ACMA organizes its first technical seminar

The Ahmedabad Computer Merchants Association (ACMA) held it first-ever technical seminar since the body was founded in 1996. 50% of the association's 180 members participated in this one-day seminar on Linux. Says RG Patel, President, ACMA, "Since this was the first time we organized such an event, we are happy with the turnout." ACMA has decided to organize one technical seminar every quarter, this year. The subjects for these seminars are yet to be decided. 

Rana of Ahmedabad-based Antariksh Software, a Red Hat partner, conducted the Linux seminar. The seminar was offered
free of cost to ACMA, though Antariksh charges Rs 11,000 of organizing similar training sessions. 

The objective of the seminar was to clear the doubts among partners about the Linux operating system. Also, partners could then scale up to higher levels of training to get certified as Red Hat Linux partners. ACMA expects that this would enable them to get business leads from the vendor.

The event garnered very good response among partners as companies in Ahmedabad are making a transition to Linux. Three participants have already signed up to get trained and certified by
Antariksh.

Some of the queries that came up during the Linux seminar were about providing tech support on the OS. Partners were also keen to know whether Linux would replace Windows and whether applications running on Windows could be ported on Linux as well. "Participants were also curious about the Linux versions which are ideal for specific verticals and the regular training cost for becoming a certified Linux partner," adds Patel.

Close on the heels of the Linux seminar, ACMA had also organized an interactive forum to discuss the excise duty on services, which is liable to be increased to 10% once the service tax bill is passed in the Lok Sabha. It is now gearing up for its annual exhibition to be held in September this year. 

VINITA BHATIA