On B2B Indonesia

I read with dismay the letter from Uraini Umarjadi of PT Dataindo Inti Swakarsa that appears in March 2 edition of The Jakarta Post. I have no affiliation with her company, except that in my column I once reviewed the product that is now being pirated and circulated freely around.

Having been once in the direct mailing business, I know how challenging it is to keep data up-to-date. Every day my employees had to call each of the names on the database to verify that the individual was still working in the same company and was still holding the same position. It was a tremendous amount of effort -- day in, day out. I quit after three months.

A database such as the B2B Indonesia is useful only to businesses. Now, are these businesses not supposed to pay for all the tools that they use to do business? If they invest in company cars, or furniture, PCs, air-conditioners etc., should they not also invest in the database that they use to get new business contacts?

And then, even if the database can be easily copied and duplicated, has it not occurred to these businesses that, if they buy the original, they will be helping Indonesian small and medium businesses grow and in turn, provide more jobs for Indonesians?

ZATNI ARBI, IT Columnist, Jakarta