NEW DELHI: "We have enabled Linux to break into the high performance arena," said Warren Pratt, executive vice president and chief operating officer of California headquartered Silicon Graphics Inc. "We are now committed to continue moving Linux forward by enabling real solutions for real problems. We will help customers use Linux to solve the biggest problems facing them," he told a press conference here Tuesday. Linux can be bought for a few hundred rupees or downloaded free from the Internet and the same software can be copied across dozens or hundreds of computers. One can also modify the software programme code of Linux to suit individual needs, unlike its proprietary counterparts such as Microsoft's Windows. While Microsoft say Windows is far ahead in terms of security and user convenience, supporters of the open source software, which no one owns, highlight its cost advantage and flexibility for a developing economy like India. Pratt said SGI was the first to make "serious product announcements" based on Linux operating system. The technologies that SGI used in the creation of its Linux product family have enabled the open source system to scale new heights, he added. The official said Linux has great scope to move forward rapidly in India since the country has one of the largest open source community as well as the world's second largest pool of scientific manpower. "This is further boosted by the fact that the government is encouraging the adoption of open source solutions for the country," Pratt said. According to an official study, only 16 percent of the central government offices currently use Linux as a platform but this is expected to grow manifold in the coming years. A number of states including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Maharashtra are either implementing or proposing to launch e-government projects using Linux operating system as the platform. The Indian operations of SGI are headquartered at Gurgaon, on the outskirts of New Delhi, with branch offices located at Bangalore and Mumbai.
Source: IANS