NASSCOM SPL: It's all about 'open' competition!

MUMBAI, INDIA: It's all about open competition now, as it appears. Amidst the zeitgeist of fighting slowdown, the winds of competition are still blowing high.

Commenting on a question at a session here at NILF 2009, about the duel between open source and proprietary software, Ravi Venkatesan, chairman,Microsoft said that while MS has made sure it is playing its part well in the heterogeneous world, and ensuring interoperability, it all boiled down to competition.

"The debate is quite ideological now and it keeps evolving. But there is no market of free lunches and smart customers realize that as they scan TCO closely. Open source and otherwise are two different business models."

Earlier, during the session, he highlighted the importance of domestic market. "It's not business as usual now. We have to look at domestic market. And there arbitrage would no more be a differentiator unlike global play, but it's the value that remains after you rip off everything, that will differentiate successful players."

As to the crisis, he felt that India is better placed to come out soon and in the next six to 12 months, it would be time to climb out when the bottom finally is clear. "Globally, it would take time for the crisis to end."

Rajesh Nambiar, VP and GM, IBM meanwhile maintained that it's not about clients cutting back on spends but where they choose to cut and where they invest. "It's not time to ask what your customers want but what they need."

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