Indian Software Billionaires and Creativity
Nagarjuna
The Chinese, Korean and the Japanese software prowess is more deep
seated and an organic process that is basically dependant on primary
mother language computing.
Indians software engineers and technologists on the other hand are
more of experts at duplicate languages, duplicate world views,
predatory and non original thought processes and things like call
centre prowess.
We take pride in becoming Harry, Roger and Sally from Bhai Lakshman
Prasad, SardarJi or Gupta Ji.
The entire IT4D development sector in India uses proprietory software
and document formats initiated by some companies based in Seattle USA
and they do not like to use FLOSS software that is open and freely
available to dynamic Indian communities.
They feel threatened by native language computing and regard it as a
waste of time and resources. This is a ridiculous state of affairs,
like pot calling the kettle black, but so be it.
There are precious few promoters of free and open software in India
and I salute those unsung heroes.
The rest of us keep pushing our Microsoft Word documents to eternity
and using Windows OS on our desktops, laptops and home / office
computers - when there is no need for it.
Foreign countries, Funding agencies also impose their own whims and
fancies.
The local Indian elite is happy that English language acts as a
precious filter and passport for their own jobs.
Therefore the typical Indian villager and urban slum dweller is
totally confused / bewildered - when he listens to geek speak by
Indian teachers who themselves have no basic idea of free, open
software, local languages and Indic computing.
We too, because of the decisions taken by our parents, fascinated by
the job potential of learning English in schools, excelled at English
at the expense of regional and native languages of India. We are
intrinsically non creative as we don not even know the basics of
Tamil / Marathi / Hindi alphabet - what to talk of Maths, Physics,
Software - though we have the temerity to speak on behalf of whole of
India.
Now it is too late to cry over spilt milk and the jamboree of non
creative teachers teaching dumb struck students continues in
perpetuity.
Warm Regards,
Nagarjuna
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Today's Guardian reported the increasing prowess of the Chinese
hackers who have penetrated the Pentagon & European departments.
The report said:
"Several British government departments have fallen victim to China's
cyberwarriors. Earlier the Chinese military had hacked into a Pentagon
military computer network in June. The Financial Times said American
officials called it the most successful cyber attack on the US defence
department.
"There had been a penetration of elements of the email system used by
the network serving the office of Robert Gates, the US defence
secretary. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) was found to be
responsible. Cyber attacks by the Chinese have been going on for at
least four years but the reported attack on the Pentagon is the "most
flagrant and brazen to date".
"Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor, is reported to have raised the
issue of Chinese attacks on her government's computers during a visit
to Beijing. Officials here declined to say whether the British
government had raised the issue with the Chinese authorities.."
Indians are supposed to be IT experts but one never hears about Indian
hackers. Are they capable at all in this sophisticated area or are
they, babu-like, stuck with routine commercial operations? I have read
about hackers from Taiwan, Philippines, Thailand but never from India.
Most disappointing. Innovation, invention and adventurism have sadly
never been the Indian forte.
Dear Nagarjuna,
That was very well articulated, troubling, true and insightful. Thanks
for marking a copy to me.
regards,
Ramasubramanian
Chief, Samanvaya
ch...@samanvaya.com
m: 9444957781
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[Chief:>] ... Capital and security concerns are very strange
bedfellows - the more the disparity in incomes and relative life
security of different groups, the more the bottomline profit margins
of security and software companies.
The silver lining is that the capacity to monitor, control others,
and inflict pain and sufferings, is also always limited by the returns
on capital.
Regards,
Nagarjuna