How successful is simputer going to be ? Rs. 9,000 is a pretty stiff tag for rural and non-rich india.
 
just a little more and they will be able to get a computer (not state of art, but OK).
 
I also wonder how much of the simputer thing is actually just press hype. Has anyone seen what the product looks like or how it works ?
 
Again, if you are thinking of software on it, think commercially or work related software. System software would already be there. We need more software which will make the product useful.....It should allow the user to achieve something in his work life by using Simputer
 
Regards
Saswata
----- Original Message -----
From: Sameer Shinde
To: linuxers@mm.ilug-bom.org.in
Sent: Monday, July 15, 2002 12:50 PM
Subject: [ILUG-BOM] Simputer

Hi All,
 
    Yesterday I read an articall about the Simputers ( SIMple comPUTER )
which are meant for the satisfing the need ofthe peoples from rural
area in India. Peoples those are just literate or low qualified but still
wants to know & learn about the computer can take the great advantage
of the simputer.
    According to an artical, one software team of IIT is developing these
simputers & it will probably be avaliablein the market from November.
Mr. Mark Mathayan of IIT encore team said that, simputers are designed
& developed by keeping in mind the percentage of literacy in India.
He further said that, these simputers will be avaliable with a low prize
of approx. Rs. 9,000 /- only.
    These Simputers will have all the facilities which are avaliable in
normal computer. But they will not be working on MS-Windows,
rather they will work on LINUX, which is freely avaliable world wide
    Many foreign companies have shown their interest in this project &
asked for the rights for the production of these simputers. But IIT has
not given the rights to anybody as it wants the simputer to be purely
Indian & wants some Indian company to come up & start the production.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
    If we forget rest of the part of this artical & concentrate on using
LINUX on the simputers, I think this is a golden opportunity for us
to wide sprade the Linux in India & making the peoples aware of
Linux. We can even add it in our projects TO - DO list.
So.... What U guys say?
Think on it.............
 
 
Thanks & Regards,
SAMEER :)
 
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