[wsfii-discuss] PC withMSWindows/Office for $53? How Feasible? Can it help empower the poor?]

Sat Apr 21 11:14:48 UTC 2007

I think this entire discussion is based on a
misreading of the article, and therefore a waste of
time for reasons other than that it is a discussion of
MS strategy.

What Microsoft said is that the $3 software will also
run on refurbished computers, which can cost as little
as $50. It does not commit or offer to source or vend
such devices. 

It is entirely true that some old machines can be
picked up for about this cost in India and in Pakistan
and doubtless in other markets. That doesn't mean that
suddenly billions of refurbished machines are
available to the Third World to use.

--- Fred Pook <fredpook at gmail.com> wrote:

> Ok!
> Let Microsoft do it! Just hope they will bundle the
> refurbished boxes with a
> low-power consuming LCD screen. And while they are
> at it can Microsoft also
> supply the:
> 
> - $20 solar panel
> - $10 wifi router
> - $15 water purifier
> - $5 per year Aids medicine
> - free ant-conception pills / condoms with MS logo
> - $30 wind energy generator
> - $20 air purifier
> 
> Let them do it!
> 
> (my $5 worth...)
> Thanks Freddy
> 
> 
> 
> On 4/21/07, Jeff Harrison
> <jharrison at thecarbonproject.com> wrote:
> >
> >  Here's my thought - $53 is what I spent on dinner
> tonight.
> >
> >
> >
> > Kudos to this program to provide a PC and software
> for the same cost.
> >
> >
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Jeff
> >
> >
> >  ------------------------------
> >
> > *From:* wsfii-discuss-bounces at lists.okfn.org
> [mailto:
> > wsfii-discuss-bounces at lists.okfn.org] *On Behalf
> Of *jeff buderer
> > *Sent:* Friday, April 20, 2007 6:11 PM
> > *To:* 'Discuss list on the World Summit on Free
> Information
> > Infrastructure'
> > *Subject:* RE: [wsfii-discuss] [Fwd:
> [bytesforall_readers] PC
> > withMSWindows/Office for $53? How Feasible? Can it
> help empower the poor?]
> >
> >
> >
> > MS is a lumbering giant suddenly awakening the
> fact its global domination
> > is at risk.
> >
> >
> >
> > Yet I think the idea that open source is actually
> free is simplifying a
> > complex global ecosystem in which of course OS
> must fund itself somewhere.
> > Total Cost of Ownership TCO is a term used to
> describe the total cost of the
> > software in terms of training, upgrades,
> troubleshooting etc over the long
> > haul.
> >
> >
> >
> > The issue is not free but the design of
> appropriate cost structures and
> > effective and easy to use software infrastructures
> suitable to grassroots
> > empowerment.
> >
> >
> >
> > Most of all is the issue of how it is all framed
> what is the cost?
> >
> >
> >
> > I don't care about the cost in that if it is free
> and provides no added
> > value it may as well cost a million dollars per
> station!
> >
> >
> >
> > The point is what is the added value that the
> investment provides?
> >
> >
> >
> > If the investment can be financed so that the
> added value it provides can
> > be paid back over time with a surplus left over
> for community development,
> > then we have a compelling value proposition in
> that the additional
> > investment can be justified. Better yet is a
> equity sharing so that there
> > are no debt burdens but a portion of any profits
> go back to the support &
> > implementation supply chain.
> >
> >
> >
> > So what I want to know is what is the added value
> that software will
> > provide over the long term and part of an
> integrated community development
> > infrastructure and how this translates into a
> multiplier effect that will
> > rapidly improve local conditions in emerging
> markets both with additional
> > knowledge and awareness of how to solve problems
> and how to translate that
> > knowledge into economic value to promote
> sustainable development.
> >
> >
> >
> > Jeff
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > *From:* wsfii-discuss-bounces at lists.okfn.org
> [mailto:
> > wsfii-discuss-bounces at lists.okfn.org] *On Behalf
> Of *albert homs
> > *Sent:* Friday, April 20, 2007 2:07 PM
> > *To:* Discuss list on the World Summit on Free
> Information Infrastructure
> > *Subject:* Re: [wsfii-discuss] [Fwd:
> [bytesforall_readers] PC with
> > MSWindows/Office for $53? How Feasible? Can it
> help empower the poor?]
> >
> >
> >
> > Nice way to send our electronic waste to poor
> countries, what does
> > "refurbished" means? and "as little as" means the
> same than in cars
> > publicity?
> >
> > 2007/4/20, kloschi at subsignal.org
> <kloschi at subsignal.org>:
> >
> > any comments?
> >
> >
> >
> > ---------- Missatge reenviat ----------
> > From: "Satish Jha" <satish.jha at gmail.com>
> > To: undisclosed-recipients:;
> > Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:11:13 -0400
> > Subject: [bytesforall_readers] PC with MS
> Windows/Office for $53? How
> > Feasible? Can it help empower the poor?
> >
> > From Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
> >
> > When Microsoft decides to devalue Windows and
> Office down to $3 per seat
> > in emerging markets which currently make limited
> use of technology (no, you
> > and I won't be getting these great deals!), you
> know that the Redmond giant
> > is  Maybe $3 for Windows an Office is an offer
> that people can pass up on,
> > but $53 for a PC and software 
 that's a deal
> that's hard to resistworried
> > about the effect that adoption of open source
> software would have in these
> > markets.  But is the $3 Windows/Office bundle too
> good a deal to resist?
> >
> > When I read the statement by
>
Microsoft<http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/apr07/04-19UPLaunchPR.mspx>,
> > the only bit stood out was the $3 price tag.  $3
> is a pretty low price for
> > Windows and Office, not exactly the $0 that open
> source software would cost,
> > but it's not far off it.  The statement highlights
> the benefits that this
> > deal will have on the economies of countries such
> as Botswana, Chile, and
> > China where technology is under-used and there's a
> massive potential market
> > for software.
> >
> > However, that low value of $3 is only part of the
> deal. 
=== message truncated ===>
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Vickram

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