[kictanet] My Take: Affordable computers

Fri Aug 28 13:31:16 EAT 2009

One organization, Camara, is bringing in computers and charges the end user
5,000 Ksh each. They are distributed on the Ubuntu Open Source platform.
They also provide follow up services. At 5,000 Ksh each with a fully
functional operating system, that blows new computers out of the water. With
the lower computing demands of Open Source systems the schools save money on
both hardware and software. If they had to purchase new computers it would
be at least 20,000 Ksh each plus they would have to buy upgrades on the
Microsoft software. Using Open Source gives the computers a longer lifespan,
especially those without complex requirements such as the basic functions
necessary to teach the basic to students. The used computers do not require
higher power consumption than a new desktop. As a matter of fact since they
come from corporate donations, the computers are usually less than 2 years
old.
When looking at socio-economic development, the younger we can provide
access to the computers the more potential we have of being able to compete
in the knowledge economy. Forcing institutions on already tight budgets to
purchase brand new equipment is foolish. Every school in Kenya needs to have
computers and until that occurs we need to facilitate cost effective
measures for implementation.

Crystal

On Fri, Aug 28, 2009 at 1:16 PM, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com>wrote:

> Crystal the term "affordable" is relative in the context of Socio -
> economic development, could you elaborate on your position?
>
>
> On Fri, Aug 28, 2009 at 12:56 PM, Crystal Watley Kigoni <
> crystal at voicesofafrica.org> wrote:
>
>> We have to start somewhere. Bringing in used computers is a simple and
>> effective way to bring computing power into schools and villages. Yes,
>> Computers for Schools Kenya does charge for these computers (too much if you
>> ask me in comparison to other groups doing the same), and yet the schools
>> pay for them so they can give their students a fighting chance at joining
>> the knowledge economy. We need to consider the welfare of our young people
>> before we sell out to the "new" game as Uganda has. Can Kenya really afford
>> to equip ALL of our classrooms with brand new computers? And has anyone
>> considered the monopoly given to Microsoft when we push for only new
>> equipment? The license fees involved for software? There is a lot more to
>> consider than simply e-waste.
>> Crystal
>>
>> On Fri, Aug 28, 2009 at 12:48 PM, Areba Collins <arebacollins at gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> I cant believe this, are you guys actually arguing that having no
>>> computer is better than having one that is old, consumes lots of power
>>> and has only a few years left in it?  Cause as far as the rest of it
>>> is concerned, quality is a function of competition.
>>>
>>> On 8/28/09, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> > Listers Evans has raised a pertinent issue, we might not have made some
>>> of
>>> > the strides we have achieved in the sector without the used computers,
>>> on
>>> > the other hand there is an environmental concern that is valid, this
>>> calls
>>> > for a multistakeholder approach to create a win win situation for our
>>> local
>>> > business men (Remember the used car parts issue that sprang up early
>>> this
>>> > year), NGO and any other organisation involved in the importation
>>> process,
>>> > may be its time KEBS got involved in the process, reading through Bills
>>> > email i am of the opinion that there might be some imbalance in the way
>>> the
>>> > importation of the computers is handled, by the way i had there is a
>>> > facility for disposing off e-waste in Dandora, maybe Mr Tom Musili
>>> could
>>> > shed some light on the issue, i wish we had statistics to help in
>>> evaluating
>>> > the impact of the used computers.
>>> > Let the debate continue..
>>> >
>>> > On Fri, Aug 28, 2009 at 11:26 AM, Bildad Kagai <billkagai at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> >
>>> >>
>>> >> On Aug 28, 2009, at 8:12 AM, Victor Gathara wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >>  I am thinking here of donations of used computers that can
>>> >> make their way into the country through a regulated and monitored
>>> >> channel (such as ComputerAid) who will also have responsibility to
>>> >> ensure EOL disposal according to WEEE standards to prevent dumping of
>>> >> electronic waste.
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> Victor,
>>> >> In your position, you know very well that these second had computers
>>> are
>>> >> not donations. You can ask Tony Roberts how much he is paid to dispose
>>> a
>>> >> computer from Barclays in UK, that eventually finds its way to a
>>> school in
>>> >> Mau. And the Mau school pays for shipping and other costs....but
>>> besides
>>> >> all these politics......DFID
>>> >> might consider to fund a specific study comparing the final 'landed'
>>> cost
>>> >> of
>>> >> a dumped computer versus a 'clone' assembled with new parts at
>>> Crescent
>>> >> Technologies or JKUAT taking into consideration the kazi kwa vijana
>>> >> created....if it has not been done already. PS. I am speaking as a
>>> >> 'contributor' to this mess here, because I also have problems
>>> disposing my
>>> >> old computers and printers in the office. Most of the times, its
>>> easier to
>>> >> take them to a school in shags that cannot afford the electricity
>>> bills of
>>> >> running them...and... just live with the guilt like everyone else
>>> despite
>>> >> being labeled as The Hero who brought us computers.
>>> >>
>>> >> One reason IBM sold its hardware unit was because Moores Law states
>>> over
>>> >> time, the cost of hardware approaches zero and the cost of power
>>> >> consumption
>>> >> and capacity of the hardware doubles every 18 months.  Thus, bringing
>>> 5
>>> >> year
>>> >> old computers to Kenya only drains too much power when we should
>>> strive to
>>> >> bring consumption per watt down. At least, just based on power
>>> consumption
>>> >> alone, dumped computer should never see the 'light of day' at the
>>> Kenyan
>>> >> port if locally assembled computers will consume half of the wattage
>>> >> today....especially now when everyone is striving to go green.
>>> >>
>>> >> http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000868.html
>>> >>
>>> >> Google, for example, has watched its energy consumption almost double
>>> >> during the past three generations of upgrades to its sprawling
>>> computing
>>> >> infrastructure. *It recently unveiled a major new datacenter site in a
>>> >> remote part of Oregon, where power costs are a fraction of those at
>>> >> Google's
>>> >> home base in Silicon Valley.* But cheap power may not be enough. Last
>>> >> year, Google engineer Luiz Andr� Barroso predicted that energy costs
>>> would
>>> >> dwarf equipment costs -- "possibly by a large margin" -- if
>>> power-hungry
>>> >> datacenters didn't mend their ways. Barroso went on to warn that
>>> >> datacenters' growing appetite for power "could have serious
>>> consequences
>>> >> for
>>> >> the overall affordability of computing, not to mention the overall
>>> health
>>> >> of
>>> >> the planet."
>>> >>
>>> >>
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>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> > Barrack O. Otieno
>>> > Administrative Manager
>>> > Afriregister Ltd (Ke)
>>> > P.o.Box 21682
>>> > Nairobi 00100
>>> > Tel:
>>> > +254721325277
>>> > +254733206359
>>> > Riara Road, Bamboo Lane
>>> > www.afriregister.com
>>> > ICANN accredited registrar.
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Its Possible!
>>> http://www.itspossible.afraha.com
>>>
>>> Collins Areba Omwoyo
>>> +254 735 824872 / +254 720 516758
>>> arebacollins[at]gmail[dot]com
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Crystal "Naliaka" Watley Kigoni
>> Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development
>> crystal at voicesofafrica.org
>> http://www.voicesofafrica.org/
>>
>> "You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi
>>
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>>
>
>
> --
> Barrack O. Otieno
> Administrative Manager
> Afriregister Ltd (Ke)
> P.o.Box 21682
> Nairobi 00100
> Tel:
> +254721325277
> +254733206359
> Riara Road, Bamboo Lane
> www.afriregister.com
> ICANN accredited registrar.
>
>

-- 
Crystal "Naliaka" Watley Kigoni
Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development
crystal at voicesofafrica.org
http://www.voicesofafrica.org/

"You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi
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