I have been catching up with this thread and have been encouraged by its
inclusion of practical details beyond simple hardware. I was interested
to read the emails about problems getting to a cyber cafe, and about
maintenance costs and other issues regarding new and recycled
computers. Perhaps list members would be interested in practical
details, on related topics, from Nigeria.
~ Ref access to cyber cafe's from Ibadan in Nigeria.
On Sundays I often try to be home from around 4 p.m, ready for a
possible yahoo chat with my friend Chief Gbade Adejumo. He is chairman
of Oke-Ogun Community Development Network, and we try to keep in touch
on alternate weekends. Last Sunday he apologised for keeping me waiting.
He explained it was the usual problem of "congestion". He has been
waiting an hour to get online. The previous session was even worse - as
illustrated by the excerpt below taken from the start of our chat.
hello Pam i'm on....i hav been struggling since 4pm to get in touch.this
the 3rd cafe i'm in....
the 1st was off air the 2nd i could not asaccess my box until i got here
When Chief did finally get through to me it was 7pm.
~ Ref issues around new and recycled computers .
Fantsuam Foundation has considerable experience of using recycled
computers - and providing them to others - so it is well acquainted
with their benefits and disadvantages. Fantsuam Foundation is currently
working with ExpLAN on development of the Solo (low powered, low
maintenance, long life, robust, open source software) computer. It
won't be cheap - but its total cost of ownership will be very competitive.
The Solo is designed for a long life in rural Africa and is being
thoroughly tested to perform well in local conditions and to suit local
needs. It will be assembled locally, on a small scale (probably around
100 units a month). Local assembly means that every purchase is
accompanied by money circulating in the local economy. The design team
has trained the small assembly team, and will keep them abreast of
relevant new developments, so there will be ongoing technology transfer.
The little maintenance that is likely to be required will be provided
through the local producers.
When demand grows additional small assembly centres will be set up
elsewhere, in a similar way to the way things have developed at
Fantsuam..Initial training took place earlier this year. The Fantsuam
team has been testing and demonstrating the Solo in various places
since, and working on the practicalities of sourcing components, raising
start-up funds, attracting advance orders and so on A discussion of the
limtations of PCs and the benefits of the Solo can be found at
www.explan.co.uk/solo/appropriate.html.
People in rural Nigeria need computers. The Solo may or may not be the
ultimate ideal solution - I don't have the knowlege to judge it - but
from the practical experience of people in and around Fantsuam it has
proved itself to be uniquely suited to their needs and way out in front
of anything else in many ways.
Pam
Pamela McLean
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
CAWDnet convenor
www.cawd.info
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