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Microsoft's Neo-Colonialism in Africa
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft is stitching up Africa in the cruellest way:
|
| Microsoft is on its way to becoming a dominant brand in Africa, mainly
| through the deals made with various governments.
|
| “We are very conscious of the environment in which we do business, where
| our employees and customers live, we always try to empower those
| communities," said Dr Diarra.
|
| “Africa is really the last frontier in not only developing technology
| that is specific to people's needs, but eventually even developing new
| business models that will enable the emergence of local software
| industries, such as young people who have the skills to be able to write
| their own applications for their own community,” he said.
|
|
| Fine words, but the reality is that if those "local software industries" do
| indeed emerge, they will be formed from programmers who are completely
| dependent on American software for the livelihood: it's neo-colonialism, pure
| and simple.
`----
http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com/2009/05/microsofts-neo-colonialism-in-africa.html
Misconceptions and Failed Attempts – Microsoft’s Strategy for Africa
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| Microsoft’s approach to give away some of its core software to universities,
| schools and governments often creates the appearance that just like Open
| Source software,„Microsoft is also free in Africa“. This statement is often
| heard, meant both sarcastically and seriously. Software donations and
| aggressive lobbying are common in many African countries but have not always
| proven to be a successful strategy.
`----
http://netzpolitik.org/2009/misconceptions-and-failed-attempts-microsofts-strategy-for-africa/
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.
|
| "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.
|
| 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.
`----
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/144898/microsoft_denies_threatening_to_withdraw_funding.html
Related:
Africa: 'Microsoft is Imperialistic' Says Open Source Advocates
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| 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
enya: How Software War Will Hurt Consumers
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| 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
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
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