper alternative route to implement the e-governance programme 
> in the last six years.
> ..........
> "This week, Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishat (KSSP), CPI (M)'s science 
> and youth outfit, is setting up a Linux helpdesk (read aggressive FOSS 
> marketing wing). And if you believe KSSP activist N Sudhir, "Open 
> Sources systems are not anti-profit. They just have a different and 
> more ethical business model. We are out to explode the 
> Microsoft-propagated myth that free software systems does not make 
> money." "
>