Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site Shasta.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!epsilon!zeta!sabre!petrus!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!glacier!Shasta!sankar From: sankar@Shasta.ARPA Newsgroups: net.nlang.india Subject: Re: Marketing s/w on micro in India Message-ID: <1602@Shasta.ARPA> Date: Wed, 25-Dec-85 16:48:12 EST Article-I.D.: Shasta.1602 Posted: Wed Dec 25 16:48:12 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 28-Dec-85 00:56:41 EST References: <1357@cwruecmp.UUCP> <1601@Shasta.ARPA> <1361@cwruecmp.UUCP> Organization: Stanford University Lines: 74 > THE STORY > Sriram has mentioned something that is very "typical" of the > present market scenario for selling computers in India. Srirams father > is not the first (and the last) who have been trapped by the > manufacturers. I don't think your conclusions are correct at all. Yes it is possible for him to have been trapped by a manufacturer, but it would be a bit difficult for a manufacturer to do that. My father has a PhD in computer science and has had about 25 years experience in the field. His son is doing a PhD in computer science at Stanford University which is at the heart of Silicon Valley. The father and son do talk to each other a lot. So its quite far-fetched to think that he was trapped. I do NOT want to discuss this anymore, I am only trying to point out that you make your conclusions quite hastily. However, yes, a lot of laymen do get trapped in the way you mentioned in your message, only that is not at all typical of India, it happens in the U.S. also. Heres some more of that message to which I am replying to, yes, I AGREE that your generalisation is okay, but not in this particular case. And once again, let me emphasize that such things happen in the U.S. also. > You think of computerizing your department/company or .... > > You get a lot of brochures. And the catch phrases like field .... > > You start enjoying the game. You throw what cliche you learn .... > > Then you ask for a quotation. People quote. Every one offers N .... > > Invariably the deciding factor is the cost of the machine. And .... > > You get your computer. You get to know each other. You realize .... > > The programmers you have has had 6 months crash course from some XYZ > Institute of Computer Science, they can't help much. .... My only objection to your previous message is that you gave a very lop-sided view of the whole picture. I do not think that there is anyone who doubts your claims that hardware is copied, software is copied, manuals are photo-copied, etc. etc., AND APART FROM A FEW PLACES, MOST OF YOUR MESSAGE IS CORRECT, only it shows only one side of the whole thing. Another mistake you are making is trying to compare situations in India with situations here. My friends in India who have also attended all these CSI conferences (or seminar or whatever) have been quite impressed at the rate of progress in the field of Computer Science in India. Rather than compare India with the U.S., I think you should compare India with what it was a few years ago, and try and project what it will be like in a few years from now. The general feeling is optimistic. Yes, a lot of software is copied, but there is loads of opportunity in India to write software, and write good software at that. Even if all software experts who read this message go back to India and take up software projects, there will still be a demand for more software experts, especially in a few more years. I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH YOU WHEN YOU SAY THAT SOFTWARE EXPERTS ARE NOT A RESPECTED GROUP IN INDIA AND THAT MOST PEOPLE EXPECT SOFTWARE FOR FREE. THIS IS THE REASON FOR MY RESPONSE TO YOUR MESSAGE. It is possible that I am talking about software at a different level from that which Arun is talking about. Arun talks about compilers and editors, printing programs, copying programs, etc. which in a way are essential pieces of software without which the computer cannot be used. I include in software many other more complex entities like PCB layout design software, various special purpose advanced software like CAD/CAM, simulation software, etc. Indian defence also has undergone extensive computerisation, and there is a LOT of demand for defence software too. Once again, I just want to mention that I do not disagree with Arun's messages except at a few places, many of the things he says is correct, but he has presented only the dark side of the picture. I personally feel that there is going to be a lot of progress in the computing field in India in the next ten years. Sriram.