I have been carefully going through the comments on SOUL V/s open
source software for past few days. I would like straighten-out a few
points that were raised by Prof. Laxman Rao in his mail addressed to
professional colleagues:
1. SOUL Software works on a self-sustenance model. The INFLIBNET
Centre is not investing huge money on the Software. All expenses on
the SOUL including, R & D, maintenance, salary for SOUL Coordinators,
Technical Assistants, etc. is born from the sale of SOUL software, in
fact, the Centre have saved funds from sale of SOUL and this savings
is being now used for further strengthening the support system for
SOUL;
2. SOUL support and maintenance system has been strengthened now. We
had only two coordintors in the past. We have now deployed five SOUL
Coordinators, two more will be engaged shortly. Each SOUL Coordinator
can have two to three Technical Assistants depending upon the number
of installations in a given region. In all, there will be seven
Coordinators and 21 Technical Assistants. SOUL Software Support Unit
is also functioning from the INFLIBNET Centre for past more than 8
months. Expenses on strenghthened support system is being born from
income from SOUL software.
3. SOUL 2.0 has several new features and functionalities. Senior
library professionals are advised to examine the product and then give
their considered opinion. I am sure Prof. Laxman Rao did not have
opportunity to see SOUL 2.0. A large number of library professionals
have helped us with their feed-back during development of SOUL 2.0.
Actual users were in involved in various phases of development.
Feedback from most of the Library professionals has been highly
positive for SOUL 2.0. My Software Team at the INFLIBNET Centre has
worked day and night to bring the software to this stage. The 2nd
version of Software was developed in a record time to less than one
year. It is in-appropriate to criticize a product without even fully
exploring its features and functionalities.
4. Dr. Satish Deshpande, Dr. Haravu, Dr. Sathyanarayana (JNTU), Dr.
Goudar and other colleagues have already given their considered views
about open source software and co-existence of other LMS packages. The
SOUL Software has its own followers. We have more than 1800
installations and number is growing inspite of existence of several
open source software. We are committed to all our existing clients.
The software will be given free of cost to all our existing clients
with all the support that they require.
5. The INFLIBNET Centre has set-up an Open Source Software Laboratory.
Our scientists are working on all open source software including
NewGenLib. I would like to re-iterate here that for most library
science professionals, open source essentially means “free” software,
they neither have expertise nor resources to customize it. I know a
couple of big libraries who are struggling with open source software
LMS packages without much success. It would be our endevour not only
to provide support for all or selected open source software, but also
contribute to their development.
6. The price of SOUL 2.0 and its associated services were fixed as per
the guidelines laid down by the our Governing Board. We had to
consider cost of inputs in terms of manpower, infrastructure, etc.
However, we can revisit the prices, if desired.
7. As on now, the INFLIBNET is not considering to make SOUL 2.0 an
open source given the fact that it is developed for Microsift OS, a
proprietary OS. We are committed to develop it further, make it
completely platform independent and then we may consider to make it
open source.
I would like to ensure the academic community and library
professionals that the INFLIBNET Centre is doing its best and results
are already visible.
Thanks and regards
Dr. Jagdish Arora
Director, INFLIBNET Centre
Opp. Gujarat University Guest House
Post Box No. 4116, Navrangpura
Ahmedabad, Gujarat - 380009
Tel: +91 79 26305702 (Direct)
+91 79 26308528, 26304695,26305971
Mobile: 09974881882
Fax: +91 79 26300990 and 26307816
E-mail: jarora@inflibnet.ac.in; director@inflibnet.ac.in
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