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: Linux or open source seems to thrive wherever Left governments rule. And as Kerala schools log Microsoft out and boot open source systems, Linux world is buzzing with excitement over possibilities in the communist-ruled states. Though West Bengal and Tripura have to go whole hog to adopt a free software model, ideological closeness is more than evident.
Kerala, most insiders’ feel, is turning out to be Richard Stallman's happiest hunting ground. His personal vibes with Velikakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan, even from VS's pre-chief minister era, are in play. It’s a picture watching the duo cozying together in a similar attire — Stallman in a crumbled white T-shirt and VS in homely sleeveless white banian. Secretly, people do wonder what Class VII drop-out Marxist patriarch chitchats with whiz-kid of the Red Hat business-model. However, those who attended a Stallman seminar on FOSS, could clearly see that Linux and Left are on the same wavelength. ‘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.
Microsoft clearly can't be expected to take it lying down. “Every third Linux server being sold today is shipped to high performance computing segment and we had a gap in our product portfolio there. We have just launched a product for that space now,'' says Microsoft director (competitive strategy), Radhesh Balasubramaniam. Linux, according to him, is not eating into their marketshare but is replacing Unix. He has a point. Microsoft's marketshare has remained almost the same since last quarter at about 68% on the server side (open source's mainstay) compared to 70% two years ago. Linux, however, has grown to corner over 20% of the market from 11% two years back and...
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