An open Future Perspectives
One solution as we find in the accounting policies is that the money saved is considered as money earned. The Management spends a considerable amount of the budget on the procurement of software, hardware etc., as IT is very much aligned with the management syllabus and education If the Management syllabus is revised and there is a paradigm shift from the use of proprietary software to free software which is encouraged by the education policy makers, all stake holders will be benefited and quality education can be offered to the management students. The education policy makers needs to get convinced about the need to go free. Both open source and proprietary solutions have advantages and disadvantages. The perfect solution is still waiting to be developed so in the meantime it is up to the IT professionals to determine what their organization deem valuable. When making the decision it is also important to remember that in a relatively short amount of time, GNU/Linux vendors have made incredible strides in developing an operating system that would encompass the values Windows users cherish while at the same time continue to improve upon the ideals open source was invented on.
The perceived downfalls of GNU/Linux are becoming more obsolete while its benefits continuing to rise. There is no end to the possibilities with GNU/Linux and open source soft ware, which is predominantly why so many worldwide organizations are making the switch. With GNU/Linux establishing itself as a qualified and robust alternative, the years of Microsoft and vendor lock-in domination are quickly coming to a close. The decision to switch to GNU/Linux from the current program should be based on the available GNU/Linux support for them, Competent staff to provide training on GNU/Linux, Hardware compatibility etc.,
Conclusion
Kerala has a history of several social reform movements. The unique history of this land has helped create a unique sense of democracy, equity and social justice among the people in the state. Freedom is a concept close to their hearts and the sense of personal dignity is high among keralities. People thus find it easy to perceive Free Software as a fight against exploitation by large software companies. Moreover, the penetration of communication networks (telephone, mobile, Internet) is one of the highest in the country, and two of the highest circulated newspapers in the country are in the local language. Thus people are aware of happenings in other parts of the world. This indicates the extent to which Kerala has dominated the Free Software scenario in India. It is not by chance that the headquarters of the Free Software Foundation of India happened to be situated at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. The state is now poised to have become the first in the country to introduce exclusively Free Software for IT education in high schools. Kerala being a knowledge power, has already shown what it can do in this area. Towards this goal we may deliberate in to find the opportunity areas and the policy imperatives and focus on the future strategies. We need a major breakthrough in all areas and for that we must go beyond the obvious.
As a country, as communities, corporate and individuals, our convictions must be rooted in the belief that we can take in the world. We must internalize values that benchmark with the world. We must adopt practices that embraces the world. There is a bright open source future , let us share and enjoy……………
