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November 09, 2007
Linux wins Nigerian school desktops back from Microsoft
Government thwarts supplier's plan to install Windows XP
By Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service
Microsoft may not have beaten French Linux vendor Mandriva in a large deal to supply Nigerian elementary schools with laptop computers and software after all.
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Mandriva had closed a deal in mid-August to provide a customised Linux operating system and support for 17,000 Intel Classmate PCs intended for Nigerian schools, but found out last week that the company deploying the computers for the government, Technology Support Center (TSC), planned to wipe the computers' disks and install Windows XP instead.
Now, however, a government agency funding 11,000 of the PCs has overruled the supplier. Nigeria's Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) wants to keep Mandriva Linux on the Classmate PCs, said an official who identified himself as the programme manager for USPF's Classmate PCs project.
"We are sticking with that platform," said the official, who would not give his name.
The organisation reserves the right to choose whichever platform is best for Nigerian students, which could also include Microsoft's software in the future, said the official.
Last week, Mandriva heard that TSC planned to pay Mandriva for its customisation work - but then abruptly change the OS on the computers to Windows XP. TSC had placed an order with a local Microsoft supplier for Windows XP and Office productivity software.
The switch raised the question of why TSC would commit public money to buy computers with Mandriva, and then absorb the cost of buying Windows and installing it on the computers.
Which operating system ultimately prevails is important since TSC is the biggest supplier of Intel Classmate PCs in West Africa, and is expected to eventually ship more than 100,000 of the computers.
It also highlights the battle Microsoft is waging in developing countries against Linux, which appeals to governments looking for software with lower licensing costs.
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Comments received
Charles Witt - San Antonio, Texas USA said on Friday, 09 November 2007
We distrust anything Microsoft does for good reason. If we continue to buy Microsoft products, then we are enabling them to continue business as usual. Business as usual for Microsoft has been frequently demonstrated to be detrimental to the end users.
DaveA said on Friday, 09 November 2007
I am still waiting for the US government to get Microsoft unbundled from the PC, so I can buy one. I am tired of Microsoft taxes. Most of my PCs (5) don't run Windows.
I wonder if GM, Honda, Ford, and others only sold one brand of tire how that would go over.
Petem said on Friday, 09 November 2007
AAAHHH!!!! now we are getting to the "why" they are looking to switch...
"Mba-Uzoukwu wrote that Microsoft is still negotiating an agreement that would give TSC US$400,000 (£190,323) for marketing activities around the Classmate PCs when those computers are converted to Windows."
it is not really about a better OS.. or what is better for the students... but what is $$$$better for TSC..!!!
TimR said on Friday, 09 November 2007
If a system is bundled with an MS OS, I'll stop thinking about it, as a possible purchase.
Its amazing how much this filters out systems I'll consider buying.
Petem said on Friday, 09 November 2007
AAAHHH!!!! now we are getting to the "why" they are looking to switch...
"Mba-Uzoukwu wrote that Microsoft is still negotiating an agreement that would give TSC US$400,000 (£190,323) for marketing activities around the Classmate PCs when those computers are converted to Windows."
it is not really about a better OS.. or what is better for the students... but what is $$$$better for TSC..!!!
Martin Simard said on Friday, 09 November 2007
Microsoft has always done business that way and always will. That's their corporation's philosophy. Corruption (Nigeria), extortion (use our software or we'll sue you), ... They should use all that energy to build good software instead.
But if you don't like Microsoft, first, don't use their software. Don't expect others to do it if you don't do that yourself.
d00d-0ne said on Friday, 09 November 2007
DaveA wants a PC with no OS. Dave, you can do that right now. You either (a) buy the parts and put it together yourself (not too hard at all); or, (b) buy a Dell like the OptiPlex GX280n. The "n" on the end means "No OS preinstalled." The US gov't doesn't need to get involved because the market has always supported what you want. Or, if you really hate MS, go buy a Mac or something...
HermMunster said on Friday, 09 November 2007
Microsoft tactics are toensure vendor lock in
(from Slashdot comments)
These countries building their technologies need to try at least to understand the negative impact of vendor lock in. With open source the road is full bright and open, like a true vista.
With windows you condemn your nation to Microsoft's spyware. (As Vista has 47 programs that collect information about you and send it back to Microsoft, not counting the WGA/WGN.
This process is essentially the equivalent of say having Walmart coming to your home on any given Sunday morning asking to search your belongings to ensure that those items in your home that come from Walmart are legally purchased, just because you are a shopper at Walmart. Because Microsoft does it with hidden programs (or hidden cameras) makes no difference. You wouldn't allow Walmart to place hidden cameras in your home).
Martin Simard said on Friday, 09 November 2007
Microsoft has always done business that way and always will. That's their corporation's philosophy. Corruption (Nigeria), extortion (use our software or we'll sue you), ... They should use all that energy to build good software instead.
But if you don't like Microsoft, first, don't use their software. Don't expect others to do it if you don't do that yourself.
HermMunster said on Friday, 09 November 2007
continued - from Slashdot
We all know about the vendor lock ins such as DirectX which keep you playing on and paying for Windows. With true OpenGL development you could find games on a number of platforms. There are many more lock in technologies and DRM was Microsoft's most important one until everyone revolted over it. It is still their number one hope to lock you into the Windows platform.
So, let's hope that Nigeria has the experienced personnel in the right positions of influence capable of understanding what is happening to ensure that it doesn't happen there. If so, let's hope other regional governments learn from the negatives of vendor lock in and the sometimes illegal influences Microsoft exerts.
90% of all people can benefit from Linux in that it does what those people need it to do, day in and day out. It is solid, safe, trusted, proven, performs very well, and is attractive.
lisa kalloo said on Friday, 09 November 2007
i've used a few os's and after years with pulling my hair out with my own windows based os, i played around with a number of different linux based o.s which i loved, now here i am in the 21st century like the rest of u guys and u know wot i've realized ??? once u go MAC u there's no going back...i'm full of of my own happy apple self these days cos it JUST DOESN'T GO WRONG!!!!! If u have anything to blame for something going wrong with a MAC u'll just find out that the problem lay anywhere else but at the MAC's feet...
i'm soooo impressed now i wanna work for them and that's nooooo joke!!!
lisa
Ben said on Friday, 09 November 2007
In a very poor developing country $400,000.00 must seem like all the money in the world, especially to the educational community. Here in the big, rich, progressive, advanced and just plain wonderful US of A, teachers have to buy supplies for their students out of the pittance they are paid `cause it's more politically advantageous to start wars and stick your nose in than it is to make sure that people who graduate high school can read.
JS said on Friday, 09 November 2007
I really doubt this is end of this story. TSC was paid to sabotage Mandriva deal but government agency overruled this. So what's next? Pay the government agency (or just bribe some key people). It is that simple.
Clickafricana.com said on Friday, 09 November 2007
This article reminds me of one I wrote in May, concerning a similar issue:
clickafricana.com/technology/nobody-knows-linux/
This is basically, Microsoft's standard operational procedure in developing countries. If more people here in Africa were aware of the benefits of open-source and free software, we'd be spending a lot less on things that bring us blue-screens and computer viruses.
Linux rules said on Saturday, 10 November 2007
GO LINUX, GO NIGERIA! :D
Steve Ballmer said on Saturday, 10 November 2007
I'll fix this again!
Bribery! They Can't Prove a Thing! ... I'm Sure of It!
François Bancilhon, CEO of some little Linux company.
In other words, it was our strong friendly relationships with certain key government officials, their families and knowledge of their personal "needs" that influenced these persons to scuttle your little OS on these computers. Thats just the way business is done Frenchy! If you can't take the heat get out of the Smoke-hut!
Dougal said on Saturday, 10 November 2007
"Microsoft said last week that it complies with international law and the law of the countries in which it operates."
I wonder how this fits with the EU-Antitrust judgement (and the one in the US back in 2000)...
Richard said on Saturday, 10 November 2007
We cannot educate people on a Windows system, because we do not have the source code. We might not be able to educate people on Windows how to learn to write C programs, because to write a program in C or C++ on Windows you have to purchase licenses to install a compiler (again MONEY), and THAT IS ALWAYS FREE on Linux, together with Open Office that has a database tool, not to mention, MySQL, etc.... all again for free.
Richard
Richard from UK said on Saturday, 10 November 2007
Hi,
I am happy for Nigeria (I once was there for 4 years as a kid) that people of their Goverment see what is going on.
The most important thing is about education. How can we educate young poeple if they cannot see the code and learn? The only thing young people can learn on WIndows is how to write programs in VB, which I happened to start learning at work - a must for me. But that VB is all crap, for example on Linux/Unix to find an empty file all I have to do is:
if [ ! -s file]
then
xxx
fi
In VB we have to write a piece of code to extract the properties of the file, find the files size by an index, decode it, put in a variable and before we can make an "if" we have to strip the contents of a variable of the KB string to get the number to compare it...
RUBBISH!
Keep up the good work Nigeria,
Richard
Joseph brooth said on Saturday, 10 November 2007
Isn't Microsoft not just practicing antitrust, anti-cometitiveness as well as bribery act? Isn't chargeable in US even it practicing in foreign nation? It also insult to Nigeria people and slapped them in the faces openly for the world to see. What's next?
LoneDissenter said on Sunday, 11 November 2007
"I wonder how this fits with the EU-Antitrust judgement (and the one in the US back in 2000)..."
It doesn't. This happened in Africa, not the EU, not the US. It has nothing to do with web browsers or media players or OEM licensing agreements to be able to sell the OS at a lower price with a new computer.
Hage said on Sunday, 18 November 2007
Congratulation to François Bancilhon, for not giving up to MicroSoft probably unethical strategies!
This remind me of the clearly unethical practices of another "king of the hill", in the early 1970 (Name is 3 letters), who played very hard ball...
Then they thought they could do almost anything: they had lots of cash, and hard playing employees.
The customers eventually decided that they had enough, and went massively to DEC/VAX machines and also emerging Unix workstations...
The this three letter company decided that being seen as a fair player was better for the business!
It is up to the customers, even if governments can often help by adopting open standards, like OSI, ODF, etc...
Need to keep the fight...
A.G
Ravi said on Monday, 26 November 2007
African governments are infamous for their corrupt behaviour. This sounds like the Nigerian authorities are bribed for switching back to Linux. Linux is evil!!
Udobong,Johnson said on Thursday, 20 March 2008
Microsoft OS is good, but Linux is better for Developing Countries.Linux( and open source generally) provides a platform for developers in Africa to come up with a something new and original. What we need is train more people to use open source softwares so as to uncover the its unlimited potential...
omit said on Tuesday, 22 April 2008
from my own perspective i belive window is more simplified than linux even the windows command enhances simplicity compare to linux
thanks
Fatih said on Thursday, 24 September 2009
i am very bad, i can cry ehuehuehu... :D