Comments on: Vodacom unveils low-cost Linux netbook

By: Can OpenOffice.org regain momentum? | ZDNet

Can OpenOffice.org regain momentum? | ZDNet — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:16:13 +0000

[...] just snark. Like desktop Linux, OpenOffice.org is placing great stress on new markets like Africa. Here, for instance, it’s loaded onto a Netbook with 16 GBytes of chip memory, designed for WiFi access, and [...]

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 18 May 2010 13:34:36 +0000

Lolol, I can’t wait to start playing intense games and do my serious graphic editing on my 8.9 inch screen. I mean email, Internet browsing and office work is great, but EVERY South African needs to be able to play their COD4 and create… err… whatever it is that people do with Photoshop CS3.

Sorry for flame/trolling but come on, 80% of people just wanna Facebook and send each other links to funny YouTube videos.

By: Wogan

Wogan — Thu, 13 May 2010 18:59:24 +0000

@Andre Strictly linear progression based on the growth of Linux Desktop marketshare in the last 12 months, extrapolated, indicates that (assuming the growth in number of devices remains constant, and the competition doesn’t expand), it’ll be about 542 years before Linux hits 30% global marketshare.

And the argument on whether or not PCs are coming to an end is incredibly open to interpretation. As cloud services grow in strength and use, so do the demands of daily computing, and the necessity for more powerful hardware in the home and office – for home, work and gaming. It can really go either way in the next 50 years.

None of that relates back to the main topic, which is whether or not this Linkbook will make a noticeable impact in local IT literacy levels. My inclination is that it won’t.

~ Wogan

By: Lemon

Lemon — Wed, 12 May 2010 14:51:43 +0000

R4776.00 over two years may not sound like much, but for a watered down netbook like that….mmmmmmm

By: Rider Rob

Rider Rob — Wed, 12 May 2010 13:28:16 +0000

Sounds like Linux (and other ‘free’ systems) and a proper Notebook or Netbook (and external HD) are the way to go. The challenge is the price and the Networks have the cash to subsidise purchase because they make the moola from the connection. Get AGRESSIVE VC, MTN and Cell C!

By: Andre

Andre — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:53:44 +0000

@Wogan: I only use windows to play the occasional game and to test stuff for clients who use Windows. The rest of the stuff you mention, I have been doing on Linux for close to 10 years now. I am a professional software developer and my media system is Linux based. Never had any problems with any media. As for support. I have access to more support than I had with Windows. And in many cases I got answers from the developers themselves, not a drone at a call centre. But I will admit that it is not for everyone yet. Ubuntu, Novell and others are making things easier for the average user, but if you really want to do everything on it (apart from browsing, email, office stuff), you need to be a bit more technically inclined and willing to learn. With the way that technology is heading, the Windows world (standalone desktop) is coming to an end so most of the things you mention will not be valid in the near future. Probably one of the reasons Linux-based netbooks are becoming more popular.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:44:06 +0000

Vodacom through Ubuntu Linux & your cost effective plan, you bring power to the people.

By: Wogan

Wogan — Tue, 11 May 2010 14:28:26 +0000

OT: I’m not so sure it’s a good accessibility move. R200/month*24 is some serious money to pay for a 300MB data package on a feature-stripped netbook.

R960 for that netbook, though, that’s progress. Maybe Vodacom can offer prepaid netbooks starting at R900 cash, or R50/month*24 + 5MB?

~ Wogan

By: Wogan

Wogan — Tue, 11 May 2010 14:20:13 +0000

@Fritz To play games, develop software (desktop and web) to reach 90%+ of the global market, do serious graphic editing, watch movies encoded in proprietary formats, and generally to use software that the rest of the world uses, as well as finding support for that software when you need it.

~ Wogan

By: James Frank

James Frank — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:40:39 +0000

Have you ever tried to surf the internet on a netbook screen? Lets just say that the general international consensus is that the netbook is on the way out. I think the idea is in the right place but delivering an underpowered computer netbook is not the answer in my opinion.

By: Paul Heideman

Paul Heideman — Tue, 11 May 2010 11:57:43 +0000

Great news! It’s going to be interesting to see how well it sells.

By: Fritz Milosevic

Fritz Milosevic — Tue, 11 May 2010 09:03:47 +0000

the right way to go! I have scrapped windows on the weekend and put Ubuntu Netbook remix on (10.04.) – I am excited! So far all was going well… in my mind openoffice for example has more functionality then most “normal” users will need (and that probably counts for most “pro” users as well ). So who needs Microsoft at home?