Modify Colors
October 15, 2008 | Uncategorized
[tagged: blog action day equal opportunity Future of Linux Linux in Developing Countries Other poverty]
Blog Action Day 2008: The Obstacles to Using Open-Source to Provide Equal Opportunity and Combat Poverty
The Dream
Standard proprietary you-need-a-new-computer-every-few-years software is not a model that allows everyone to have a computer. A very bottom of the line Vista desktop from Dell costs nearly $500, so it is hardly realistic for everyone to own one. Linux and open-source software, however, present an alternative. Linux and most of its software are free and run on older computers, allowing anyone to install it on an old, discarded computer and donate it to someone not fortunate enough to own a computer.
The Problems
Much is said about this idea, yet little is said about the remaining flaws. If we don’t recognize the flaws, how can we improve? That, and Blog Action Day, is the point of this post.
- It’s Not Microsoft
Like it or not, Microsoft equals computers for a lot of people. While some may be open minded about software, many are suspicious of non-Microsoft software, perhaps believing that nothing that is free could be as good as Microsoft’s expensive software. Unfortunately, the only real way to solve this problem is to clearly explain how Linux and other open-source software came into existence, what its business model is, and/or just convince people to try it for themselves. - Education – Linux is not Windows
People say they already know how to use “a computer,” but what they often mean is that they know how to use Windows. Anything other than Windows is “hard to use.” The fact is, Linux is not Windows. Thus, if someone has only learned how to use Windows machines, they will probably need at least a little help with Linux. The problem is who is going to provide that help. It is not very likely that everyone just happens to know someone who can help them learn Linux, nor is it particularly realistic to think that everyone being given a computer will also be given a personal, on-site Linux crash-course. The best thing would be to put some sort of tutorial onto the machines, but are people really willing to sit there and read through it and is it as good as being taught by a real person? Sure, you can learn Linux, or any operating system, on your own, as I did, but don’t expect everyone to want to, or even be willing to, spend time figuring this out on their own. - Internet Costs (suggested by zaine_ridling)
The great thing about Linux is that it is free. There is no free internet, though, and without internet, you only get about half the advantage of your computer. You could tell people to go into a Starbucks, but then the computers you give out have to be laptops with wireless, not old desktops. Some people may be able to pay for dial up or even basic DSL, but most people probably cannot afford to do this. Having to support hundreds of people’s monthly bills is just not realistic. - Compatibility with Windows
Most Windows software is not going to work under LInux and few people are going to be willing to go out searching for a Linux alternative. Worse, by default OpenOffice saves in a format that is not readable by Office. These sorts of problems, though they do have solutions, just make the process more complicated, unless you have a really good way of training the people getting the computers. See problem number 2. - Physical Distribution
Standard desktop computers are big, bulky, and heavy. None of those bode well for shipping prices. Currently, it is basically only realistic to give someone a computer if they and the computer are within driving distance of each other.This is particularly a problem in parts of the world where it may not be common for anyone to have a computer. If shipping was free and there were no customs taxes, you could give your old computer to someone in the middle of no where. As it is, it would likely cost more to ship the computer than to buy a new one there. - Piracy
Most people think of piracy as being something that the RIAA and Microsoft continue to fight in numerous stupid ways, but it can also be the enemy of Linux. If everyone just pirated Windows, Linux would lose a major edge. It is true that, for someone who cannot even afford a computer, it may be better for them to have a pirated copy of WIndows than nothing, but wouldn’t it be far better for them to have a completely legal system based on Linux?
In dealing with these issues, we must also remember that there has already been success using Linux to provide equal opportunity in many places by many people. Solving these problems would only increase the success. This is no reason not to strive to solve these problems, though.
The question I now pose to you is this: how can we solve these problems?
Related posts:
- Blog Action Day: What are the obstacles to using open-source to combat poverty? On October 15th, I will be participating in Blog...
- Open-Source Government For some time now we have been seeing scattered transitions...
- Microsoft's Terrible Open-Source Strategy Even Microsoft has realized that open-source cannot be ignored. For...
- The Choice of Open Source Really Does Matter When people make the argument that open source software lets...
- Microsoft Plans to Have a Plan for Open-Source Software – by 2015 Microsoft news related to open-source software is not uncommon. Sometimes...
How you think when the economic crisis will end? I wish to make statistics of independent opinions!
hi, Do something to help those hungry people from Africa and India,
I made this blog about them:
in http://tinyurl.com/6kv7fu
Great article with many interesting facets.
I have a point of disagreement with “It is not very likely that everyone just happens to know someone who can help them learn Linux, nor is it particularly realistic to think that everyone being given a computer will also be given a personal, on-site Linux crash-course.”
These days, GNU/Linux has enough market share that everyone is likely to know someone who knows GNU/Linux well enough to help. I believe to know GNU/Linux is to love it enough to help.
On the distribution of PCs, the same technology that permits ever more powerful PCs also permits the lowering of costs on the low end (more CPUs per disc of silicon in the fabs). The Chinese are producing RISC/MIPS processors that are so cheap they can sell netbooks for $98. They can do that even though they are a couple of steps back in Moore’s Law. The Chinese are addressing poverty/ignorance directly and are willing to export the technology. The beauty of the netbooks is you can stick a bunch in a box and ship anywhere in the world cheaply.
Along with the netbooks, we should mention thin clients and Internet connection sharing. GNU/Linux is great for this and it cuts the per-seat costs for everything. See LTSP.org or K12LTSP. On top of this, a geek can implement multi-seat X which works in schools, libraries, and Internet cafes, anywhere users are concentrated. These technologies minimize material and energy consumption as well as freight.
Thanks for a good article. I hope you receive lots ot constructive comments.
crankyindian – Wow. That was a long list. Do many people read this site? That depends on your definition of many. I would check out alexa.com or look through the site news section for actual numbers from a while ago.
Translate the GPL and central articles and speeches to native languages – awareness. Dub the speeches not subtitles.
Make Linux documentaries on Youtube with cute penguin animations.
Make comics and stories woven around Linux distros.
Make the kids enjoy cartoons with Penguins, elephants and dolphins.
Use crowdsourcing to make these movies/cartoons.
Make all school *content* available in education distributions.
Make country-wide CD/DVD distribution networks tying up with the local postal authorities.
Wikipedia dumps on CDs – decent knowledge without internet.
Make “building-blocks” or Lego-like thinking a part of all teaching so that the modding and hacking habit makes its way into kids – so they demand an open, hackable system wherever they go.
Stop infighting among distros and communities.
Start using and asking people to use virtualbox for daily work – migration becomes easy.
VCs should stop funding for offices, premises and furniture, Work from home instead.
Implement Wikinomics and Worldchanging
Integrate mathematical / computational lessons on energy management and eco-friendly technology into the above educational content media/DVDs/CDs
Opensource companies should support portals like micropledge or bountysource.
Sell using local rates and local currency – for most North American businesses, only dollars work – and Euros for Europe – that is sick.
Start opensource contests that produce tangible attractive results.
Educational institutions can require proficiency or proven contribution to opensource as a requriement for admission to certain courses. Remember, Microsoft has officially adopted opensource. It is the license that matters now – if only for awareness at the moment.
Community advertising – Rock bands, duplicate/fake clothing abound. Replace that by images of Tux and Gnu.
T-shirts work like magic with college kids – the guys with time, energy and enthusiasm.
No corporates are going to do such marketing.
Personal-car advertising – “I love Tux”!
Tux-bags for Linux support persons.
Tux-footballs, Tux-softballs etc etc
And lastly – everyone make a pledge to distribute at least ten LiveCDs to friends and family – if they have a PC, they should know that choice exists.
License: This list is public domain content. I am nobody. And it now belongs to you too.
PS: do many people read this blog? I’m not sure.
kouji haiku, maybe try Puppy again? Dial up and wifi are both better in the latest version, and this distro should be in the forefront of low cost computing because it runs well on practically anything. I wish Ubuntu produced a similar Debian based alternative though.
Everyone with an unused computer should install a common easy to use Linux desktop distro like Ubuntu or Mandirva for P4s or Vector for P3s, setup OO options to save in MS formats, and sell the system to a needy person for a nominal sum like $40-75.
You have to charge otherwise Western world recipients won’t see any value in it and won’t use it.
If they are really poor set them up with a dial up modem and account.
They will be happy and spread the word to others.
It not a big worry about with these issues. Linux can be very independent plat form. Its uses are very affective in many fields with great protection abilities and operating system customization abilities. Such great operating system need not be compared with windows. It id really a opportunity to have such operating system.
Don’t worry about Open Office.org not saving in a Microsoft word document format. In my experience it forces most technology unsophisticated windows users to download and install Open Office.org, when they get an ODF formated document from an Open Office.org user, thereby spreading OO.o even further.
great post. i tried puppy linux for a while, and i really liked it, but the dealbreaker was that i couldn’t get it to work over dial up internet, which is still quite prevalent here (the philippines).
good luck with your work.
for my part, i turn to sites like freerice (rice donation), kiva (microfinance), and goodsearch (donation per search), as ways to help alleviate poverty online. i also put up their banners on my blog.
saw this post via the blog action day site. it’s great that you’re participating.
the 3 main tasks:
-easier to try
-easier to install
-and should just work (specially hardware and format compatibility)
ubuntu 8.10 will make some nice advancements in these areas
Great post, geeky but great, Thank you for sharing, I myself wrote about it here: http://www.guruofsales.com/general/427/fight-poverty-its-blog-action-day-today and got a huge respond from readers and other bloggers. Would you please honor us and share your thoughts by leaving a comment on our post? I am trying to come up with something new tomorrow and I will include and encourage readers to visit your blog back so we can all unite to fight poverty.