[kictanet] [Skunkworks] Standard Digital News : State warned on ditching copyrighted software

[Evans Ikua]

Conrad, this debate will not end any time soon and you can be sure its
important. I am sure you would know how much money Microsoft alone mints in
Kenya. With the threat of loss of market share, we do expect them to
continue feeding us with half truths about what is important. I know what
is important for me, and I also speak for the person who does not
understand the issues, nor care about what software is running their
solutions. Because I know something that they dont.

You dont want us to believe that proprietary software has better value than
open source, do you? What value? I have no doubt that all platforms must
co-exist, at least to a certain extent. But it would be better to face the
facts as they are as opposed to peddling cheap lies about security and
vulnerabilities. I for one always have a problem with the Government using
my tax money to buy closed source software, while at the same time spending
the meagre forex resources that we have to fatten the wallets of developers
in Redmond and Germany. The bargain here is that we are left with
proprietary formats that tie us to companies that are not guaranteed to
last the next 20 years, leave a lone 100 years.

Did you know that Americans can't sell anything to (or visit) Cuba because
of sanctions? What hapens if Mitt Romney (God Forbid) wakes up one morning
and decides he does not like Kenya, and therefore we can't do business with
the US? Or are we stuck with "good behaviour" so that we don't land in bad
books with anyone, so that we can guarantee to run our economy with other
people's technology? Where is the freedom there?

The freedom that we refer to is not price, but the freedom to control how
our software works, without having to depend on a handful of companies that
control the source code, and if and when we can get bug fixes, so long as
we behave ourselves. For individuals, its a matter of personal choice. But
for our government, its a matter of freedom, foreign exchange, and
developing local capacities. So its good that our government is finally
getting the message, though unfortunately there is going to be some losers.

Evans Ikua



On Sun, Sep 16, 2012 at 11:32 PM, Rad! <conradakunga at gmail.com> wrote:

> These debates of open/closed source are pointless and juvenile, especially
> coming from veterans in the industry.
>
> Mwananchi does nor know nor care how things run, provided they a) Work and
> b) solve his problems.
>
> Can we at least get to that point before having these spurious arguments.
> Our police stations use counter books for records. Marriage registries use
> typewriters and box files. The city council and lands ministries are
> festooned with box files and papers.
>
> And we are here on ivory towers arguing over open vs closed source leaving
> fundamentals unaddressed!
>
> Pragmatic people have no need to resort to extremism. Just as there is
> room on roads for Mercedes S Class and Toyota Vitz I'm pretty sure there is
> room for Open and Closed Source software.
>
> As for the issue of cost - I encourage folks to look at it from an
> economics perspective. Cost and value are very different things.
>
> On Sunday, September 16, 2012, Mark Mwangi wrote:
>
>> All I see is opportunity. Am not anti Microsoft or any closed source
>> software company. Painting open source software as insecure, unsupportable
>> and almost unhygienic is not being realistic in my opinion.
>>
>> The reason there aren't many linux folk is because there is no demand for
>> them. If the govt decided that everything on their systems (or at
>> least most) would be foss then thats where the talent will gravitate. It
>> starts with a stance though.
>>
>> On Sun, Sep 16, 2012 at 10:29 PM, Agosta Liko <agostal at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> issue is Open Source is free but very few people know linux or mysql as
>> well as the closed guys who know aix and oracel very well.
>>
>> IT does not matter, all that matters is how well one can support whatever
>> they are deploying ....
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Sep 16, 2012 at 10:21 PM, Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo at gmail.com
>> > wrote:
>>
>> Given that Kenya is not the first country to make such a move, I see no
>> reason for M$ to spell doom, really.
>>
>> Kenya can learn and borrow from those countries. I am sure M$ knows that
>> there are countries already fully on FOSS.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Sep 16, 2012 at 9:15 PM, Mark Mwangi <mwangy at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Isnt it interesting that it is only closed source software vendors
>> spelling doom and gloom?
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Sep 16, 2012 at 7:34 PM, <awatila at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Last week, the Government issued a warning that in the next three
>> years it will move its IT operations to Free and Open Source Software
>> (FOSS), a move that will reduce cost by more than half in IT expenses.
>>
>> http://www.standardmedia.co.**ke/?articleID=2000066158&**
>> story_title=State-warned-on-**ditching-copyrighted-software<http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000066158&story_title=State-warned-on-ditching-copyrighted-software>
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>>
>> --
>> Regards,
>>
>> Mark Mwangi
>>
>> markmwangi.me.ke
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>> Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
>> Nairobi,KE
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-- 
*----------------------------------------------------
Kind Regards,
Evans Ikua,*
lanetconsulting.com,
lpi-eastafrica.org,
ict-innovation.fossfa.net,
Skype: @ikuae
Cell: +254-722-955831
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