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The history of computing in India is inextricably intertwined with two interacting forces: the political climate (determined by the political party in power) and the government policies mainly driven by the technocrats and bureaucrats who acted within the boundaries drawn by the political party in power. There were four break points (which occurred in 1970, 1978, 1991 and 1998) that changed the direction of the development of computers and their applications. This article explains why these breaks occurred and how they affected the history of computing in India. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article looks at India's IT industry history in the 1970s and early 1980s by focusing on the development of an indigenous microcomputer by the Hindustan Computers Limited (HCL). After gaining independence in 1947, the Indian government embarked on a program that focused on economic development, albeit with a socialist theme and central planning. Indigenization was the prime objective. Some industries were more favored than others, and electronics and computers were initially neglected and hobbled by restrictive policies. Foreign companies were pressured to reduce foreign equity. By the late-1970s, government efforts to induce IBM to transfer equity had failed. The government responded by forcing IBM to leave India and by relaxing policies and permitting local companies to import parts and components to develop computers locally. As a result, many private companies entered the computer sector. HCL was born in 1976 and released its first commercial system in 1978. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

From the inside of a software-intensive system, there are many different styles of implementation, each with its own subtle characteristics. From the outside, it all looks the same: its completely invisible. The Web extra at http://youtu.be/fWJEZ4vEEco is an audio podcast of author Grady Booch reading his On Computing column, in which he discusses how from the inside of a software-intensive system, there are many different styles of implementation, each with its own subtle characteristics. From the outside, it all looks the same: it's completely invisible. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article provides an account of the business infrastructure developed in Bangalore, India for the computer industry. The economic development of the city during the privatization of the Indian electricity system is discussed. The article describes the development and marketing of industrial parks in India, which frequently draw on the language of spiritual fulfillment used in the description of ashrams. The privatized industrial developments of Bangalore, with relatively involved management systems, are contrasted with the city itself, which the author described as a chaotic place.

The article reports that the information technology services industry in India is having a major effect on global consulting services. Large corporations such as IBM, Accenture, EDS and Deloitte have been expanding rapidly in India to take advantage of the low-cost, high-quality workforce. At the same time, Indian software firms are expanding in the United States to establish the closer customer relationships needed to compete in offering high-end consulting services. However, in order to become recognized as global brands and increase their value, Indian software companies must promote knowledge leadership, foster efforts to improve cultural alignment, and establish incentives to innovate.

This article focuses on structural shifts in the Chinese software industry. China and India account for two-fifths of the world population and are among the few developing countries that have established good track records in exporting high-technology products. As in any economic sector, companies in the software industry need to realign and adapt to major technological and market changes. Social, political, and cultural adaptations are equally important. Such adaptation and realignment are tightly linked to a company's success. The Indian software industry doesn't seem to make efforts to realign and adapt to technology and market changes. One fundamental structural shift is related to stimulating domestic demand and orienting Chinese software firms toward the domestic market. Estimates of China and India's domestic software market sizes vary widely. Government software consumption and recently enacted local procurement laws favor domestic players. An important structural shift in the Chinese software landscape has been the emergence of new and powerful players.