[kictanet] My take: your opportunity own a laptop, , interest-free government facilitated loan

Thu Jul 23 09:34:48 EAT 2009

My take on this one:

I would the govt give two choices, either go for a Laptop without any
Operating System, and you sort yourself on how you can acquire one and/or
pre-install trial OS's (assuming you'll go for window-based OS) or, go for
Alex's opinion. Pre-install a FOSS and let the consumers decide what they
want.

I gather there are people who cannot use any FOSS due to either ignorance or
not well acquainted with it's operations or still, being used to
Window-based OSs.

Giving people choices, will create an urge to diversify their needs.

2009/7/23 Victor Gathara <v-gathara at dfid.gov.uk>

> Alex
>
> Thanks for this. Have heard a lot about this project but scanty details.
> Couple of questions:
>
> - How does the lending institution confirm that the loans are for laptops
> and not other 'needs'; a kind of receipting system?
> - How to prevent individuals/institutions making money off this i.e. buy
> laptops to sell on at a profit? Branding?
>
> Probably all been worked out but as the article says we would like to have
> more info on this project.
>
> Victor
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: kictanet-bounces+v-gathara=dfid.gov.uk at lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:
> kictanet-bounces+v-gathara <kictanet-bounces%2Bv-gathara>=dfid.gov.uk@
> lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Gakuru Alex
> Sent: 23 July 2009 08:38
> To: Victor Gathara
> Cc: kictanet
> Subject: [kictanet] Fwd: [ke-internetusers] your opportunity own a laptop,
> ,interest-free government facilitated loan
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Alex Gakuru <gakuru at gmail.com>
> Date: Thu, Jul 23, 2009 at 8:26 AM
> Subject: [ke-internetusers] your opportunity own a laptop, , interest-free
> government facilitated loan
> To: ke-users <ke-internetusers at bdix.net>
>
>
> Folks,
>
> I was at this meeting- a very good initiative. Proposed loan maximum
> 50,000/=. I requested that they be supplied unbundled - i.e. without
> Operating System or other software. Microsoft Windows costs 10,000/=
> Microsoft Office 17,000/= total cost 27,000/= (more than half the loan
> amount!!). That would mean that you would have to buy a low-spec laptop to
> accommodate proprietary software costs within 50K limit.
>
> Costs that would be done away with thus enable owners get highest specs
> laptops, if choose FOSS operating systems (such as www.ubuntu.com,
> www.pcbsd.org (Ken Kasina developed installer!!), www.fedoraproject.org,
> en.opensuse.org, www.redhat.com, etc). that all come with free OpenOffice.
> Give local IT youths installation contracts for these and MORE FOSS
> applicatications, at, say, 7,000/= per laptop.
>  1 million x 7,000 =????? :) talk about national software cost savings,
> youth empowerment, promoting local innovation, and taxes retentions...
>
> Obviously, not to exclude them, Microsoft are entitle to pitch sales too,,
> we see which makes business and national sense?
>
> Companies, organisations, associations can also get the interest-free the
> laptops loans for their employees, staff, members. Will keep you updated as
> events unfold.
>
> Enjoy,
>
> Alex
>
> -----
>
> [Business Daily]
> State to guarantee loans for laptops
> By Okuttah Mark
> Thursday, July 23 2009
>
> Organisations or individuals seeking to take advantage of this year's
> budget stimulus package on laptops are free to negotiate with any banking
> institution, computer vendors or the telecommunication companies.
>
> This follows the announcement by the government through the Permanent
> Secretary for Information, Dr Bitange Ndemo. that the government will only
> facilitate the process but the negotiations will be done by interested
> parties on their own.
>
> The incentive was offered by Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta during this
> year's budget and aims at accelerating computer access in the country.
>
> In the one million computer campaign, the government will guarantee money
> borrowed either by individuals or organisations to buy the laptop between
> now and June, next year. The government will also pay the interest on the
> loan.
> ...
>
>
> http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Company%20Industry/-/539550/628254/-/u8x1gfz/-/index.html
>
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-- 
Solomon Mburu
P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi
Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041

Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the
same way to the side of a hill!

AND

It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity!

Sent from Nairobi, Kenya
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