Russian Minister of Information Technology and Communications Leonid Reiman
Photo: Konstantin Vorobiev
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IT Ministry Wants Free Software
The Russian Ministry of IT and Communications has published a draft development concept for free software in Russia on its website. The ministry expects the government to approve the concept this summer. The document defines free software as software that the user has the right modify and distribute (including selling) in the modified form. It will mean that programs competing with Microsoft products will receive state support.
The authors of the concept say that it will guarantee the “defensive capabilities and security of the country,” encourage the domestic software industry and decrease violations of copyright law in Russia. It also promises to increase competition on the market, where the operating systems segment is dominated by the American Microsoft.
Implementation of the concept will require additional development of Russian legislation. The ministry was unable to say how much implementation of the concept would cost. Microsoft platform strategy manager Vladislav Shershulsky called the ministry's plans “unrealistic” and commented that “The concept is in fact meant to support the companies behind Linux, such as IBM. IBM officially sponsors the development of Linux so that it can then sell that product in its hardware.”
Nor does Shershulsky see that the concept will encourage the programming industry in Russia. “What Russian programmer wants to give the right to his intellectual property?” he asked, continuing, “There are no world developers of free software in Russia. But there are companies like ABBYY and Kaspersky Laboratory. Its is not beneficial to them to make their intellectual property freely accessible.” ABBYY general director Grigory Lipich agreed. “We are not ready for free software,” he said. “Out technology is unique and we don't want to reveal it. On the contrary, we are patenting it.”
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Mar. 20, 2008
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