[kictanet] Training for Digital Villages Operators

[Evans Ikua]

After a close look at the ICT Board program for training their "Pasha"  
operators especially on the technology to use, I noticed that they are  
planning to train them on the ICDL curriculum, which is based on  
Microsoft.

What this means is that they are expected to get their Ksh 100,000  
loan and then decide whether to buy software or to buy computers, not  
to mention pay rent and all other startup costs.

As you can expect, MS will wait in the wings for them to use  
unlicensed copies of their software and then pounce on them,  
confiscating their computers till they pay up.

Then as happened with the cyber cafes, they will start looking for  
Linux installers to migrate them. This will take them back to square 1  
to start learning how to use Linux.

My suggestion therefore to the ICT Board is to seriously consider  
starting off these guys on Linux and the OpenICDL curriculum, which  
will mean that they don't have to buy software they can hardly afford,  
or use illegal copies and keep looking behind their backs.

Not to do this will be to encourage use of illegal software and vendor  
lock-in. It will also mean that they are setting the stage for mass  
failure of the whole project.

That is my humble opinion.

-- 
Evans Ikua
Chairman
Linux Professional Association of Kenya
Tel: 20-250381, Cell: 0722 955 831
Eagle House, 2nd Floor
Kimathi Street, Opp. Corner House
www.lpakenya.org