LakTEK – eSriLanka PC – how it will affect ?

Posted
10 July 2006 @ 5pm

eSriLanka PC - how it will affect ?

Remember all flames we had with Intel CEO Craig Barrett labeling that OLPC’s $100 laptop project as just a gadget ? Even though $100 laptop is still in prototype, intel had made a step ahead by sponsoring the eSriLankaPC.

eSriLankaPC is a project under ICTA which has the object of increasing the PC adoption in country. As Mr.Barret wanted this is a fully functional PC based on IntelÂ® architecture. PC comes with Pre-Installed software and educational programmes. Desktop environment will be based on Linux. You can take home the PC and pay in monthly installments. The lowest model costs Rs.32,300 and you have to pay Rs.1140 monthly. Also they are ready to offer trilingual Help Desk.

Now the big question is will this project genuinely benefit the country and citizens ? It may be rather too early to go for any conclusions, But will this make a big impact on country’s IT literacy ? or will it just be another trap of multinational money machine ?

Price of this PC is still the same with what’s on the bazaar. So there isn’t a huge advantage over that. Considering the fact of average monthly household income in Sri Lanka is around Rs.12,000 and current cost of living will a average family is ready to spend Rs.1140 every month ?

One of the biggest plus points of this project that i see is the huge rollout of FOSS in the country. Actually I think it will be the major difference of this PC project and what is currently on offer. Since the users will not get pirated copy of Windows pre-installed they will adopt to the Linux based Open Source environment (if not they knows how to format/partition and install pirated windows). Will it signify a new era with FOSS being the mainstream ?

Lakshan

@Deane :
I know for a fact that a cousin of mine is considering whether get one or two for his business. Thatâ€™s probably not the exact thing the ICTA had in mind.

I also heard one CEO of a popular IT company saying if this is on offer he would buy 100 computers for his business. Again ill-distribution of the system :( hate it !

As far as I know it's Redhat behind the project so OS will be most probably Fedora Core or something ;)

@ICT4Peace :
I think there also offering free help-guide and online help desk with the purchase of PC. Atleast it will help to non-geeks to work with linux.

Deane

Interesting one isnâ€™t it?

I'm not quite with it, nor against it. Fundamentally any form of elaborate government spending can do more harm than good, i would much rather have the market achive the same competence of giving the option of installments for purchasing PCs, and other equipment. In fact this is already happening with Abans 'no-poly ' (no interest) installment schemes.

Now that it's in operation, i suppose its much better that tax-payers (that's all of us) money is being used for something constructive like this, rather than some free-milk project.
Despite your reservations, i see the Intel involvement is one of the positives of the project, so that Intel at least they take away part of the burden.

Like you say, the problem is of course, will the project reach it's intended beneficiaries? I know for a fact that a cousin of mine is considering whether get one or two for his business. Thatâ€™s probably not the exact thing the ICTA had in mind.

i donâ€™t think it's fair though, to make an assessment based on the average monthly income, because the figure it self comprises of highs and lows, obviously the persons/families who have lower than Rs.12,000 income might not manage the 1500 odd every month, but those just about up and above might.

The injection of FOSS Apps is also quite interesting, especially since this can be viewed being 'forced FOSS' , not really a comfortable concept.

Whether or not this will indeed result in an increase of FOSS usage remains to be seen; I sincerely hope for the sake of the users that they will install a usable Linux distro such as ubuntu.

An interesting analysis would be to find out if these governmental projects which go outside the normal paradigms of development do actually work. Is it really possible to transform economies, or even communities inspired by ICTA infrastructure/education alone ? without first achieving solid economic growth.

Deane

LakTEK A Sri Lankan, A Rubyist and A Web Dude

eSriLanka PC - how it will affect ?