Technology

WSO2, Lanka's open source company with a difference

by Gamini Warushamana

WSO2 Incorporation is different to most software companies in Sri Lanka in that everything is open not only for professionals in the company, but also to the whole world.

There are no business secrets or Intellectual Properties for codes that are written as solutions for numerous problems in this open world. You can see the codes they write on the same day through its web site and you can download them free.

This is how the opensource software company which is not very common in the industry works.

The work culture of the WSO2 is different to other companies. There are no particular working hours, attendance or sign off time. In addition to the flexible working pattern there are facilities to play games and entertainment. The new WSO2 office at Flower Road, Colombo 7 has all these facilities.

The chairman and founder of the WSO2 Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarna said this is similar to the working culture in the google company. We are in a pure knowledge business and these working conditions and freedom are essential for this kind of knowledge work. More web related

Dr. Weerawarna defined his company as a new kind of middleware company which is more web related.

We provide open source Service Orient Application (SOA) platforms. They are complete opensource middleware stack based on XML and web services. With the WSO2 web service framework we create a suite of products that offer the full range of transactional middleware including a web service, application server, enterprise bus and mashup server and more.

We also create a complete web services stack in C to complement our Java stack which offers a highly embeddable and performant platform, fully interoperable with Java and scripting languages such as PHP, Perl and Ruby.

Dr. Weerawarna, a pioneer of web service and open source technology explained how the business model WSO2 operates. As an opensource company anyone in the world can download our software free.

However, if your business is running on a software and you make money on it you may not want to face problems every hour with your software. Therefore free software alone is not enough and you need answers to your problems. We offer our software free and sell insurance package or maintenance packages optionally. Then we are responsible for all your software problems and ensure that they are bug free.

For instances WSO2 deployed opensource packages can have silver, gold or platinum support packages. In silver package it offers 9am-5pm support time on business days, two business days as response time, five incidents and one contact person through email and some other features.

The gold package has more facilities and the platinum package provides the best service including 24X7X365 support time, unlimited incidents, email and phone contacts with unlimited contact people and many more.

Open source business model

WSO2 uses this opensource business model to compete with proprietary software giants such as IBM, Microsoft and Oracle. "Unless you have $500 million marketing money you cannot compete with these proprietary global brands.

This is the only way for a small company like us with 50 people to take on giants such as IBM and Microsoft. We compete with these proprietary software companies as well as with other opensource software companies globally. To do this, firstly we produce better software than what they have. Secondly we provide them free. Finally as we do well we get momentum behind our technology. This is the only way of competing in the global market, Dr.Weerawarna said.

In Sri Lanka we have several software companies which are doing well, but not product companies. Product companies here are locally oriented or very regional and cannot compete globally. Even in India some of the best software companies ceased because they failed in marketing. Pramati Software is one such example and the company produced the best application software and sold them at a lower price than IBM or Microsoft. But it failed in marketing.

Dr.Weerawarna said that the opensource model has been successful in this market game. Even IBM today uses the Linux operating system, a complete opensource operating system, in their computers.

Linux originally developed by undergraduate students in Finland has now become the standard for the operating systems other than Windows. Even IBM has stopped its own operating system and is now using Linux. That is the level of the open source technology, Dr.Weerawarna said.

Reducing digital divide

Opensource technology has also slashed the software price by contributing to reduce the digital divide in the world. In year 2000 Prof. Jeffrey Sach said that to reduce the digital divide in the world, the basic computer codes should be provided free. Though the software giants did not respond to this the opensource technology has done it.

Though the business model has a proven success the two-year-old WSO2 is still looking for future prospects. Dr.Weerawarna said that the company has not yet reached even to break even. We are still losing money but we foresee a bright future. MySQL took 10 years to show profits. Others normally take 7-8 years.

The two-year period is not enough for an opensource company, he said. Intel Capital, a US venture capital company which has trusted the model has invested $ 4 million and the company is looking for more venture capital.

WSO2, a global company registered in the US has bases in the US, Sri Lanka and UK. The main research operations are being done in Sri Lanka.

The WSO2 talent pool has the most experienced software developers who came from all leading software companies in Sri Lanka as well as young university graduates with the highest grades.

Dr.Weerawarna said that WSO2 offers the highest salary in the industry. We want A grade people and therefore we have to offer higher salaries. However, a high salary is not the motivation for most of the professionals who joined WSO2.

Senior Software Architecture, Sanjiva Karunasena explained the difference of an opensource software company. I graduated from the University of Moratuwa and worked eight years at Virtusa.

I reached almost the top in my technical career and became a Senior Software Architect. I knew Dr. Weerawarna because of his contribution to the opensource technology and I was interested in this opensource culture - the way the opensource community works.

The developers are open to the whole world and the people get the credit for what they develop. We get opportunities to travel abroad, present papers at various fora and receive a response for our work.

The company and the developer get the name for a good product they produce. Nobody knows the brainpower behind Microsoft or other proprietary software. This is the motivating factor in this opensource environment, he said.

Better framework

The opensource model provides a better framework that can produce better software in a short timeframe. There is a cost advantage as well, especially for a developing world where the software cost is the major concern. With the open source code and community contribution in the development the code is updated regularly, Karunasena said.

Dimuthu Leelarathne, also a graduate from the Moratuwa University joined WSO2 with experience from Millennium IT, another leading software company. I love this free working environment because it is helpful for creative and innovative work. We have been fascinated with the work we do here, he said.

Eventhika, an IIT graduate is working in software quality control at WSO2. She gained experience at the Euro Centre, another leading software company. The free working culture is the main motivation we have to work at WSO2. We are more innovative and creative here, she said.

We have many opportunities in R&D. This is purely technical work and not managerial work. In the closed model, we had to follow a tight schedule and meet targets, said Yumali Ranaweera, who joined WSO2 having worked at Virtusa.

This is Manjula's first job after graduating from the University of Moratuwa. He said that he has Apache commitership. a recognition in the Apache commitership Foundation. Most of the WSO2 professionals have Apache Commitership.

We get the credit for the work we do and it motivates us, Manjula said. As the talents of the professionals are open to the world, keeping them at WSO2 is a real challenge.

The talented opensource developers get very attractive offers from around the world. Dr.Weerawarna said that still this is not an issue at WSO2.

No one left the company and a few people are on leave for their masters and higher studies and they will come back, he said.

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Govt allocates over Rs. 300m to set up Nano-technological centre

by Lalin Fernandopulle

The Government has allocated over Rs. 300 million through the budget to support the establishment of a Nano-technological centre, Minister of Science and Technology Prof. Tissa Vitharana said.

He said Nano-technology, the newly emerging wave of technology will have a revolutionary impact on industries.

We have the human resources within the country and abroad especially in the USA, UK and other developed countries to be a leader in Nano-technology. To develop Nano-technology we need to provide laboratory facilities and a Nanoscience Park to attract and promote the relevant industries.

The success of developing the technology will depend on foreign donor funding. "There has been a good response from the private sector and the project to develop Nano-technology will be implemented as a private-public partnership. He said if the country does not develop Nano-technology there is little prospects of it emerging from poverty. Giants such as China and India will forge ahead.

A reasonable amount of funds has been allocated for the Vidhatha program which has helped to develop rural industries.

Over 200 Vidhatha centres have been opened in 327 Divisions in the country. Around 600 entrepreneurs have been trained while 1,400 have improved the quality of their products by using the technology through Vidhatha Centres.

Training courses have been provided in a number of technologies for self-employed people in villages. Over 2,000 people have been trained in the Kithul technology which has increased the yield. Over 1,400 Vidhatha centres have been set up at Grama Sevaka Vasama level and their members have been given free training on computer science.

Despite constraints such as the global economic crisis, rising fuel prices and the conflict, the 2008 Budget has focused on achieving economic development, "The one per cent target of the GDP to be allocated for science and technology based research as recommended in the Mahinda Chintana program has not been given consideration in the Budget", he said.

The annual expenditure which averaged 0.14 per cent of the DGP has been reduced to 0.13 per cent of the GDP. Sri Lanka has the lowest investment on research and development.

Bangladesh which is considered less developed than Sri Lanka has invested 0.2 per cent of the GDP on research and development. India has increased its investment from 1.3 per cent to 2 per cent of the DGP research and development.

Prof. Vitharana said all developed and most East Asian countries allocate over two per cent of the GDP for Research and Development. Korea reached three per cent of the GDP this year.

"I am surprised that the officials of the Treasury who have recognised the importance of promoting the SME sector are not valuing the significance of developing the local technology which adds value to our raw materials", he said.

The SME sector will be successful only if its products and services are of quality and at a good price to compete with products of multinational companies.

Modern technology will increase productivity and the quality requires research and development.

Without an adequate investment the working and living conditions that scientists and technologists require to achieve these objectives cannot be provided.

As a result of poor investments on research and development talented youth are leaving the country.

Unless steps are taken to stop the brain drain the country will not be able develop its economy.

It is by developing industries that Korea achieved a Per Capita GDP exceeding US$ 35,000 with employment opportunities for which Sri Lankan youth are struggling for.

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ICTA to set up 500 Nanasala centres

The Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) will set up 500 Nanasala centres in the country by January 2008, Program Manager ICTA, Fayaz Hudah said.

He was addressing the 10th Private Sector Forum organised by ICTA. The Agency completed setting up 450 Nanasala centres including the Eastern province and targets 600 by end next year.

The objective in setting up centres is to provide rural youth access to Information Communication Technology (ICT) and bridge the digital divide. The centres are provided with multiple ICT related services from Internet access to IT education to children and adults who cannot afford such facilities.

Hudah said these centres play a pivotal role in the village to improve the IT literacy rate of the country by providing training for rural communities. The Nanasala program was launched in 2005 with the first centre being set up at the Kirivehara Temple in Kataragama.

Team Leader, ICT Capacity Building Program (ICBP), Ranjith Fernando said ICBP has helped enhance the country's ICT competitiveness in the global business arena.

ICBP, a program launched by ICTA is a US$ 5.2 million program to support ICT development in the private sector.

"Global opportunities for the IT/BPO industry is growing at a rapid pace. Sri Lanka's inability to meet the demand is a significant drawback to the ICT industry.

According to the ICT Workforce Survey 2007, the country's ICT industry can absorb 3,000-4,000 employees annually. Country Director, World Bank, Naoko Iishi said to be successful in well managed economies there needs to be sound education, innovation, ICT infrastructure and a good economic and institutional regime.

LF

Sony Bravia at the forefront of LCD TV technology

The Sony Bravia range of LCD televisions epitomise the revolutionary technological prowess of this renowned brand name. Each series of the Bravia range has been specially developed to cater to a wide variety of needs.

With each new Bravia LCD TV series, Sony has further cemented their leadership role in LCD TV technology.

While many countries continue to carry conventional analogue televisions Siedles (Pvt) Ltd is optimistic that the adoption rate for high quality flat panel televisions such as the Bravia LCD TV's would continue to grow and become a de facto requirement in home entertainment in Sri Lanka.

Bravia is a Sony sub-brand name used to market its high definition LCD televisions as well as front and rear projection TVs.

The name is an acronym of "Best Resolution Audio Visual Integrated Architecture".