The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
- George Bernard Shaw
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
IT in India : Where We Were , Where We Are
ABSTRACT
I am somewhat positive on India’s endeavor for all round development, be it political, social, education, economic, industrial etc keeping in mind the historic as well as the current context of the country. Prolonged colonialism, population explosion, highly diverse social demography are some of the few radical factors one should not forget to touch upon where reaching a decision on India’s progress. Great leaders have born and died serving the timely purpose. The country’s comeback from abject pandemonium to a what software and services superpower it is today is highly commendable and cannot be said for any other country, the world over. This paper primarily focuses on the cradle of information technology in India, it withstanding the then strict government policies and becoming the major software services vendor in the world.
1. Post Independence Issues
India had been under the British Raj for about a century and eventually gained its independent status in 1947. During this colonial span the British had impoverished to country to a high extent. It crippled the economy, destroyed the social integrity and made the life of farmers worse. As soon as it got its independence the country witnessed violent communal riots resulting in further loss of the Indian heritage. Somehow we were able to bring peace and order imputed to the then effective government policies and initiatives. Contrasting with currently developed countries, precisely USA and UK, India had a miserable time dealing with colonialism. While USA attained independence from British colonies in 1776 (171 years before us), UK was never under a colonial pressure.
2. Economic Progress
In 1960-70 period India’s primary sector constituted more than half of the economy. Since then it has been able to bring it down to 20-25%. The industrial sector comprises of 25% of the GDP. Thus more than 55% of the GDP comes from the services sector tending more towards a developed economy. Within the services sector the IT, ITeS, ICT, Software and BPO have been the major contributors. India has received worldwide acclaim for the smart strategy it followed to reach the current GDP distribution statistics. This attracted a great deal of economists to study the forces behind such transformation.
3. Forces responsible for birth of IT in India
The term Information Technology, in its modern sense, was first coined in a 1958 article in HBR. The so called
“electronics lead” by the Americans was clearly visible in this context. IBM and HP primarily started as electronics and hardware companies. IBM’s electric tabulating machine helped the U.S. government in its large scale operation. HP was mainly focused on developing voltmeters, oscilloscopes, audio systems etc. The development of the FORTRAN programming language in 1957 by IBM, in a manner, gave rise to programmable artificial intelligence.
Companies such as Microsoft and Apple started as true IT firms which incorporated both hardware and software in their developmental work inspired the intellectuals the world over. Indian intellectuals like Narendra Patni (PCS), N.R. Narayana Murthi, Azim Premji etc. were some of the very few intellectuals who had a vision for software and IT industry in India and were inspired by the western developments. The ‘C’ programming language was developed during early 1970s and further influenced the software industry.
Table 1. Early Programming Languages
Language Developed Language Developed
FORTRAN 1957 C 1973
Upon observation one should find that indigenous companies like TCS, PCS and Wipro started their IT services in mid 1970s, during the same period when Microsoft and Apple were founded. Even Infosys was started was started in 1981.
Wipro was originally an oil and soap producing company. It switched to IT services in 1970s and is the third largest company in India today but not a big player in IT globally. Wipro had an added advantage during its foundation years, when IBM was knocked out to protect domestic companies.
SEEPZ (Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone), formed in 1973 in Bombay was the first IT hub indulging in exports. Several IT companies like TCS and PCS have their offices under it.
In 1981, TCS set up India's first software research and development centre, the Tata Research Development and Design Center in Pune.
Then comes the prime question – Why companies like Microsoft and Apple Inc. are the most enchanted names in the international IT industry and why TCS, Wipro etc are not equally prosperous? Why the operating system we use today is Microsoft Windows and not something developed by Infosys or TCS?
Table 2. Major IT Companies Globally
Company Founded Company Founded
IBM 1911 Microsoft 1975
HP 1939 Apple Inc. 1976
Table 3. Major IT Companies In India
Company Founded Company Founded
WIPRO 1945 PATNI 1978
TCS 1968 INFOSYS 1981
One reason behind this was the so called research lead taken up by Microsoft and Apple more actively, putting huge funds for research and experiments from the nascent stages of IT. Second reason could be the liberal western economies whereas before the 1991 economic reforms, Indian economy was identified by License Raj. Or the ‘Red Tape’. Red Tape existed for almost 40 years. It was a big bottleneck for the Indian entrepreneurs and hindered their concentration on company’s services, research and market strategy. To start a private firm there were a many procedures to be followed and forms to be filled, these often required them to travel a lot. The government was also very reluctant in assigning tasks to private firms. Capitalism was looked down upon.
The third reason could be imputed to the dearth of local markets for IT services during that period. More than half of the population was unemployed, thus the IT automation was not much motivating. These issues were not faced by western economies as their population and employment was well in control.
4. Post 1991 Economic Reforms
Today the IT industry in India is known globally for its software and services exports and BPOs. Their major markets are in the west. There had been two prime reasons for this.
1. Radical transition in economic policy.
2. Increasing availability of cheap, skilled and English speaking workforce.
3. Nature of work.
The 1991 economic reforms opened up the Indian economy to the world. Foreign investment and free markets were promoted. Above all it was a liberalization of the economic policies. This brought huge opportunities for the Indian capitalists and companies like Infosys, TCS etc. started enjoying their glorious years to some extent.
Most of us are aware of the second factor. India has the second largest English speaking population in the world, thought they are not native English speakers. This enables them to communicate with their foreign peers or clients specially in Business Process Outsourcing. Today most of the IT companies are into BPO operations. One advantage to the west is quite overt. They never had to tackle with the language problems as Indians and Chinese. Though we have a large number of English speakers, they constitute only 12% of the total.
The nature of work of an IT or Computer Science is also a responsible, at individual level, for the rise of this industry. Where industries like mechanical, electrical, chemical require the professionals and technicians to risk their health and often have cases of health hazards, the IT industry is quite safe from that viewpoint.
I am somewhat positive on India’s endeavor for all round development, be it political, social, education, economic, industrial etc keeping in mind the historic as well as the current context of the country. Prolonged colonialism, population explosion, highly diverse social demography are some of the few radical factors one should not forget to touch upon where reaching a decision on India’s progress. Great leaders have born and died serving the timely purpose. The country’s comeback from abject pandemonium to a what software and services superpower it is today is highly commendable and cannot be said for any other country, the world over. This paper primarily focuses on the cradle of information technology in India, it withstanding the then strict government policies and becoming the major software services vendor in the world.
1. Post Independence Issues
India had been under the British Raj for about a century and eventually gained its independent status in 1947. During this colonial span the British had impoverished to country to a high extent. It crippled the economy, destroyed the social integrity and made the life of farmers worse. As soon as it got its independence the country witnessed violent communal riots resulting in further loss of the Indian heritage. Somehow we were able to bring peace and order imputed to the then effective government policies and initiatives. Contrasting with currently developed countries, precisely USA and UK, India had a miserable time dealing with colonialism. While USA attained independence from British colonies in 1776 (171 years before us), UK was never under a colonial pressure.
2. Economic Progress
In 1960-70 period India’s primary sector constituted more than half of the economy. Since then it has been able to bring it down to 20-25%. The industrial sector comprises of 25% of the GDP. Thus more than 55% of the GDP comes from the services sector tending more towards a developed economy. Within the services sector the IT, ITeS, ICT, Software and BPO have been the major contributors. India has received worldwide acclaim for the smart strategy it followed to reach the current GDP distribution statistics. This attracted a great deal of economists to study the forces behind such transformation.
3. Forces responsible for birth of IT in India
The term Information Technology, in its modern sense, was first coined in a 1958 article in HBR. The so called
“electronics lead” by the Americans was clearly visible in this context. IBM and HP primarily started as electronics and hardware companies. IBM’s electric tabulating machine helped the U.S. government in its large scale operation. HP was mainly focused on developing voltmeters, oscilloscopes, audio systems etc. The development of the FORTRAN programming language in 1957 by IBM, in a manner, gave rise to programmable artificial intelligence.
Companies such as Microsoft and Apple started as true IT firms which incorporated both hardware and software in their developmental work inspired the intellectuals the world over. Indian intellectuals like Narendra Patni (PCS), N.R. Narayana Murthi, Azim Premji etc. were some of the very few intellectuals who had a vision for software and IT industry in India and were inspired by the western developments. The ‘C’ programming language was developed during early 1970s and further influenced the software industry.
Table 1. Early Programming Languages
Language Developed Language Developed
FORTRAN 1957 C 1973
Upon observation one should find that indigenous companies like TCS, PCS and Wipro started their IT services in mid 1970s, during the same period when Microsoft and Apple were founded. Even Infosys was started was started in 1981.
Wipro was originally an oil and soap producing company. It switched to IT services in 1970s and is the third largest company in India today but not a big player in IT globally. Wipro had an added advantage during its foundation years, when IBM was knocked out to protect domestic companies.
SEEPZ (Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone), formed in 1973 in Bombay was the first IT hub indulging in exports. Several IT companies like TCS and PCS have their offices under it.
In 1981, TCS set up India's first software research and development centre, the Tata Research Development and Design Center in Pune.
Then comes the prime question – Why companies like Microsoft and Apple Inc. are the most enchanted names in the international IT industry and why TCS, Wipro etc are not equally prosperous? Why the operating system we use today is Microsoft Windows and not something developed by Infosys or TCS?
Table 2. Major IT Companies Globally
Company Founded Company Founded
IBM 1911 Microsoft 1975
HP 1939 Apple Inc. 1976
Table 3. Major IT Companies In India
Company Founded Company Founded
WIPRO 1945 PATNI 1978
TCS 1968 INFOSYS 1981
One reason behind this was the so called research lead taken up by Microsoft and Apple more actively, putting huge funds for research and experiments from the nascent stages of IT. Second reason could be the liberal western economies whereas before the 1991 economic reforms, Indian economy was identified by License Raj. Or the ‘Red Tape’. Red Tape existed for almost 40 years. It was a big bottleneck for the Indian entrepreneurs and hindered their concentration on company’s services, research and market strategy. To start a private firm there were a many procedures to be followed and forms to be filled, these often required them to travel a lot. The government was also very reluctant in assigning tasks to private firms. Capitalism was looked down upon.
The third reason could be imputed to the dearth of local markets for IT services during that period. More than half of the population was unemployed, thus the IT automation was not much motivating. These issues were not faced by western economies as their population and employment was well in control.
4. Post 1991 Economic Reforms
Today the IT industry in India is known globally for its software and services exports and BPOs. Their major markets are in the west. There had been two prime reasons for this.
1. Radical transition in economic policy.
2. Increasing availability of cheap, skilled and English speaking workforce.
3. Nature of work.
The 1991 economic reforms opened up the Indian economy to the world. Foreign investment and free markets were promoted. Above all it was a liberalization of the economic policies. This brought huge opportunities for the Indian capitalists and companies like Infosys, TCS etc. started enjoying their glorious years to some extent.
Most of us are aware of the second factor. India has the second largest English speaking population in the world, thought they are not native English speakers. This enables them to communicate with their foreign peers or clients specially in Business Process Outsourcing. Today most of the IT companies are into BPO operations. One advantage to the west is quite overt. They never had to tackle with the language problems as Indians and Chinese. Though we have a large number of English speakers, they constitute only 12% of the total.
The nature of work of an IT or Computer Science is also a responsible, at individual level, for the rise of this industry. Where industries like mechanical, electrical, chemical require the professionals and technicians to risk their health and often have cases of health hazards, the IT industry is quite safe from that viewpoint.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
What Can Be Done ?
I just read a few pages of non-fiction A Better India : A Better World by NR Narayana Murthi. Bought it today for Rs. 480 . Its about his thinking , musings , ideas , speeches he delivered and discussed in the recent years of his glory . Definitely , this is a seminal work which will arouse patriotism , social and moral obligations toward the society and nation , and influence the mindset of honest , energetic and young mavens across the country .
Let me tell you that I am quite blessed and fortunate to be able to buy this book without hesitating over the Rs.499 tag at the back cover. I am concerned about my less privileged friends across the diamond shaped map of India , who probably had known about this work but didn't feel the inner urge to go for it for the daunting price tag. There may be thousands of such people , even millions . Mr. Narayana Murthi is a Chosen one. Seldom one finds such elite people concerned about their motherland and toil to spread the ideas of economic development and social equity . He might have put thousand hours into labor for accomplishing this breakthrough work . But then why he expects huge returns from the book . He is a man of great wealth and such deals doesn't change much . Even after five years of the release of "A Better India : A Better World" he is indeed the same IT magnate , the same man of great honor, fame and wealth .
Now , had this great entrepreneur been a little benevolent , he could have sold it , I guess , Rs.100 or something like that. No , don't throw the gauntlet on me. Had I wrote the book I would probably have charged the same or even more , but why you forget I am not him . Some people write , because writing is their profession . They charge whatever they like , but it sounds sense . But when you are a kind of 'Steve Jobs' and want your success story and golden honest ideas for the nation and the world to pervade across the huge fraction of impoverished population of India , doesn't such hefty price put a question on exactly what you are thinking right now .
I ain't caviling here with the flawlessly great work by Mr NR Murthy . Just that I am a critic and couldn't tame the concern in my mind .
Let me tell you that I am quite blessed and fortunate to be able to buy this book without hesitating over the Rs.499 tag at the back cover. I am concerned about my less privileged friends across the diamond shaped map of India , who probably had known about this work but didn't feel the inner urge to go for it for the daunting price tag. There may be thousands of such people , even millions . Mr. Narayana Murthi is a Chosen one. Seldom one finds such elite people concerned about their motherland and toil to spread the ideas of economic development and social equity . He might have put thousand hours into labor for accomplishing this breakthrough work . But then why he expects huge returns from the book . He is a man of great wealth and such deals doesn't change much . Even after five years of the release of "A Better India : A Better World" he is indeed the same IT magnate , the same man of great honor, fame and wealth .
Now , had this great entrepreneur been a little benevolent , he could have sold it , I guess , Rs.100 or something like that. No , don't throw the gauntlet on me. Had I wrote the book I would probably have charged the same or even more , but why you forget I am not him . Some people write , because writing is their profession . They charge whatever they like , but it sounds sense . But when you are a kind of 'Steve Jobs' and want your success story and golden honest ideas for the nation and the world to pervade across the huge fraction of impoverished population of India , doesn't such hefty price put a question on exactly what you are thinking right now .
I ain't caviling here with the flawlessly great work by Mr NR Murthy . Just that I am a critic and couldn't tame the concern in my mind .
Monday, July 4, 2011
The Era Of Web Services
The times of web services has already begun. IT officials from mid-level to big enterprises are plunging themselves into this advancement in the software engineering . Whether they enforce REST or SOA they have become quite pervasive in the field of software application , and the upshot is interesting - low application production cost , integration of legacy systems , flexibility and scalability .
Thursday, June 9, 2011
A Reinforced Thought for the Day
The one in immaculate pursuit of his dreams shall never be betrayed by them , his heart and soul shall converse in harmony , his vision shall never quiver in the face of bad omens and shall he be honored with envious prestige and success in the very unexpected hours of his toil"
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Scaling your Web-Services
Today we have a myriad number of web service with different services to offer . There is eBay and Amazon for e-Commerce , PhotoBucket and Flikr for image sharing , FB and Twitter for social networking etc . Every web service have its own scaling points . Scaling points are those factors which need to be mended to address the scaling concerns . Some of the most common scaling points are :
1. Storage on server/cloud
2. Network bandwidth
3. Server RAM
4. Server I/O
5. Database transactions/sec
6. Application Architecture
1. Storage on server/cloud
2. Network bandwidth
3. Server RAM
4. Server I/O
5. Database transactions/sec
6. Application Architecture
Cloud Hosting vs Dedicated Hosting
Scalability is going to be the major concern for businesses tomorrow when the world is better developed and has increased internet penetration. Considering India , worlds' IInd most populated country , where internet penetration is about 10% today , it calls for scalability concerns when economies like India are on rise . This is where the 'cloud' comes into picture and makes more sense. One of the newest trends on the market evaluates the use of a Dedicated Server vs Cloud Computing.
The major difference between the two is that a dedicated server is a physical piece of equipment housed in a room somewhere. Cloud computing, on the other hand is a virtual server which allows customization, load balancing, and storage. Due to the confusion between the two, many businesses are now opting to utilize a hybrid hosting system which combines the two.
There are many differences between the two systems. A dedicated system is a structure that works on a specified website that has been rented from a host. It has the advantage of providing services without the competition generally associated when multiple servers sharing a single site. Additionally, the monthly fee is always the same regardless of how much navigation or space is used.
Cloud computing, on the other hand, is becoming more popular in that it is capable of allowing for spikes in traffic, offers a broader range of exposure, and provides many amenities not available in the other option. Although it is a shared server, it can balance a higher load, easily expand websites based on individual needs, and provides hardware upgrades on a regular basis. Unfortunately, the cost is directly dependent on the amount of computer power required which often fluctuates widely in a new business.
One concern many have when working on the Internet is the level of security provided to those visiting various sites. It has been revealed recently that cloud servers are less capable of providing the level of protection many expect from websites today. Google is just one example of a cloud server that has experienced safety issues in recent years.
The differences between a Dedicated Server vs Cloud Computing are significant and the selection between the two should be based upon individual need. For those who are expanding into a web-based market, one should research the options carefully before making a commitment.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Computer Science : A Solution for Radical Bottlenecks in the Welfare of Humanity :
In the current scenario the service sector of any developed economy makes over 50% of the Gross Domestic Product. Why this sector turns out to be such is quite simple to answer . The population rise is an issue almost everywhere . Citizen of a country are its most important resource and their welfare is the prime motive of every development , innovation and technology.
Services view the rising population concerns from a vantage point of potential . They are anything which a person with any valuable skill can help others develop the same . This may be imparted either directly or indirectly , directly where the provider and receivers are face to face and indirectly in which the service can developed to some form which can be reused again and again .
Services view the rising population concerns from a vantage point of potential . They are anything which a person with any valuable skill can help others develop the same . This may be imparted either directly or indirectly , directly where the provider and receivers are face to face and indirectly in which the service can developed to some form which can be reused again and again .
A Reinforced Thought : 9th May 2011 : Researches and Realism
If your so called researches and innovative ideas take an age to serve humanity then what you really need is to think again and think feasible , life is not only about dreaming and dying in attempts all your life , try to be more realistic in your line of thinking .
Friday, April 1, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)