Linux wins Nigerian school desktops back from Microsoft

[Zeus_Hunt]

This happened some time back...

"An entry on the Mandriva Blog, written by Mandriva CEO François Bancilhon, says that the Nigerian government, after ordering thousands of Classmate PCs with Mandriva Linux installed, has suddenly decided that they will instead install Windows. They will pay for the pre-loaded Mandriva Linux on the low-cost computing devices intended for children in the developing world, but immmediately replace the OS. The blog doesn't quite use the 'B' word but does suggest that this was not a decision that the Nigerian government made on its own."

An open letter to Steve Ballmer... - Link Here -- Click Me

Dear Steve,

Hi, this is François, from Mandriva.

I’m sure we are way too small for you to have heard of us. You know, we are one of these Linux company who is working hard to make its place in the market. We publish a Linux Distro, called Mandriva Linux. Mandriva Linux 2008, our last edition, has a pretty good review and we’re proud of it. You should try it, I’m sure you’d like it. We also happen to be one of the Linux companies that did not sign an agreement with your company (nobody’s perfect).

We recently closed a deal with the Nigerian Government. Maybe you heard about it, Steve. They were looking for an affordable hardware+software solution for their schools. The initial batch was 17,000 machines. We had a good deal to respond to their need: the Classmate PC from Intel, with a customized Mandriva Linux solution. We presented the solution to the local government, they liked the machine, they liked our system, they liked what we offered them, especially the fact that it was open, and that we could customize it for their country and so on.

Then, your people get in the game and the deal got more competitive. I would not say it got dirty, but someone could have said that. Your team fought and fought again the deal, but still the customer was happy with the CMPC and Mandriva.

We actually closed the deal, we took the order, we qualified the software, we got the machine shipped. To conclude, we did our job. And, the machine are being delivered right now.

then this happened...

Government thwarts supplier's plan to install Windows XP

Microsoft has apparently lost out in trying to persuade Nigeria's government to use Windows over Linux even after bribing a local supplier with a $400,000 marketing contract. Microsoft gave the money to the supplier after Mandriva Linux was chosen to run 17,000 laptops for Nigerian school children. The supplier took the cash and agreed to wipe Mandriva off the machines, but now Nigeria's government has stepped in to stop the shady deal.

View : Original Article

[myidisbb]

there was no bribe. that was made up shit by the crybabies. in any case we the rest of the world will pay dearly for giving more computer access to nigerian. here comes more emails. hey everyone do that send these emails in languages other then english?

btw was it to the southern christian government or the northern no vaccine for children allowed government? just curious.

one would think there be people in nigeria that could install a free copy of linux without paying any buddy anything. they also get a lot of coputers shipped there from usa and europe. there was a story i read ther other day that said 25% didnt work and in up in their nice clean landfill they have over there. so they get enough free computers. this whole deal affair just stinks to high heaven. oh well.