[kictanet] Taifa Laptop

[Barrack Otieno]

Dear all,

Interesting conversation thank you Mike. With after sitting on the
fence and watching the arguments, i am inclined to support the
decision made by the University. The only bit i would encourage is
proper dialogue between the Parents and the University. Buy Kenya,
Build Kenya.

Regards

On 8/26/16, Waithaka Ngigi via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
> Ali,
>
> I don't think Daktari, if I could speak for him, is saying that we start
> with mediocre products. If anything, he says he's used the laptops and
> bought a lot more others for students. And they work.
>
> If you were to rewind computer history, what did IBM say about the first
> Apple Computer, Apple I.... a sub-standard toy that'll never amount to
> anything‎.
>
> 30 yrs later, Apple  trounced IBM to be come the most valuable tech company.
>
> Not too long ago, what did BlackBerry say about the first Android Version
> from a little unknown company that was eventually bought by Google?
>
> First generation products generally rely more on vision than outright sheer
> performance. Yes, Taifa wouldn't beat Dell or apple today, but as the Kenyan
> Nation let's  buy into that vision‎. That's the least we can do for Taifa!
>
> Waithaka Ngigi
>
> Alliance Technologies
> www.at.co.ke
> From: Ali Hussein via kictanet
> Sent: Friday, August 26, 2016 5:53 AM
> To: Ngigi Waithaka
> Reply To: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
> Cc: Ali Hussein; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Taifa Laptop
>
> Daktari
>
> I'm with you. Mine is to debunk the myth that we have to start from
> mediocrity to grow our local industries. We don't have to use the same
> legacy thinking of yesteryears.
>
> Local industry is critical for development even as we move even more faster
> towards the utopia of the Information Age. Even the Americans are realizing
> that the notion of outsourcing to China may be a short time profit thing but
> not necessarily good for the country. However, there's a deliberate effort
> to encourage this. Like The
> Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act of 2013
>
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revitalize_American_Manufacturing_and_Innovation_Act_of_2013
>
> Let's support local products and solutions. But let's also ensure we hold
> ourselves to the highest standards possible.
>
> Ali Hussein
> Principal
> Hussein & Associates
> +254 0713 601113
>
> Twitter: @AliHKassim
>
> Skype: abu-jomo
>
> LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim
>
>
>
> "Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what
> no one else has thought".  ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On 25 Aug 2016, at 10:57 PM, Bitange Ndemo <bndemo at bitangendemo.me> wrote:
>
>> Ali,
>> I have actually used Taifa and I was impressed with the product.  It was a
>> mistake that we killed Nyayo car because we ended up probing up the Proton
>> from Malaysia that was started exactly the same time.  Some of the
>> imported computers are hopeless.  I can show you several e-waste that we
>> keep on importing simply because it is imported.  We have killed the
>> textile industry by wearing other people's used clothes yet an economist
>> will tell you that the price of a new product drops when supply increases.
>>
>> Ndemo.
>>
>> On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 10:28 PM, Ali Hussein via kictanet
>> <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>>
>>> This notion that local equates or should be inferior harks us back to the
>>> Nyayo Car. We shouldn't expect mediocrity just because it's local. The
>>> days of comparative advantage and 'National Pride' for inferior products
>>> MUST end otherwise we will continue to lag behind as a contingent.
>>>
>>> Let's buy local yes. But let's continuously demand the highest standards.
>>> It is the only way to keep local industry alive.
>>>
>>> Ali Hussein
>>> Principal
>>> Hussein & Associates
>>> +254 0713 601113
>>>
>>> Twitter: @AliHKassim
>>>
>>> Skype: abu-jomo
>>>
>>> LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking
>>> what no one else has thought".  ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>
>>> On 25 Aug 2016, at 9:39 PM, Ahmed Mohamed Maawy via kictanet
>>> <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Its not that I am disputing that fact Dr. Ndemo. But the fact that they
>>>> can pay extra to buy a foreign product gives that extra room for choice
>>>> - in a free market choice is a must have. Having a free market is in
>>>> some circumstances maybe even better for the development of our own
>>>> products. Competition breeds efficiency in the long-run.
>>>>
>>>> I totally agree that we need to support Taifa as a product and make it
>>>> scale. But again the consumer has the right to have a choice. Some kids
>>>> go to University barely on loans that they can raise from family, if
>>>> they could. Some just can not - and in my personal capacity having been
>>>> one of those on that demographic I can feel what some of these kids can
>>>> feel.
>>>>
>>>> It just means that we need to become better business people to market
>>>> that product better.
>>>>
>>>> I believe Kenyans can be patriotic. All they need is a reason to be so.
>>>> All they need is leadership.
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 9:33 PM, Bitange Ndemo <bndemo at bitangendemo.me>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Ahmed,
>>>>> They did not but in Korea everybody had to use the local products.  To
>>>>> buy foreign, you had to pay extra.  In fact even today only 1 in 10
>>>>> cars on the road that is not Korean.  The point I am making is that our
>>>>> problems emanate from the appetite of foreign goods.  That is how we
>>>>> are not creating jobs.  Freedom even in the most free states is
>>>>> relative.  Our security now and in the future depends on what we do
>>>>> with unemployment.
>>>>>
>>>>> Ndemo.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 9:23 PM, Ahmed Mohamed Maawy
>>>>> <ultimateprogramer at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Agreed with you bwana Ndemo 100%
>>>>>>
>>>>>> But the point of all this is that the Koreans didn't come to force us
>>>>>> to buy their units.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 9:19 PM, Bitange Ndemo via kictanet
>>>>>> <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Michael,
>>>>>>> I have bought six of Taifa Laptops for students who come to me for
>>>>>>> help.  They are happy with the product.  I don't buy Taifa because it
>>>>>>> is cheap.  I buy to support the growth of light electronic
>>>>>>> manufacturing industry in Kenya.  We have bought garbage in form of
>>>>>>> tablets for many years from Asia.  We effectively supported Asians to
>>>>>>> go through the learning curve.  Today they dominate the sector.
>>>>>>> India is making the industry a priority and estimates show it will
>>>>>>> top more than $ 900 billion by 2020.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Before we criticism these noble efforts we must look back and correct
>>>>>>> our attitude.  We supported Koreans perfect the Hyundai, Indians
>>>>>>> perfect the Mahindra, Japanese perfect the Toyota Mark II and Chinese
>>>>>>> perfect their electronic manufacturing capability.  Kenya will not
>>>>>>> wake up one day and produce a perfect product without going through a
>>>>>>> learning curve.  JKUAt has had to go through the learning curve since
>>>>>>> they produced their first computer, Madaraka with the support of the
>>>>>>> Ministry of Information and Communications.  We have a collective
>>>>>>> responsibility to be part of the solution to our perennial problems
>>>>>>> of unemployment.  Without the local market we cannot scale.
>>>>>>> Patriotism means we make certain sacrifices while giving constructive
>>>>>>> criticisms.  Africa will never get out of poverty by being consumers
>>>>>>> of other people's products.  Go buy Taifa and give some advise on
>>>>>>> what they need to improve.  It has warranty and personally I have no
>>>>>>> problem with the lap top.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Ndemo.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 12:10 PM, Musya Michael via kictanet
>>>>>>> <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Anyone using this laptop? Experiences so far?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2016/08/22/parents-protest-jkuats-imposition-of-taifa-laptops-on-students_c1407693
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Michael Musya.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
>>>>>>>> Philippians 4:13
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder
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>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder
>>>>>>> platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT
>>>>>>> policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for
>>>>>>> reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT
>>>>>>> enabled growth and development.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable
>>>>>>> behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times
>>>>>>> and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize,
>>>>>>> respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Ahmed Maawy
>>>>>> Executive Director - SwahiliBox / M-Power (CBO)
>>>>>> Curator - Global Shapers Mombasa Hub
>>>>>> Ambassador - Open Knowledge
>>>>>> Director - Startup Grind Mombasa
>>>>>> Software Developer - AJ+ / EveryLayer
>>>>>> (KE) +254 714 960 627
>>>>>> Skype: ultimateprogramer
>>>>>>
>>>>>> swahilibox.co.ke
>>>>>> globalshapers.org
>>>>>> www.okfn.org
>>>>>> startupgrind.com
>>>>>> ajplus.net
>>>>>> www.everylayer.com
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Ahmed Maawy
>>>> Executive Director - SwahiliBox / M-Power (CBO)
>>>> Curator - Global Shapers Mombasa Hub
>>>> Ambassador - Open Knowledge
>>>> Director - Startup Grind Mombasa
>>>> Software Developer - AJ+ / EveryLayer
>>>> (KE) +254 714 960 627
>>>> Skype: ultimateprogramer
>>>>
>>>> swahilibox.co.ke
>>>> globalshapers.org
>>>> www.okfn.org
>>>> startupgrind.com
>>>> ajplus.net
>>>> www.everylayer.com
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
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>>>>
>>>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>>>> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>>>> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>>>> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
>>>> development.
>>>>
>>>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>>>> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and
>>>> bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect
>>>> privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
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>>>
>>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>>> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>>> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>>> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
>>> development.
>>>
>>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>>> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and
>>> bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect
>>> privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>>
>>
>
>
>
>


-- 
Barrack O. Otieno
+254721325277
+254733206359
Skype: barrack.otieno
PGP ID: 0x2611D86A