Dear All,
Many Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) tools available for library
use are very user friendly, stable and extremely good.
Almost all of them carry self-learning manuals too along with them so that
you can learn
everything independently.
Koha is a good example of a library management software. ABCD Demo generates
a lot of expectations among the Winisis users.
Winisis is a small wonder for database users even in Windows Vista. It can
be used to create even digital document archives which can be uploaded in
Internet by using some simple additional software patches.
Greenstone, DSpace, Eprints etc are other useful free tools which any
sensible librarian can learn easily for effective use.
Wiki software, CMS, E Learning etc will enter the library domain as useful
tools without much delay.
Photo editing can be done easily with GIMP. Html pages can be created by
using NVU software.
FOSS tools are not not devoid of infirmities. But many of them are more user
friendly, stable and productive than their counter parts.
On the other hand, one can find very useful proprietary tools also. For eg
Fine Reader is a very good OCR for which you may not find a good equivalent
on Windows.
If library professionals keep away from FOSS, guided by the advice of those
who speak prominently about the weaknesses rather than the strengths of FOSS
tools, they will be at a very great loss. Focusing on the strengths of FOSS
is more rewarding than thinking about their weaknesses.
So kindly experience the beauty of some of those FOSS tools and you cannot
ignore them.
Regards,
K Rajasekharan
Kerala Institute of Local Administration
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Original Message:
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:27:39 +0500
From: Upadhyay P K
Dear friends,
To continue my view points on the use of open source software in India, I
would like to clarify certain points again in response to some of you:
1. I am not against using Open Source Software. But who should, what way, in
what situation is the question. It is not always better option. We should
not use technology for the sake of technology, it should be justifiable
according to your requirement. We should have a policy to review/upgrade the
technology, softwares and infrastrure every 3-5 years.
2. But through this forum, sometimes message is broadcasted that only Open
source softwares are having the best features, web based architecture, web
2.0, multilingual, etc and other commercial and free are not having. It is
not like this . It is the technology available today that has made the
softwares better and service oriented. Almost all the softwares avalable in
India are good including commercial with all these features. You can decide
based on your business objectives. Technolgy is driving the future ,
community has to use.
3. In case of Indian scenario, there are four types of softwares being used:
Commercial(doing well), In-house developed(not advisable), open
source/free(yet to pick up), Long Project based(doing well). For new
initiatives I would not suggest to go for in-house development.
4. Let's see where are we placed in library automation readiness today. The
way we used the software ten years ago is different today. Because some of
the most relevant requirement is :
Your library database should be published on Internet i.e all modules
should be web based and network centric. Members can see the the things from
home or remote location. Library staff can make data entry from remote and
diffrent locations in India. If you are maintaining your database and
dynamic website on LAN or single machine (unless mandatory), you are lagging
behind others. In case of Open source you will have to work hard to get it
published through your ISP. Simply publishing static web site and hosting is
diffrent from hosting a dynamic website on some ISP. Reason is undestanding
others code is not so easy.
Once you publish your data on Internet , authentication and authorization
should be security audited. In case of open source softwares you should take
extra precautions.
Majority of the libraries in India is maintaning their database on LAN or
local single PC. It is not the proper automated system, you should switch
over to latest technology. Here also let me clarify, all the popular
softwares in India are having web base architecture, and not only Open
Source.
5. Also society runs not only on community based services. We should also
trust vendors and commercial establishments. Economy and country prospers
mostly on PPP model. Always thinking that they are making money will spoil
the trust. They are part of the familly.
6. First of all going for any software, you should first we should see your
organization's computing infrastructure alongwith our ISP for publishing on
Internet, accordingly we should select the software either Open source or
commercial. Platform may be Linux or Windows. LMS may anything open source
or proprietary. But ceratinly I will not suggest to use the OSS or any
software in isolation like LAN or within four walls of library .
7. Ministry of External Affairs has stoped the use of Social Networking
tools among their mission. Ministry of Home Affairs has made it mandatory to
publish their database on secure ISP. No Governement web sites will be
hosted on private ISPs. It is also sometimes creating problems to use
private email providers like yahoo, gmail, rediffmail in Official
communications. They must be used privately.
Hope, I have tried to highlight the issues.
P K Upadhyay
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