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Re: Shocking News
I thought it hell would freeze over before I said "me too" to a post Neil
made, but ...
// Raj, I saw your mail to drop this thread, but I would like to get a word
in.
Sahil and Pankaj, I do not dispute that you think Dewang (please get his
name right) was "the biggest moron". Nor do I disagree with your right to
say so. I would, however, be interested in knowing what exactly qualifies
him for this?
I speak now as one who has spent time in the industry. That is not a
substitute for wisdom, of course, just a statement of fact. There are guys
on the list (Raj? Kishore? VK?) who have been around longer, so perhaps
they can correct me.
I disagreed with Dewang's flamboyance, and found his sideburns, at least,
distracting. His backing, and NASSCOM's, of the BSA and the big Software
Publishers also was heavy handed. In many cases, I thought NASSCOM was too
quick to claim credit for the activities of the Industry. The thing for
which he was most hated was the NASSCOM->BSA->MS alliance, which meant he
would send mildly threatening letters to CEOs. In all this, however, he was
carrying out the laws as laid down by _our_ Government.
However, while NASSCOM may not have been single-handedly responsible for
India's Software industry, or even the largest single contributor, it helped
lobby the Government and regulatory bodies for greater access to resources
by us. I was at meetings in 1995-95 at DoE, where NASSCOM, along with IIRC
people like Atul Chitnis and co, lobbied to allow data access over voice
lines. Till that time, the DoT asked for a special fees to be paid to allow
the connection of a modem to the PSTN. Mr Vittal, ex-DoT, then DoE, was
lobbied to get this revoked.
NASSCOM was also instrumental in lobbying for lower customs duties, easier
paperwork, and access by non-export units to STP resources. I am not saying
that MAIT or CSI did nothing, or little. Just that at times when no
Governmental agency was willing to see that data packets would necessitate a
revision of the Telegraph Act, NASSCOM spoke out, repeatedly and clearly.
I was an ERNET user at that time, so we had InterNet access without NASSCOM,
but consider: Without NASSCOM's lobbying, we _may_ be all off this list,
except for vk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Lonely, what?
And NASSCOM, as long as I can remember, has been Dewang Mehta. As long as
he was alive, it was fashionable for my friends to laugh at his hair style.
But seriously, if there is someone outside my immediate circle who is
responsible for my job to even exist in India, it would be him. Of course,
I do not believe he did much, if anything, for New Zealand, but he never
claimed to.
Perhaps he was misguided, and his activities were evil. Perhaps if he, and
NASSCOM, had not existed we might be better off. Perhaps.
Take up a cause. Lobby, legally. Persuade those who have the authority to
make changes to accept them. Dewang did. When you have done so, I will
accept that your opinion of Dewang is justifiable. Perhaps you find the
process contemptible. That is your privileage. But than you need not have
an opinion on his "moron"ness, or otherwise.
Again, I accept your right to an opinion, and your right to express it. I
would like, to enable me to understand you, and possibly to agree with you,
to know what you reasons are.
It does our cause no good, if we have one, to define it in terms of others
greed or stupidity.
Regards,
----- Original Message -----
From: "Neil" <neil@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <linux-delhi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 13, 2001 9:22 PM
Subject: Re: [linux-delhi] Shocking News
> > Perhaps it'd be nice if you figured out that Board Exams in New Zealand
> > aren't until the end of the year.
> concetrate on them anyways... cos from the way it lookz.. ur gonna be
> needing a lot of it.
>
> > If you cant say something nice about someone...dont say crap....it
> > displeases others who value him.
> i think that is crap. i 4 one really dont care if it displeases any1, but
> if i have my reasons... to think someone a fool, ill say it.
> as in thins case, our dear 15yr old thinks hes too cool by afooling
> dewang, as with most adolescents nowadays(they think if u say a great guy
> is an ass, it makes them cool) for what reason?too bad im passed
> adolesence.. so i cant say.
>
> Dewang was a crazy elvis lookalike(or atleast a wanna b)... we used to
> call him elvis II. but one thing we admired about him(without
> exception) was his intelligence and what he did for the indian IT
> industry... imagine a CA doing all this...
>
> Not to moc dewang, but sadly.. elvis has left the building for the second
> time... and it gives me no joy.
>
> Neil
>
>
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