[LI] Fwd: NEWS (Goa) : Linux impresses Goa too

[Rajesh Fowkar <rfowkar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----------  Forwarded Message  ----------
Subject: NEWS (Goa) : Linux impresses Goa too
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 08:08:53 +0500
From: Frederick Noronha <fred@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>


This is the unofficial report on the meeting held on Saturday. It was
published on Monday in Herald and also on the GoaNet network which reaches
to 900+ expatriates and others interested in Goa the world over.
Rgds, FN

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LINUX, THE FREE COMPUTER OPERATING SYSTEM, IMPRESSES GOA TOO
*****************************************************************

>From Frederick Noronha

PANJIM, Sept 26: Bill Gates stand back! Linux, the powerful and 
much appreciated computer operating system is making its dent in 
Goa too, and a new chapter of its fans has just been launched in 
Panjim.

Unlike commercial and copyrighted software, Linux is inexpensive, 
can be freely copied from one computer to another. It has built 
up a reputation of excellence in standards after it was launched 
by a university student from Finland barely eight years ago.

For some months now, even the commercial world has been sitting 
up and taking note of the potential of Linux. Prominent national 
and international magazines have praised Linux, which cost a few 
hundred rupees unlike the many thousands of other software.

On the weekend, enthusiasts of Linux -- computer professionals 
from big firms, researchers, programmers, engineers, and students 
-- launched the India Linux Users Group (Goa) at the local office 
of the Computer Society of India in Panjim.

"At home, I use Linux as a desktop. My daughter uses it to play 
games. My wife writes letters (using a Linux computer). In the 
university it does all sorts of number-crunching jobs," says 
Prof. Gurunandan Bhat of Goa University.

Adds Albert Gouveia of the NIO's computer and IT section: "In my 
institute, I've seen that hardly any Linux machine give big 
problems. Most have stayed stable, probably because the OS 
(operating system) is stable. Window by contrast gives many problems."

Such views strangely fly in the face of the marketing hype build 
up around other commercial software products, like Windows 95. 
And, since Linux is fast becoming even more friendly to install 
and operate, even that advantage cannot be claimed by the others.

One Linux-based machine at the Goa University was used from 
February 1996 to May 1999, without any problems, except once when 
there was a multi-hour power failure due to a cyclonic storm. 

Explains Dr Bhat: "We went into Linux because it was free. But we 
stayed there because it was rock solid." He says educational 
institutions including universities have problems in affording 
costly software, after paying lakhs of rupees for hardware or 
VSAT equipment needed to log onto the Internet.

Others already interested in Linux in Goa include personnel from 
pharma companies, computer training institutions, computer 
hardware manufacturers, large companies, local colleges, and 
others.

Firms like Philcorp also use Linux on the computers of 
photographic retail labs that might be developing your 
photos. Firms like the giant modem manufacturer, DLink, uses and 
supports Linux from its Goa plant at Verna. So does Controlnet.

To give Linux a push in Goa too, it is planned to set up a web-
site on the Internet specially for this region, build links with 
the national campaign for Linux and open-source software, 

One idea is also to start a forum that would help people solve 
their technical problems on Linux, and work out ways to share 
information and Linux software -- which it is freely and legally 
pass on to friends or anyone interested.

Once-monthly meetings are planned at the CSI Panjim office, and 
forthcoming discussions will focus on applications available for 
Linux, how to load and setup Linux, networking, GIMP (an image-
editing software), unicode, etc.

Meanwhile, Linux will get a boost from other quarters too, with 
the Goa University's newly set up Advance Centre for Informatice 
planning to hold a prestigious, high-value course for corporates 
intending to learn about Linux.

Open Source for Corporates-Linux 2000 will be held from October 4 
to 7, and some of the big names in Indian computing will 
offer their skills in conducting the same.

Bangalore-based Linux guru Atul Chitnis, a prominent IT 
journalist, will be one of the faculty, as will Kishore Bhargava 
of C&B Consulting, Raj Mathur of Silicon Graphics India, Gopi 
Garge of the research network ERNET, and Partho Ghosh Dastidar of 
the National Informatics Centre.

Corporates interested in the subject would be charged Rs 4000 for 
the four-day affair, though the GU's new informatics centre also 
plans to hold low-cost Linux courses for students, enthusiasts 
and others.

There are also big plans to hold the Linux 2000 national 
convention and workshop in Goa itself sometime in November next 
year. If it works out, upto 3000 participants could attend the 
three-day meeting, giving a big boost to the role of open source 
software in this small state. (ENDS)

NOTE: Further details can be had from Prof Gurunandan "Guru" Bhat 
<grbhat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> or Arvind Yadav <arvind@xxxxxxxxx>
--
Shriram alias Rajesh Fowkar
Kurtarkar Nagari, Bldg-C,
Flat No.T4,Third Floor,Shantinagar(Santacruz), Ponda-Goa - 403 401.
Phone : (0834)315932               Email : rfowkar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Linux doesn't dictate how I work, I dictate how Linux works." 
--Eric Crampton 
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