(Author Narendar Pani opines: “It is difficult to see India
benefiting substantially from the global movement towards free
software.”)
“The latest challenge to Microsoft’s domination of the software
industry comes from an unlikely source: free software, or more
specifically, the Linux operating system.”
“The decision to provide free inputs to a software programme is
a loss of potential income to both the individual programmer and
the country. The decision to give away programming free must also
be seen in the context of the costs of developing these skills,
both in terms of education and the provision of facilities. In
India a significant portion of these costs are subsidised by the
state.”
“… a major portion of the software used in India continues to
be pirated. It is thus difficult to see India benefiting
substantially from the global movement towards free software.”