<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt">@ Kariuki,<br><br>your paper @ <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00910.x/abstract" target="_blank">http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00910.x/abstract</a><br>is excellent and a good read for the folks at both Min of Education and Min of ICT.<br><br>However, it appears to be only "freely" available through University networks - otherwise one has to pay. It would be nice if you can distribute "copy-left" copies to non-academia :-)<br><br>walu.<br><div><span><br></span></div><div><br></div> <div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <div dir="ltr"> <hr size="1"> <font face="Arial" size="2"> <b><span
style="font-weight:bold;">From:</span></b> James Kariuki <jkariuki@gmail.com><br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> jwalu@yahoo.com <br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cc:</span></b> KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> <br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Thursday, June 6, 2013 10:13 PM<br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [kictanet] President Kenyatta secures Microsoft support for
computers<br> </font> </div> <div class="y_msg_container"><br>Evans et al,<br>> 1. It is my belief that Microsoft will not offer everything for free. <<snip>><br>> But public money needs to be spent on whatever product that gives the best<br>> value.<br><br>I once listened to a former cabinet minister saying that the<br>government is in the business of spending money and not saving money.<br>With that in mind, the best value for money for a government whose<br>business is to spend money without a view in savings becomes a very<br>remote idea. In addition, in an area where value has not been clearly<br>defined, knowing what the best value for money is very difficult.<br>Before the right definition is done, there will be so many 'offers'<br>some of which will be regrettable and extremely costly. I therefore<br>strongly support the stakeholder engagement happening at Strath.<br>Probably a paper I co-authored could form some interesting
background<br>reading for the consultation (available here:<br><a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00910.x/abstract" target="_blank">http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00910.x/abstract</a>)<br><br>> 2. The strategy for Microsoft as Dr. Ndemo clearly put it is to lock in the<br>> market. <<Snip>>The result is that they continue minting money out of our economy.<br><<snip>><br><br>This is an open secret. This is a strategy well document and perfected<br>initially by Apple before the PC revolution. Even without looking at<br>the long term lock down, every parent assisting a child with his or<br>her homework will need to use or be familiar with the technologies the<br>kids are using in school. For the middle-class families, this will<br>translate to one or two extra gadgets purchased (and not subsidised)<br>and expensive license fees paid. Do the maths.<br><br>>
3. Are we doing anything as an open source community or we are just a talk<br>> shop? Yes we are. <<snip>><br><br>I agree with you Evans, the FLOSS has a lot of great and interesting<br>activities going on. However, I think we fail miserably in marketing<br>and lobbying. Perhaps it still has to do with the arrogance<br>historically shown by the earlier pioneers of the open source movement<br>(or maybe we were are too ethical to be compromised into connections<br>that are not free and open). I think the one of the greatest<br>challenge we have is communication. For instance, how many people on<br>this list would have known before today of your engagements in Camara<br>Educational Foundation (and RACHEL)? I am sure there are many more<br>open source based initiatives and products that have been tried and<br>tested but not well communicated about.<br><br>On number 4 below, I am therefore sure the president would have an<br>idea of what
Microsoft is, but highly doubt he would know about<br>Edubuntu.<br><br>> 4. Unfortunately, the President may not know that there is anything else in<br>> the world apart from Microsoft. But the people who should be advising him<br>> do. These are the people who look down on us and call us dreamers.<br>><br>> I look forward to the meeting at Strathmore where I will present my position<br>> paper on this.<br><br>Please remember to share the position paper.<br><br>--James<br><br>_______________________________________________<br>kictanet mailing list<br><a ymailto="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke" href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a><br><a href="https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet" target="_blank">https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet</a><br><br>Unsubscribe or change your options at <a
href="https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalu%40yahoo.com" target="_blank">https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalu%40yahoo.com</a><br><br>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.<br><br>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.<br><br><br></div> </div> </div> </div></body></html>