Internet 'necessary' to Africa's growth (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

A professor whose work in spreading information technology in Africa has been awarded by the Internet Society has hit out at critics who say the continent should focus first on basics like water and sanitation.

Nii Quaynor, professor of computer science at the University of Cape-Coast, Ghana, said affordable computing was "necessary" to Africa's development.

"If the critics did not have any internet, I am sure they would talk differently," he told BBC World Service's Digital Planet programme.

"While we need food and we need water, we also need the tools and instruments that will allow us to create food and water and take control of our development.

"Affordable computing is necessary. What is going to power development in Africa is going to be lower-cost user interfaces."
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7149788.stm

[Deja Q]

1. I can't wait for the citizens of the United States to say the same thing.

Those being displaced by globalization offshoring, that is...

And they're right. The tools and instruments are necessary, though I'll also admit while my computer at work multitasks very nicely, it can't plant beans...

Low cost interfaces combined with pirated very low cost corporate software (Linux just won't do for long term success) and solar power.

[AndyTiedye]

2. OLPC

http://laptop.org

It uses linux and open source software, which is obviously the way to go with this.
(You know you can't really do this with pirated software on a useful scale).

There clearly will be a market for LOW priced commercial software for these machines.
There are going to be a lot of them.

It can't plant beans, but you can find a greater variety of beans to plant on the net.