Wow big words, statistics all over, from where i sit i would say this is good, where was the open source community before MS landed the deal? If you had proposed to the government a solution and then they chose MS kindly share it with us and we will add it to the list of corrupt deals, else this is typical open source discussion "open source is better than proprietary blah blah " , well get this, open source is a technology what we're looking for is a solution, how does a cow with 3 legs help a farmer?
I agree with James,I think that there is room for everyone in the industry, Microsoft, Google, Apple, IBM, Oracle, Github, FB, Twitter, etc. My reason is this. I got to learn how to use computers in the early 2000s. That was *after* I had completed my high school education before joining public university. All this happened on the Windows platform and I am very glad for that.I had **null** idea any other alternative(s) in existence in the form of operating systems. Of course many GNU / Linux distros were present then but how simple would they have been for a complete beginner to install and use? I bet it would only take an elite in computing those days to do that, and by an elite I refer to someone who is very (O.k, maybe almost) comfortable with the building and compilation of the Linux kernel directly from its sources. Of course I had seen Macintosh and Linux in use as "black screens" in movies and all, that was just not my world then and it made no sense.Did I get to know how machines basically worked? Yes! Did that open avenues for learning other skills in the same filed? Yes! To an extent, I think this is what matters most. People will get to make other choices if and when the need arises. Like if you need to install something on the server and need it to be very stable, fast and reliable at the same time, you will sooner or later bump into a UNIX-like operating system. The same applies if you need some very "slim software" to run on an embedded device. In any case, if someone wants to make some cash along the way let them do it. It is a free market economy after all.Martin.On Wed, Jun 5, 2013 at 1:49 AM, James Nzomo <kazikubwa@gmail.com> wrote:
There needs to be a balance of industry players and technologies, (FOSS and Proprietary) to push this education system upgrade in the right direction.It would be very bad for the next gen population if things are left as is with M$ being the major player in this effort.Commercial entities will always strive to have their business interests being given priority over The Quality of Education of our Next-Gen population...IF THEY ENJOY MONOPOLY.
We need COMPETITION....... to ensure maximum value from our "scarce" resources.We need Input/Contribution from as many industry players as possible......GOOGLE, IBM et all...and yes even M$.By the way....why are local tech organizations seemingly missing out on all this action?
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2013/6/4 Conrad Akunga <conradakunga@gmail.com>@Evans - there is no need to politicize this matter.If Microsoft is donating that software, please tell me what problem you have with that. Zero cost to the taxpayer. Lots of options. I'm very sure you are aware there is plenty of Open Source software for windows.I said virtualization is a good thing. I refuse to subscribe to the view that I am free to choose as long as my choice is the same as yours. Kids being exposed to Windows, Linux, Unix, MacOS is a good thing.In fact, there is nothing stopping anyone from formatting the machines and installing an OS of this choice. Windows is not like a building. It can be removed instantaneously.There is nothing wrong with commercial companies capitalizing on opportunities. How come nobody complains when Huawei, Nokia, General Motors, Siemens etc set up shop here to scratch our itches? Let us be practical. Not everyone must be an NGO. Making money is not unethical!It is also disingenuous to attribute children dying in hospitals to Office Licenses.Bill Gates's riches are not relevant to this discussion. Why didn't you mention Mark Shuttleworth, Sergey Brin, Larry Page et al as well? They're billionaire off open source software. Why are they saints?Guys. Let us not lose the forest for the trees. What software (or lack thereof) is a non issue compared to the larger problem of the sustainability of the laptop program as a whole.If there is no power it doesn't matter what OS the software boots into!—On Tue, Jun 4, 2013 at 7:09 PM, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Do we really believe that MS is here to help us? Really? So they have produced the richest man in the world by helping poor third world countries?@Conrad, this is not a technical issue. It is a commercial and a strategic issue. MS is very sharp to exploit the commercial and strategic opportunity that this deal presents. Unfortunately the people advising the president have no clue what this means to the country. Either this or they are have sold their motherland to the interests of the global multinationals. At the same time, I wonder which virtualization you are referring to when we are still spending millions of dollars paying for Windows and MS Office licenses, while our children die in hospitals that don't have enough money to buy fuel for their generators.Wow, I saw that one coming a long time ago.@Bogi, MS will be happy to give free or subsidized OS on the laptops. I wish we can get the details here. Butt remember that Proprietary software is like dope. The first dose may be free, but its the second one that you pay for. And you pay dearly. For the rest of your life, till the dependency kills you. So MS is just happy to get the kids hooked and to get even closer to the Government so that they can continue reaping the licenses windfall, as a valued partner.
On Tue, Jun 4, 2013 at 4:42 PM, Bogi Benga <bogibenda@gmail.com> wrote:
But Microsoft is only a software company. What exactly does this deal entail. Free OS?On Tue, Jun 4, 2013 at 2:58 PM, Conrad Akunga <conradakunga@gmail.com> wrote:
As usual, every technical discussion eventually degenerates into needless open vs closed source fighting.In this era of virtualization this is a non-issue!—On Tue, Jun 4, 2013 at 3:54 PM, Peter Karunyu <pkarunyu@gmail.com> wrote:
IMHO, the reason Brazil, Germany, China and the other governments are heavy into open source is because they know better, which our government, does not, all factors considered.If you consider our government as a young corporate, then the decision to go Microsoft will make logical, corporatey-sense.@Kivuva, in as much as I would love to go into hypersleep in a space craft auto piloted by an open source implementation, I think our young generation needs to be exposes to ANY computing platform, whether windows, linux, unix, etc. This will help break the initial fear of computing, and lay the foundations and open up the future.Of course, if I was asked, I would say that if the young generation was exposed to Linux, they would be better skilled in future than if they were exposed to Windows, but that point is moot because...
On Tue, Jun 4, 2013 at 3:33 PM, Kivuva <Kivuva@transworldafrica.com> wrote:
So Microsoft will ensure our young generation don't grow on the mature and robust Open Source platform. As an economy, we will suffer more with licen$e$ and chasing the ever evolving Window$.Can the local FOSSFA liaison persons Evans Ikua and Bonface Witaba see to it that FOSS interested is looked after?Regards
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