[kictanet] My Take: Affordable computers-remember eMaddo?

Mon Aug 31 10:30:56 EAT 2009

Walu,

In most countries where the gap between Industry and Academia has been
successfully bridged the government acted as the third arm (triple helix
model) that ensured success. In Western Europe and Northern America, the
governments ensured the laws favoured investors (both local and third world
despots who stash funds there) while in the newly Industrializing tigers the
governments chipped in decisively (plus the West invested heavily to
discourage South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan etc. going communist) and of
course China did open some parts to practice market (read
capitalism) economics but with the government guarding the incubatees
against the accomplished Western firms (something difficult in our part of
the world due to being easily arm twisted and off course the 'willing' to
play 'ball' aka negative patriotism) . Sadly for Africa we are told to have
good governance without marching funds! Hence we need to (find a way
to)encourage our local moneyed guys, to invest locally as it appears no
funds will come from without.

Enjoy your week.

David

On Mon, Aug 31, 2009 at 9:48 AM, Walubengo J <jwalu at yahoo.com> wrote:

> eMaddo, Nyayo Pioneer, and other projects are evidence of attempts to
> bridge the gap between Industry and Academia.
>
> I think East African Universities are by design Academic and unless such a
> design is re-structured fundamentally (within Universities Acts, Laws, etc)
> this gap will continue to persist.
>
> walu.
>
>
> --- On Sun, 8/30/09, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > From: Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com>
> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] My Take: Affordable computers-remember eMaddo?
> > To: "Walubengo J" <jwalu at yahoo.com>
> > Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> > Date: Sunday, August 30, 2009, 2:48 PM
> > Walu, there was a high profile National ICT
> > exhibtion / week  two years ago hosted by ICT Village.com i
> > remember meeting an old Lady who had come all the way from
> > Vihiga as we walked around with her and passed by the
> > e-maddo stand, we inquired about the cost and she really
> > complained bitterly (It was around 40 K) if i wasnt wrong,
> > she felt this was exploitative (haki yetu), i am not sure
> > how e-maddo was received by the market, from what you are
> > saying Walu it appears to be another "Nyayo
> > pioneer" sort of project, am told that in chinese the
> > same character is used for opportunities and challenges,
> > within some some of this failed projects there lies an
> > opportunity to do better, why for instance would Kenyans
> > prefer brands over locally assmbled machines?, Prof Waema
> > talked of TCO, the lady i met complained about the cost vis
> > avis that of refurbs, something to ponder about
> >
> > Lakini bado Najivunia kuwa Mkenya, in fact am a member :-)
> >
> >
> > On Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 4:55 PM,
> > Walubengo J <jwalu at yahoo.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > local capacity development for
> > Assembling/manufacturing PCs?  Indeed there is (was?) such
> > an initiative started 4yrs ago between the Kenyan ICT
> > Ministry and local Universities - under the brand name
> > eMaddo Project.  SU, UoN, JKUAT and Multimedia Univ College
> > were all signatories...with CCK throwing in the seed money.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > But today I am not sure if any of the Universities are
> > still in this project. But I can tell you that we bought
> > quite a number of these locally assembled eMaddo Computers
> > and 3yrs down the road they are still working and are as
> > strong as the branded ones (Dell, HP etc)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > walu.
> >
> >
> >
> > --- On Sat, 8/29/09, Mwololo Tim <timwololo at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > > From: Mwololo Tim <timwololo at gmail.com>
> >
> > > Subject: Re: [kictanet] My Take: Affordable computers
> >
> > > To: jwalu at yahoo.com
> >
> > > Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> >
> > > Date: Saturday, August 29, 2009, 3:49 PM
> >
> > > Dear all,
> >
> > >
> >
> > > I have scanned the inputs made yesterday on used
> > computers,
> >
> > > although I could not go through all of them.
> >
> > >
> >
> > > In my view, the problem is beyond new/locally
> > assembled PCs
> >
> > > against imported re-conditioned computers. The
> > biggest
> >
> > > problem is that of a time bomb in terms of e-waste. A
> > study
> >
> > > I led on e-waste in 2007 showed that at that time,
> > Kenya
> >
> > > generated at least 3,000 tons of e-waste every year (a
> > copy
> >
> > > is attached). I am sure you can see the problem if
> > you
> >
> > > consider a number of years. It gets worse if you
> > consider
> >
> > > that the number of PCs are growing every year. From
> > this
> >
> > > point of view, a policy is necessary on e-waste.
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > > A second issue is the life of an assembled clone
> > vis-a-vis
> >
> > > that of re-conditioned computer. Has anyone done any
> > study?
> >
> > > Can they share the results. I bought many locally
> > assembled
> >
> > > PCs and many of the them developed lots of problems
> > and
> >
> > > their life in a busy user environment is relatively
> > low. I
> >
> > > did this long time ago and I cannot recall the average
> > life.
> >
> > > The cost of ownership kept on increasing. I have also
> > tried
> >
> > > re-conditioned brand computers and I am monitoring
> > their
> >
> > > life. I am tempted to do a study.
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > > The other issue is developing local capacity for ICT
> >
> > > technology development. Many countries started from
> > the
> >
> > > assembly route with a strategy to develop local
> > capacity. Do
> >
> > > we really have a strategy? Putting 25% duty on used
> >
> > > computers is not a strategy. It would make sense if it
> > was
> >
> > > part of a comprehensive strategy either aimed at
> > developing
> >
> > > local capacity for technology development or
> > something. It
> >
> > > does not even start to address our e-waste problem.
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > > A few words on a staurday afternoon.
> >
> > >
> >
> > > tim waema
> >
> > >
> >
> > > On Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 10:11 AM,
> >
> > > Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com>
> >
> > > wrote:
> >
> > >
> >
> > > Good points being raised here the
> >
> > > more reason as to why we need a multistakeholder
> > approach
> >
> > > to address the issue by finding common ground, we
> > cannot
> >
> > > demonise used computers in a blanket manner, more so
> > when
> >
> > > ICT is a critical component in Vision 2030, they are
> >
> > > certainly playing a critical role, as it turns out
> >
> > > "affordability" is ambiguous
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > > On Sat, Aug 29,
> >
> > > 2009 at 9:51 AM, Bildad Kagai <billkagai at gmail.com>
> >
> > > wrote:
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > > On Aug 29, 2009, at 9:23 AM, Gakuru Alex wrote:
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > > Why Bill, when all I am doing is to protect those
> > your
> >
> > > rights you used
> >
> > >
> >
> > > to sell every one of your previously owned
> >
> > > computing/internet
> >
> > >
> >
> > > connection equipment that you 'dumped on innocent
> >
> > > souls':-)
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > > Good point Alex.
> >
> > >
> >
> > > After two years of aggressive business I will book an
> >
> > > appointment with Ambassador Kiplagat and confess to my
> > role
> >
> > > in contributing to e-waste and why my role is part of
> > FUTURE
> >
> > > historical injustice for future generations. That will
> > give
> >
> > > me a clean conscience knowing that I can mess as much
> > I can
> >
> > > after all the truth justice and reconciliation
> > commission
> >
> > > will forgive me for that. Lets plunder our
> > Kenya....justice
> >
> > > is in the offing.
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > > _______________________________________________
> >
> > >
> >
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> >
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> > >
> >
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> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > > This message was sent to: otieno.barrack at gmail.com
> >
> > >
> >
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> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > > --
> >
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> >
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> >
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> >
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> > >
> >
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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.
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
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