Venezula Producing Its Own Linux PCs

christian.einfeldt writes "The Venezuelan Government announced the roll-out of four different models of Linux-powered consumer computers, three desktop models and one notebook. Branded 'Bolivarian Computers,' they will be will be produced by a joint venture of the Venezuelan Ministry of Light Industry and Commerce and a Chinese company named Lang Chao. The goal of the project is to jump-start a domestic IT industry and become an IT exporter to the rest of Latin America. At the ceremony introducing the program, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez claimed that the Bolivarian Computers cost 40% less than other commercially available models and come with a 3-year warranty."

Comments

Re:As much as I hate Chavez...

[Espectr0]

Venezuelan here...

Another "good" thing he is doing. 53 million lightbulbs have been replaced to fluorescent versions. An agreement with Vietnam was reached to start manufacturing the philips lightbulbs here. Vehicles will be able to run on natural gas soon, and the conversion will be free to users. They are testing solar panel use.

I hate the guy, but i want those programs to succeed.

Re:Full featured linux distros

[Rei]

You mean like being able to legislate by decree

  * You mean like using a power that every other president in Venezuela has used?
  * You mean where "decree" is in an incredibly limited scope, a fact rarely reported by the media?
  * You mean where any act he legislates, no matter the method, can be rescinded by the popular vote?
  * You mean where normal laws take 10% of the population to rescind, decree laws take only 5%?
  * You mean where the legislature can rescind or modify said decrees -- quite unlike the US "Fast Track" legislation?"\

Nah, let's demonize Chavez and distort the facts!

shutting down opposition TV stations

  * You mean TV stations that helped organize a bloody coup against him?
  * You mean TV stations that even most of their backers admit broke the law?

Nah, let's just demonize Chavez and distort the facts!

unchecked inflation

  * You mean an inflation rate that was 31.2% in '03, 31.1% in '04, 22.4% in '05, 16% in '06, and 15.8% in '07?

It's high, but it's dropping, not rising. Despite the best efforts of the opposition to destroy the economy.

But nah, let's demonize Chavez!

or doubling the murder rate?

  * With 11,000 murders in 2003 and a population of 26.2 million, that's 42 per 100,000, compared to their US-loving neighbor Colombia's 63-84 per 100k and Washington DC's ~50 per 100k.

Bad numbers, and certainly worse than it was before. But, sadly, that's Latin America for you.

They are certainly achievements. But if I were him, I would rather be remembered as a Bush basher than the rest.

I'll note what you *didn't* mention, like the percentage of those without healthcare, or the illiteracy rate. Or like having to do this stuff with an opposition that wants to wreck the economy and once overthrew him in a coup, and the US who would like to do both of those as well.