The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shahidul K K Shuvra

The web portal of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services, BASIS, is one of the most ordinary websites of the country, but the software trade body is obliged to provide extra ordinary services to the country's software industry. As regular internet surfers we have to click on many websites either for professional or personal purposes. The website of BASIS (www.basis.org.bd) is important for every software and IT enabled service related people like international and national companies, government offices, academicians, journalists, donors, NGO etc. As IT journalists we often visit the website for gathering information for preparing writing-ups and stories on IT industry. We cannot point out any speciality of the website and webpage designing mastery is totally absent. The white coloured website with light blue options cannot claim it is a noticeable website in the South Asia, even many websites of the country are many steps ahead of the website and websites of some member companies of BASIS are attractive than the web portal. Such poor web portal cannot be able to take credit to bring outsourcing and other IT businesses here.

Webpage designers of BASIS failed to show graphical tools over the website. Nice images can draw attention of surfers that can also inject affection in the mind of browsers. Informative contents can keep the surfers long time glued to a website as well as enlightening the netizens with updated information. The software think-thank already crossed its infant stage because next year it will be one decade old. Now its membership stands at 247, which are software developers and IT enabled service providers. Their many member companies are associated with multinational companies and internationally certified staffs are also available in some of their member companies. They claimed in the last Softexpo they are exporting software and IT services to 30 countries of the world. More than a dozen of its member firms are certified to ISO 9001 quality assurance standard. Several firms also are on course to obtain SEI - CMM level 3 certification.

The mentioned claims and background of the software trade body proved that they have enough experts and resources to develop a world class website with containing many information, research papers, market analysis, video, blogs etc.

Software developers of BASIS often try to walk on the path of Indian software industry. In fact, their dream is to take place in the international software businesses like Indian software industry did. Replicating the website of NASSCOM (www.nasscom.in) can be an easiest task and the website of Indian software industry can be a nice model to be followed. Whenever we visit the website of NASSCOM we see brilliant brains are playing role behind the building of the website. Its well-designed options showed deftly creativity of the webpage designers. Analytical contents represent brilliant thinking power of their hi-tech analysts. Regular upgraded information of the website will give you a full picture of Indian software industry. The option called 'Media Room' at the NASSCOM's website is 50 times better than the website of BASIS. Highly professional persons related with the media page to write contents of the website of Indian software trade body, which frequently upgrades the surfers on the IT industry. The press contents of BASIS are poorly written in a few lines, writing standard is below to the mark and as surfers we see absence of professionalism at the website. Journalists never get proper answers of their queries from the website. 'Newsline' option of the website of NASSCOM will make you thrilled to see Indian and world's IT domains. Stories and features like 'Women in IT' are excellent and innovative, such website is fully capable to earn international businesses. Versatile options of the website are so colourful and educative that are even rare in many famous western websites. The website of BASIS can post worthy interviews of some software pioneers of Asia as well as world. During preparing this website review we read the interview of Vincent Fernandez, CEO, STPL, at the NASSCOM's site. Vincent Fernandez is CEO of Software Technology Park Limited, a UK based Software Company, that develops innovative software application for Banks and Financial Institutions. He shared with surfers his over 25 years experiences in serving reputed companies like Electrolux of Sweden, Sonata Software, Sterling Group, Ericson, Zee Group etc. Landscape of Indian software industry is so big and should not be compared with BASIS's efficiency. So now we can turn to the website of Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT and ITES, P@SHA, (www.pasha.org.pk), to know where the competence of BASIS lies. They have huge resources to read which need many months to finish. Videos and PODCAST will extend your knowledge on Pakistan's software industry. Even our BASIS is not interested to introduce simple blogs at their website. Blog is a must for a professional website to know views and opinions of surfers. To judge the surfers opinion there is an option for poll at P@SHA's website. You can comment on the quality of the website by clicking on 'excellent', 'very good', 'fair' and 'average'. E-newsletter posted at the site by a wonderful programming skill with manoeuvring huge information. The website designers of BASIS should visit the site to learn how to make a standard website.

Another website is Pakistan Software Export Board, PSEB, (www.pseb.org.pk), whose parent is government of the country. Like us they have many bureaucratic bottlenecks, but they built a western flavoured website. Mistakenly you can think you are browsing a professional and hyperactive website of USA. The home page of the website started by the quotations of international software icons like Arthur I. Anderson, Attorney, Fish & Richardson P.C., USA CEO and Mayor Bill White, Houston, Texas, USA. They lauded the quality and services of Pakistan's software industry. Many research and technical papers are available at the website for serving the advance learners of the software industry.

With a merit the website is presenting their software industry's total overview, even the website talks on Visa and logistic supports for foreign investors. Website of BASIS is not artistic and rich with essential contents compare to three mentioned websites of the software think-tanks of our neighbouring countries. Its option named 'Resource Centre' preserves a simple write-up.

You may say after clicking on 'Bangladesh IT Industry', it keeps some important PDF files, but the papers like ICT act 2006, Company act 1994, National IT policy, Export Policy 2006-9 are not developed by BASIS. However, it is good that they gathered the papers to post at the website. None of surfers can say the posted papers are user friendly because many surfers think PDF file is a hassle to download. ICT act 2006 posted in Bangla which is not readable for foreign investors. Why are they not feeling any urgency to translate the paper for international investors? A simple website, for example web portal of BASIS, can be developed by a fresh graduate in computer science who is almost without job experience. As the website mentioned the Web Portal is maintained by BASIS Secretariat.

Designed and developed by desme Bangladesh Ltd a subsidiary of desme Inc. So far the secretariat has no any research wing to developed mature contents and research materials. The website must be developed professionally and rich website can earn much for its sustainability as well as businesses.

Recently new executive committee of BASIS has been elected to run the national software trade body with the hope to increase the growth of software industry. We hope the new committee will be able to develop a mature and attractive web portal of international standard. The efforts and coordination between hi-tech thinkers and webpage designers can produce a magnificent website that can bring international businesses and facilitate domestic IT industry.