Thin Client With OSS for Developing Nations

FridayBob writes "The BBC has a story on a new, ultra-thin client that a group of not-for-profit developers, Ndiyo, hope will open up the potential of computing to people in the developing world. Not surprisingly, their system uses open source software. The system runs Ubuntu Linux with a Gnome/KDE deskto and OpenOffice. From the article: 'Licences for software are often a significant part of expenditure for smaller companies which rely on computers. But a recent UK government study, yet to be formally published, has shown that open source software can significantly reduce school budgets dedicated to computing set-ups.'"

Comments

Re:First Post!

[mvdw]

Yes!

No.

I'd go beyond that...

[Baldrson]

What the third world needs is to not lose track of its traditional cultures of self-sufficiency -- even if that means high infant mortaility, short life-span, tribal skirmishes and no "democracy" or computers.

Hopefully however these cultures can learn from the sickness pervading the developed world as a result of urbanization and retain some of their roots while they admit technology as a defensive measure.

And developed peoples need to stop thinking of "poverty" in terms of monetary income -- but rather in terms of security of food, water, shelter and viable families -- something many people in developed countries have lost due to dependence on money without adequate security of money supplies.