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Nigeria Settles on Mandriva Linux, Not Windows, for its Classmate PCs
Posted by Wilson Rothman at 2:14 AM on November 13, 2007
The Nigerian government finally agreed to run Mandriva's Linux build on its portion of an order of 17,000 Intel Classmate PCs. The 2GB Wi-Fi laptops were initially scheduled to have Mandriva Linux, but then Microsoft apparently got into a bidding war, offering up a low-priced Windows version. On Halloween, things turned fugly.
The pot boiled over on the 31st, when Mandriva's CEO François Bancilhon all but accused Steve Ballmer of dirty dealing in an open letter.
Wow! I'm impressed, Steve! What have you done to these guys to make them change their mind like this? It's quite clear to me, and it will be to everyone. How do you call what you just did Steve? There is various names for it, I'm sure you know them.That is one angry Frenchman. Now, the final(?) word is that the Nigerian government will take delivery of 11,000 Classmate PCs with just Mandriva Linux; the other 6,000 laptops still might get Microsoft'd. The Mandriva build comes with a "unique launcher application which makes it easier to access the most commonly needed applications" as well as anti-theft applications, educational tools and a content filter, lest there be an OLPC porn fiasco all over again. [Mandriva via Electronista]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
object.session
Posted 1:07 PM 12/11/07
creepshowbabe: the stereotype of nigerians all being scammers is not a serious one, as far as i know. i mean, you'd have to be pretty much an idiot to think that an entire population could be interested in scamming one another. so, i'd just take what people are saying as a very tired joke.
anyway, there are more important stereotypes to be worried about.
object.session
creepshowbabe
Posted 12:08 PM 12/11/07
@junyo: thank you. :]
creepshowbabe
creepshowbabe
Posted 12:08 PM 12/11/07
@Monty: nope.
creepshowbabe
junyo
Posted 11:59 AM 12/11/07
@kbarrett: Stereotyping is easy when you judge a nation of 130 million plus by contact with a handful. What it's not however, is valid.
junyo
knappoleon
Posted 11:58 AM 12/11/07
They don't want to stop those scams...its not in THIER interest i.e. Nigerian economy.
knappoleon
Monty
Posted 11:55 AM 12/11/07
@creepshowbabe:
So it is your husband that has been sending us those emails?
Monty
mcgarry83
Posted 11:55 AM 12/11/07
Sorry Creepshowbabe, the world revolves around sterotyping, its just the sad truth. Im sure your husband is a great guy.
mcgarry83
kbarrett
Posted 11:34 AM 12/11/07
The only contact we get from ANY Nigerian is a scam attempt.
Stereotyping is easy when the only individuals you ever deal with ARE the stereotype.
kbarrett
creepshowbabe
Posted 11:32 AM 12/11/07
*sigh*...my husband is from nigeria...it pains me to see that people think that everyone from nigeria is a scammer... :-(
creepshowbabe
thisaintsweettea
Posted 11:22 AM 12/11/07
lol at any company anywhere, ever doing any business whatsoever in Nigeria. Unless they are trading oil for those PCs. Even then i would be suspicious. We should trick the Nigerians into setting up a country-wide closed intranet so they can't communicate with anyone outside of their country.
thisaintsweettea
SomeoneUKno
Posted 11:20 AM 12/11/07
Just one word for MS... I know you're all (not) waiting for it...
PWN3D!
SomeoneUKno
SPni
Posted 10:18 AM 12/11/07
Woo. More Nigerians with P.Cs = More funny scam emails!
SPni
TheBear91
Posted 3:19 PM 12/11/07
Hey, all americans are just fat slobs that sit around drinking fake beer and watching sports, right?
TheBear91
creepshowbabe
Posted 3:11 PM 12/11/07
@object.session: very tired indeed.
*goes back over to Jezebel now*
creepshowbabe
kbarrett
Posted 11:38 AM 13/11/07
"Hey, all americans are just fat slobs that sit around drinking fake beer and watching sports, right?"
Buuuurp!
kbarrett
SPni
Posted 4:49 AM 15/11/07
@object.session: Exactly.
Two of my Uni lecturers are Nigerian. They do a sterling effort.
SPni
2smart2bconned
Posted 12:36 PM 12/11/07
Go ahead, called all of us scammers like that dumb Oprah Winfery! But we are smart to know that now every white man is a racist nor a cracker nor pedophile. And at at same time it is not every recipient of these mails is gullible,greedy and stupid to want to reap where they do not sow. Except all of you badmouthers have fallen victim to these scams by few (less than 100,000 out of 145millions Nigerians) barely educated criminals then you can go ahead feel stupid for being such fools. But the victims are also criminals who do not deserve sympathy or is it because they westerners and they have the right to steal, or keep, loots that do not belong to them nor their relatives?
2smart2bconned