[kictanet] My Take: Affordable computers

[Bildad Kagai]

On Aug 28, 2009, at 12:48 PM, Areba Collins wrote:
> I cant believe this, are you guys actually arguing that having no
> computer is better than having one that is old,

Personally, I am.
This is very debatable but if we can borrow a leaf from  
say...Safaricom/ZTE 'green' cellphone powered by solar. I do not see  
why an internet service provider cannot get into an SLA with a school  
where he charges for internet but provides the hardware and software,  
open, proprietary or otherwise for free....or at least charge a  
reasonable amount for the hardware (just to kick the 'donations' off  
equilibrium).

If u were following the Right Honourable's remarks today at the  
National Economic and Social Council, he said that [sic] 'If  
everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority'. So, in tandem,  
in as much dumped computers help for a year or so, they are not really  
long term and we can afford to sacrifice dumped computers and rein in  
ISPs as alternative hardware providers if they want internet business.  
Actually, maybe that's where part of the ICT Board World Bank money  
should be going as they subsidize call centers. But we need  
administrators with [those things] to make it happen.