[News] Kenya Linux Group Fights Discrimination Against Free Software in Government - Linux

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Kenya Linux Group Challenges Procurement Policies

,----[ Quote ]
| After losing out on many software tenders to the government, the Linux
| Professional Association (LPA) will engage the Public Procurement Oversight
| Authority (PPOA) in Kenya over procurement rules, according to the
| association chairman.
|
| The association members have been locked out of government tenders because
| the requests for proposals are usually skewed toward Microsoft products,
| therefore locking out open-source software developed locally, says LPA
| Chairman Evans Ikua.
`----

http://www.cio.com/article/367113/Ke...ement_Policies

It's worth noting Microsoft's recent (alleged) corruption in Kenya. Details
below. If true, then corruption continue to be Microsoft's primary "export".


Recent:

Microsoft Denies Threatening to Withdraw Funding

,----[ Quote ]
| However, the denial was a contradiction to comments by Bitange Ndemo,
| permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communication, who
| said that Microsoft may have made comments regarding funding, though not
| directly or in writing. Â*
|
| "They may have said something to that effect though not directly and not in
| writing. Microsoft cannot threaten us. In any case, our policy is very clear,
| we encourage people to use open-source software and those who want to use
| proprietary software are at liberty to do so" Ndemo said. Â*
|
| There was heated debate in Kenya's technology sector before the decision to
| abstain. The decision was made by a 12-member committee. Some experts felt
| that the committee was comprised of a majority of Microsoft partners. Â*
`----

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscente...w_funding.html


Kenya: How Software War Will Hurt Consumers

,----[ Quote ]
| Rather than buy Microsoft software or pay royalty fees to the company, most
| cyber-cafes around the country are choosing to instal free, open source
| software.
|
| This follows the start of an aggressive campaign by the software giant in
| October last year, which targeted cyber-cafes that are illegally using its
| software and denying it the right to benefit from many years of research.
`----

http://allafrica.com/stories/200805150945.html


Linux cutting software costs in Kenya

,----[ Quote ]
| Entrepreneurs in Kenya are putting Linux to work to cut costs and maximise
| profits as they look for new ways to bring computing to users.One of these
| entrepreneurs is Patrick Mathenge, CEO of Mullard Electronic Limited, a firm
| trading in hardware and software from its Mombasa Road offices. The company
| is distributing Linux software that can turn a single computer into up to 10
| workstations.
`----

http://www.tectonic.co.za/?p=2392


Related:

Africa: 'Microsoft is Imperialistic' Says Open Source Advocates

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Corporation's products have been locked out of the
| on-going World Social Forum (WSF) in Nairobi Kenya.
|
| With over 300 computers provided for participants and the press,
| organizers of the WSF have preferred to provide open source
| software products and blocked all Microsoft related products for
| the forum's usage and its related activities.
|
| [...]
|
| Activists at the forum also believe that since Microsoft is a
| corporate brand from the United States of America, a country
| they believe has intentions of maintaining the status quo of
| a unipolar world over which it is above international law and
| the UN, the brand should be locked out.
|
| [...]
|
| "The open source movement is providing Linux, a robust free
| software. Everybody owns it and it can be shared. And this
| is what WSF is all about - a free society, a movement
| fighting for ownership of free resources" he adds.
`----

http://allafrica.com/stories/200701230831.html


Swahili Blogosphere: State of education in Tanzania, M-Pesa and Open Source
Movement in Kenya

,----[ Quote ]
| Maitha, who blogs at Mawazo na Mawaidha, writes about M-Pesa and open
| source movement in Kenya. Recently, he, used M-Pesa service. He points
| out an incorrect Swahili phrase used by the service and wonders why
| they did not consult a Swahili linguist.
|
| He posts links to three Kenyan websites dedicated to the promotion of
| open source software. He believes that the websites will contribute to
| the growth of open source movement in Kenya.
`----

http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/20...ment-in-kenya/
http://tinyurl.com/2nne3r


Kenya: Copyright Board Takes Piracy War to Cyber Cafes

,----[ Quote ]
| Cyber café operators within Nairobi are torn between legalising their
| Microsoft software operating system, shifting to Open Source Code or closing
| shop all together following the crack down on illegal software.
|
| [...]
|
| According to Mr Kasani, the software will manage all aspects of cyber café
| billing such as Internet time, printing, items, accounts, discounts, the
| programme will be across platform , it will be possible to run it on both
| Linux and Windows computers connected on the same cyber works.
`----

http://allafrica.com/stories/200711262040.html


Open source opportunity on the road to Nairobi

http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=1725
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Roy Schestowitz wrote:

> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> Kenya Linux Group Challenges Procurement Policies
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | After losing out on many software tenders to the government, the Linux
> | Professional Association (LPA) will engage the Public Procurement
> | Oversight Authority (PPOA) in Kenya over procurement rules, according to
> | the association chairman.
> |
> | The association members have been locked out of government tenders
> | because the requests for proposals are usually skewed toward Microsoft
> | products, therefore locking out open-source software developed locally,
> | says LPA Chairman Evans Ikua.
> `----
>
> http://www.cio.com/article/367113
Kenya_Linux_Group_Challenges_Procurement_Policies


What it means is that micoshaft is funding bribes outside of the USA.

Companies such as IBM and others who have bases in the USA that
want open source contracts in partnership with local companies
should sue micoshaft in the USA where there are laws against it
and the fines are whole lot bigger to level the playing field.

On Sat, 24 May 2008 08:13:59 GMT, 7 wrote:


> What it means is that micoshaft is funding bribes outside of the USA.
>

I think you mean IBM.
Right, mjcr?

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/02...s_to_clean_up/

" IBM has tapped a new executive to head its scandal-ridden Korean
operations.

Antonio Romero will take on the role of president and chief executive for
IBM Korea. Romero has worked at IBM for 23 years, most recently as vice
president of business development for global sales and distribution in the
US. He replaces Chae Chol Shin who departed as bribery charges hit IBM
Korea.

IBM Korea fired a number of workers after the South Korean government
uncovered a slush fund allegedly used by IT executives to secure contracts.
IBM and its Korean affiliates are said to have forked out $55 million in
bribes to help spur server and PC sales. A number of government officials
were also charged and arrested for bribery.

The charges against IBM executives and the government officials come as
part of a large scale anti-corruption campaign in South Korea."


IBM and Linux seem like a perfect match for each other.



--
Moshe Goldfarb
Collector of soaps from around the globe.
Please visit The Hall of Linux Idiots:
http://linuxidiots.blogspot.com/

7 espoused:
> Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>
>> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
>> Hash: SHA1
>>
>> Kenya Linux Group Challenges Procurement Policies
>>
>> ,----[ Quote ]
>> | After losing out on many software tenders to the government, the Linux
>> | Professional Association (LPA) will engage the Public Procurement
>> | Oversight Authority (PPOA) in Kenya over procurement rules, according to
>> | the association chairman.
>> |
>> | The association members have been locked out of government tenders
>> | because the requests for proposals are usually skewed toward Microsoft
>> | products, therefore locking out open-source software developed locally,
>> | says LPA Chairman Evans Ikua.
>> `----
>>
>> http://www.cio.com/article/367113
> Kenya_Linux_Group_Challenges_Procurement_Policies
>
>
> What it means is that micoshaft is funding bribes outside of the USA.
>
> Companies such as IBM and others who have bases in the USA that
> want open source contracts in partnership with local companies
> should sue micoshaft in the USA where there are laws against it
> and the fines are whole lot bigger to level the playing field.
>

They might be better choosing to make the case in the EU, which seems to
have the strongest anti-trust bias at the moment.

--
| mark at ellandroad dot demon dot co dot uk |
| Cola faq: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/linux/advocacy/faq-and-primer/ |
| Cola trolls: http://colatrolls.blogspot.com/ |
| Open platforms prevent vendor lock-in. Own your Own services! |