Open source Operating System The Story in India Jayanta Parial

Relevance of FOSS

• Relevance and value of FOSS , especially to the Indian context, arise from the following, among other things:

• FOSS is low cost and affordable.

• FOSS makes design details & code freely available.

• FOSS is easy to modify & customize.

• FOSS products are getting robust and superior.

• FOSS & Open Standards prevent vendor-lockin

• FOSS helps eliminate use of un-licensed SW.

Intellectual property-Nature

• There are basically 2 kinds of assets

• Tangible
• Intangible

• Tangible assets are subjected to some kind of rights that are socially accepted.

Knowledge

• Knowledge is an intangible asset

• Strong Pressure to treat it like a private property

• KNOWLEDGE CAN BE SHARED WITHOUT ANY ONE SUFFERING LOSS.