[kictanet] My Take: Affordable computers

Fri Aug 28 13:36:56 EAT 2009

HI,

I can confirm that Camara does excellent work in UG.

If you need the contact for the EA rep, ping me off list, I have her details.

-- 
Cheers,

McTim
"A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A
route indicates how we get there."  Jon Postel

On Fri, Aug 28, 2009 at 1:31 PM, Crystal Watley
Kigoni<crystal at voicesofafrica.org> wrote:
> 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."
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>> >> kictanet mailing list
>>>> >> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>>>> >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>>>> >>
>>>> >> This message was sent to: otieno.barrack at gmail.com
>>>> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>>>> >>
>>>> >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/otieno.barrack%40gmail.com
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > --
>>>> > 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
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> kictanet mailing list
>>>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>>>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>>>>
>>>> This message was sent to: crystal at voicesofafrica.org
>>>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>>>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/crystal%40voicesofafrica.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> 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
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> kictanet mailing list
>>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>>>
>>> This message was sent to: otieno.barrack at gmail.com
>>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/otieno.barrack%40gmail.com
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> 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
>
> _______________________________________________
> kictanet mailing list
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>
> This message was sent to: dogwallah at gmail.com
> Unsubscribe or change your options at
> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/dogwallah%40gmail.com
>
>