BITA to hold seminar on Linux

With the Gujarat government keen on promoting Linux and including it as one
of the prominent subjects to be covered in the HSC and SSC courses, Baroda IT
Association (BITA) has resolved to hold an awareness seminar on Linux. The
seminar, due to be held on August 29, will witness participation from the
members and their employees.

Sharing further information around the seminar, Nilesh Joshi, Secretary,
Baroda IT Association stated, “Following the government's decision to include
Linux as a subject within the HSC and SSC courses, the operating system will
receive wide acceptance. Hence, we will be providing adequate training to our
members and the engineers in their teams so that they can carry out the
installation process on their own. We have requested one of the faculty members
from Maharaja Sayajirao University Baroda to impart necessary information around
Linux and its configuration.”

Of late Linux is gaining prominence as an operating system across segments
such as education, government and even corporates. “One year ago, people did not
have much knowledge about Linux OS but now they want further information around
the benefits they stand to gain from its usage. If the program is well received
by the channel community then the association will hold yet another session on
Linux for the masses,”clarified Joshi.

Sharing information around the benefits of Linux, Jigish Gohil, visiting
faculty member of Maharaja Sayajirao opined,“The Gujarat government has made it
mandatory for Linux to be included as one of the prominent subjects in its
courses. More than 5000 schools in Gujarat and thereby every student will be
exposed to Linux and its usage and benefits. Keeping that in mind, the providers
of the OS, the IT channel partners need to be imparted effective training and
knowledge around the usage and configuration of Linux.”

Gohil further mentioned that with state governments including Tamil Nadu,
Kerala, Jharkhand and now, even Gujarat looking at promoting Linux, a lot of
knowledge around the OS needs to be extended.

While channel partners are looking forward to the seminar, they are not too
sure whether Linux will help them generate business opportunities.

Rajesh Mehta, Proprietor, Type House opined, “While the association's effort
around promoting Linux needs to be acknowledged, what we also need to keep in
mind is that MS windows Operating System governs 90 percent of the market.”