Ubuntu Developer Summit/Linaro Developer Conference

I am currently participating in the Linaro Developer Conference.It is being held along with Ubuntu Developer Conference in Orlando(24-29 Oct10).Linaro is a Multi company initiative to standardise the Linux Kernel and middleware for the ARM based platforms.This will reduce redundancies and improve the time to market.

I had my presentation on Multimedia Codecs.It was received well by the audience.The presentation was about multimedia basics and the developement methodology of codecs and its best practices.This was for a wider audience from a variety of backgrounds to bring everyone to the same page.I will be further conducting sessions on Codec development for the next release cycle, day after tomorrow.The presentation is available at

https://wiki.linaro.org/WorkingGroups/Middleware/Multimedia/Specs/1105/OptimizeCodecBestPractices

The necessity of National UID(Addhar)(?)

I was going through the UID documentation and was not able to find any strong reason as to go for a new numbering system considering that the already exisiting IT PAN(Permananet Account Number) could have done the same job comfortably.

In fact the Finance Ministry had decided to add biometric data to the PAN data base to plug leakages in terms of bogus cards.The PAN is already being used by crores of people.This number could as well have been used by other govt departments for delivering some other set of services.

The UID Authority will be paying Rs 50 for every new enrollment to the registrars.This money could have been saved for a few crore people,if PAN was used.

I am sure they would have done a feasibility study considering that Nilekani is heading the project.But,the govt(quasi govt) agencies more often that not have embarked on some redundant projects to shelve it later.The MAPIN project comes to mind.This was mandated for all mutual fund holders.Whereas PAN could have been used for the same.At the last moment MAPIN was scrapped and PAN was used in its place.The Voter ID card is one other redundant project.The mutual fund KYC(Know your Costomer) is another bogus policy being implemented.People can easily be tracket using PAN.

Nilekani is the Cenral government advisor for IT projects.Hope this will help prevent further redundant e-gov projects in the future.