captain-sensible
Well-Known Member
Well nobody else started it so...
I am going to put my pennies in from my experience in Ghana ; what I will state will be an Objective view based on "empirical observation" . So if anybody is offended, thats a Cognitive distortion problem you have. Nothing will be directly rude, or offensive. I will include anecdotes and Metaphors
Preamble -set out known issues:
The overriding mentality of those in Ghana is that value is placed on self-preservation and those of immediate family first ; everything else last. For that reason, there is little evidence of what we call "patriotism".
Things are done there that you would not dream of done in Western Society. Basically, there is no law in Ghana .
1) Shipping Computers to Ghana that have Linux installed on them:
A couple of things are likely to happen; towers will be stripped and parts sold; or Linux will be wiped , Cloned Windows installed and then the computers sold. Receivers of Towers may state they recently were bestowed Saint Hood by the Pope ; do not believe a word of it. The only thing to think about is a foolproof model . The big issue developed a foolproof model for the homeless. What they do is "sell" the Big issue magazine to vendors; the vendors buy more magazines if they want sustainability . The selling price enables them to make a small profit and still have enough money to buy more magazines. Nobody loses. To start , they are awarded a "float" .
2) Choosing a Linux OS:
If you walk about the main markets were Computer Towers are sold you will see that , monitors are predominately VGA. The pretty much rules out the raspberry PI, which I found out to my cost it only had HDMI .
We share Linux knowledge on here but its sparse in Ghana what you really need is a threshold of people all using the same Linux OS. Somebody using a "one lap top per child" unit can not directly help someone using another OS.
The OS must need minimal downloads , due to expensive and flaky Internet; that rules out OS like Arch.
The OS should have a track record of being established with a reasonable chance of Sustainability. I would rule out emmabuntus
I've looked at the One Lap Top per child and concluded for average kids they have no problem navigating an average Linux menu system. The icons i believe were arrived at due to the child of one of the developers having problems navigating a normal menu.
My thinking is Slackware 15 might be a candidate if learning of Linux is a priority, otherwise Mint
3) Linux without support in Ghana won't go anywhere. I've spoken to Bible bashers who were proud to tell me that they have been on an official Course , where I found out that they were also taught how to steal Microsoft Windows. The bible basher in question argued that downloading a copy of Windows ,that they did not pay for and that Microsoft did not issue free, was " not stealing". The general comment made to me was "why should I bother with complicated Linux, when I can get Windows for free" .As I said there is no law in Ghana; if you just give away computers , they will wipe them and install the only OS they know and install Windows. So that means to have an effective campaign you need to get someone out to Ghana , teach about Linux and offer some support locally, until it catches on. If a so called NGO is involved ; then you need some sort of accountability. Do you know that for instance in Ga South ( equivalent of local council - i have a contact there) they have cottoned on to that fact that NGO's are set up as a front for thievery .
4) Some leverage might be affected if you can work with Microsoft to reduce cloning ; but corruption is endemic so don't expect appointed managers to not take bribes. In Indonesia, someone took the decision to clamp down on Cloned Windows and there was a campaign of shutting down internet cafes that were using cloned Windows. At the time there was a direct uptake of Linux particularly "Zen cafe" that was based on Zenwalk; that was and is based on slackware.
be back later
I am going to put my pennies in from my experience in Ghana ; what I will state will be an Objective view based on "empirical observation" . So if anybody is offended, thats a Cognitive distortion problem you have. Nothing will be directly rude, or offensive. I will include anecdotes and Metaphors
Preamble -set out known issues:
The overriding mentality of those in Ghana is that value is placed on self-preservation and those of immediate family first ; everything else last. For that reason, there is little evidence of what we call "patriotism".
Things are done there that you would not dream of done in Western Society. Basically, there is no law in Ghana .
1) Shipping Computers to Ghana that have Linux installed on them:
A couple of things are likely to happen; towers will be stripped and parts sold; or Linux will be wiped , Cloned Windows installed and then the computers sold. Receivers of Towers may state they recently were bestowed Saint Hood by the Pope ; do not believe a word of it. The only thing to think about is a foolproof model . The big issue developed a foolproof model for the homeless. What they do is "sell" the Big issue magazine to vendors; the vendors buy more magazines if they want sustainability . The selling price enables them to make a small profit and still have enough money to buy more magazines. Nobody loses. To start , they are awarded a "float" .
2) Choosing a Linux OS:
If you walk about the main markets were Computer Towers are sold you will see that , monitors are predominately VGA. The pretty much rules out the raspberry PI, which I found out to my cost it only had HDMI .
We share Linux knowledge on here but its sparse in Ghana what you really need is a threshold of people all using the same Linux OS. Somebody using a "one lap top per child" unit can not directly help someone using another OS.
The OS must need minimal downloads , due to expensive and flaky Internet; that rules out OS like Arch.
The OS should have a track record of being established with a reasonable chance of Sustainability. I would rule out emmabuntus
I've looked at the One Lap Top per child and concluded for average kids they have no problem navigating an average Linux menu system. The icons i believe were arrived at due to the child of one of the developers having problems navigating a normal menu.
My thinking is Slackware 15 might be a candidate if learning of Linux is a priority, otherwise Mint
3) Linux without support in Ghana won't go anywhere. I've spoken to Bible bashers who were proud to tell me that they have been on an official Course , where I found out that they were also taught how to steal Microsoft Windows. The bible basher in question argued that downloading a copy of Windows ,that they did not pay for and that Microsoft did not issue free, was " not stealing". The general comment made to me was "why should I bother with complicated Linux, when I can get Windows for free" .As I said there is no law in Ghana; if you just give away computers , they will wipe them and install the only OS they know and install Windows. So that means to have an effective campaign you need to get someone out to Ghana , teach about Linux and offer some support locally, until it catches on. If a so called NGO is involved ; then you need some sort of accountability. Do you know that for instance in Ga South ( equivalent of local council - i have a contact there) they have cottoned on to that fact that NGO's are set up as a front for thievery .
4) Some leverage might be affected if you can work with Microsoft to reduce cloning ; but corruption is endemic so don't expect appointed managers to not take bribes. In Indonesia, someone took the decision to clamp down on Cloned Windows and there was a campaign of shutting down internet cafes that were using cloned Windows. At the time there was a direct uptake of Linux particularly "Zen cafe" that was based on Zenwalk; that was and is based on slackware.
be back later
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