Linux: Alternative choice in the face of law

Linux: Alternative choice in the face of law

Legally comply with Linux
Vishnu K. Mahmud
Contributor
Jakarta
vmahmud@yahoo.com

The word is out. The law on intellectual property rights (UU
HAKI) is scheduled to come into force in July. Selling bootleg
software and pirated movies will no longer be tolerated.

Companies using illegal software must purchase licenses for
the operating systems and computer applications, such as word
processors and spreadsheet software, utilized. Already, raids
against illegal DVD vendors have begun in some parts of Jakarta.

Some segments in the Indonesian IT industry are criticizing
the law, saying that enforcing the regulations would raise prices
of new computers by Rp 2 to 8 million, depending on the software
requested. Companies with a large number of computer systems that
previously used pirated software may suddenly face hundreds of
millions of rupiah in software licenses. They can perhaps try and
negotiate with software vendors for a better price, but if money
is tough, what can they do?

Before IT Managers consider jumping out the window in despair
over costs, they should remember they always have an alternative
choice: Linux.

The Linux Operating System is an "open source" platform, which
supports software reliability and quality by allowing independent
peer reviews toward the rapid evolution of the source code.

In other words, anyone who creates a program under an open
source can have the actual source code, or a program in legible
form, studied by other programmers who may contribute in making
the application more reliable, efficient and robust. In essence,
a chef can have his omelette recipe evaluated by other chefs to
make sure he has the best-tasting omelette.

Linux has come a long way from being a geeks-only operating
system to being an important backbone of the Internet. A rising
number of servers worldwide are using Linux, which is freely
downloadable online. It is also making inroads into the desktop
market as well.

There are many distributions, or distros, of Linux.
Basically, companies can take the heart of the Linux operating
system, known as the kernel, and package it with a user
interface, or desktop, and other software. They would then sell
the operating system as well as customer support, which usually
costs a lot less than regular "proprietary" software companies.

For example, U.S.-based Red Hat (www.redhat.com), perhaps the
world's best-known Linux company, has a look and feel that is
totally different then Suse (www.suse.com) from Germany. But they
are both Linux operating systems, and they also allow users to
download their operating system for free, without the customer
support.

As such, there are literally hundreds of Linux distros in the
world that can be customized to meet each individual's
requirements. For a list and reviews of the available Linux
distributions, check out DistroWatch at www.distrowatch.com.

Everyone has their own favorite choice of Linux distro. This
writer recommends Lycoris (www.lycoris.com) or Mandrake Linux
(www.mandrakelinux.com) for home PCs, since it is very user-
friendly. Corporate users can use the aforementioned Red Hat and
Suse, but IT managers should take a look at the new Ximian
Desktop 2 (XD2) from Ximian (www.ximian.com), which provides one
of the best graphical user interfaces.

XD2 can be downloaded for free, but XD2 Professional edition
(US$99) comes with all the necessary tools needed for a business
environment, such as an e-mail program and productivity suite.
The popular Linux alternative to Microsoft Office, Open Office
(www.openoffice.org), is also well integrated into XD2, allowing
users to share documents worldwide as it also saves and reads MS
Word format.

XD2 is perhaps an excellent alternative for companies to
switch to, but like all other Linux products, there are some pros
and cons to consider: Users won't be able to run Microsoft
Windows-based software such as games or accounting programs
(unless you obtain special emulation software such as WineX),
there is a high learning curve to use Linux applications, and
some peripherals or gadgets are not supported (you can't plug in
certain digital cameras, USB drives or PDAs).

However, the total cost of ownership for a Linux is rather
low, it practically has no virus threats that constantly pound
other operating systems, IT administrators can centrally and
uniformly maintain user software, and there are thousands of
people worldwide willing to help find or create solutions for
your problems.

There are quite a few Linux companies in Indonesia that are
ready to assist and even create customized solutions for your
business. Check out eLinux (www.elinux.co.id) or Linuxindo
(www.linuxindo.com) to see what is available.

Changing over to Linux may not be an easy task, but you always
have a choice in life. In this case, you can either pay an
enormous fee for software licensing -- which may sink your
company -- or comply with the law using Linux and evolve your
business process using freely available tools.

The choice is yours.