Bolivarian Computers On the Shelf

Off Topic Politics and World Issues
1

Chavez’s unveils a “Bolivarian” computer. I wonder if it comes with a Che screensaver…

[quote]M?rida, June 12, 2007 ? The Venezuelan government of President Hugo Chavez announced the launch of their “Bolivarian Computers” last week, consisting of four different models produced in Venezuela with Chinese technology. The new computers will run the open-source Linux operating system and will first be used inside the government “missions” and state companies and institutions but eventually are expected to be sold across Venezuela and Latin America.

Venezuela?s President Hugo Chavez presented the new machines to the public last week at an event in the state of Falcon as he donated them to a school there. The new computers are produced by the joint venture VIT (Venezuela de Industria Tecnol?gica), which is owned by the Chinese company Lang Chao and the Venezuelan Ministry of Light Industry and Commerce.

“The price of other similar brands is US$ 930, and the price of our computer is US$ 690, almost 40% less,” explained President Chavez. “But, in addition, it has an added value, given that it comes with open-source software and a three year guarantee, while other brands only offer one year.” [/quote]

For someone who’s accused of trumping freedom of speech, the fact that they use an open OS should be noteworthy. I’m not comfortable with running something obscure on my computer because I can’t know what it’s doing (e.g: Spying on me and talking home which DRM/Paladium practically legalizes). That is, unless you’re the US government or some powerful corporation/lobby, in which case you have access to all the source code you want.

So, hat’s off for Chavez’s government for choosing Linux over the closed source alternatives.

2

HAHAHA
CHE will rulez the interwebz!

Think I might invest in one of their laptops.

:slight_smile:

3

$690 for a desktop with open source software? Daylight robbery!

4

[quote]TQB wrote:
$690 for a desktop with open source software? Daylight robbery![/quote]

Well, if you’re building up your own machine and have no use whatsoever for the technical support, then it might seem a bit expensive at first. I’ll wait for the full specs release before making up my mind though. For all we know, they might put 8 Gigs RAM and Terabyte drives on these babies!

5

[quote]lixy wrote:
Chavez’s unveils a “Bolivarian” computer. I wonder if it comes with a Che screensaver…

M?rida, June 12, 2007 ? The Venezuelan government of President Hugo Chavez announced the launch of their “Bolivarian Computers” last week, consisting of four different models produced in Venezuela with Chinese technology. The new computers will run the open-source Linux operating system and will first be used inside the government “missions” and state companies and institutions but eventually are expected to be sold across Venezuela and Latin America.

Venezuela?s President Hugo Chavez presented the new machines to the public last week at an event in the state of Falcon as he donated them to a school there. The new computers are produced by the joint venture VIT (Venezuela de Industria Tecnol?gica), which is owned by the Chinese company Lang Chao and the Venezuelan Ministry of Light Industry and Commerce.

“The price of other similar brands is US$ 930, and the price of our computer is US$ 690, almost 40% less,” explained President Chavez. “But, in addition, it has an added value, given that it comes with open-source software and a three year guarantee, while other brands only offer one year.”

For someone who’s accused of trumping freedom of speech, the fact that they use an open OS should be noteworthy. I’m not comfortable with running something obscure on my computer because I can’t know what it’s doing (e.g: Spying on me and talking home which DRM/Paladium practically legalizes). That is, unless you’re the US government or some powerful corporation/lobby, in which case you have access to all the source code you want.

So, hat’s off for Chavez’s government for choosing Linux over the closed source alternatives.[/quote]

You have no idea what your talking about do you? Open source software and freedom of speech have nothing to do with each other. Open source is free, that’s all. You are free to manipulate the source code any way you want. And linux is a pain in the ass to use besides.

Stable as a rock yes, but I’d love to see the look on the common Venezuelans face when he is staring at a blinking cursor. Sure you can get some freeware GUI’s for linux, but it’s really just easier to use command line.

Linux is for advanced users it sucks for the average person because it requires a lot of knowledge to use it properly and a high tolerance for typing everything.
Open source = free speech. LOL!

6

[quote]TQB wrote:
$690 for a desktop with open source software? Daylight robbery![/quote]

I paid $350 for a fully licensed muti-threading Windows PC. Damn right it’s robbery. With Chinese crap chips. Hey, anyone wanna guess where they stole the technology from?

7

[quote]pat36 wrote:
You have no idea what your talking about do you? Open source software and freedom of speech have nothing to do with each other. Open source is free, that’s all. You are free to manipulate the source code any way you want. [/quote]

I won’t go into the difference between the free vs. open software (read GPL vs. BSD). I don’t think you’re worth educating on the matter 'cause you probably don’t care in the first place.

Personally, I consider Microsoft’s DRM-laden products an infringement on freedoms. Feel free to disagree.

I have one question for you: How do you know that your system doesn’t have backdoors on it, and that somebody’s not spying on you? Anything that can be abused, eventually will be.

To cite only the most famous case:

[quote]And linux is a pain in the ass to use besides. Stable as a rock yes, but I’d love to see the look on the common Venezuelans face when he is staring at a blinking cursor. Sure you can get some freeware GUI’s for linux, but it’s really just easier to use command line.

Linux is for advanced users it sucks for the average person because it requires a lot of knowledge to use it properly and a high tolerance for typing everything. [/quote]

When was the last time you got hold of a Linux distro? 94? 95?

You evidently never been exposed to Ubuntu or any other modern distribution.

[quote]Open source = free speech. LOL!
[/quote]

Where did you see me write that?

Open source is not free speech. Open source/free software enables the user to reclaim his/her rights as a free individual. How would you like it if I sold you a drink and kept you from knowing what’s inside it? Would you just swallow it like the rest of the herd simply because it’s sweet and fuzzy? Would you not care what it does to your body?

Wait, I think I can predict your answer: “Meh.”

8

[quote]lixy wrote:
pat36 wrote:
You have no idea what your talking about do you? Open source software and freedom of speech have nothing to do with each other. Open source is free, that’s all. You are free to manipulate the source code any way you want.

I won’t go into the difference between the free vs. open software (read GPL vs. BSD). I don’t think you’re worth educating on the matter 'cause you probably don’t care in the first place.
[/quote]

I am educated in the matter actually but you are right, I do not care.

Personally, I consider Microsoft’s DRM-laden products an infringement on freedoms. Feel free to disagree.

I have one question for you: How do you know that your system doesn’t have backdoors on it, and that somebody’s not spying on you? Anything that can be abused, eventually will be.

To cite only the most famous case:

And linux is a pain in the ass to use besides. Stable as a rock yes, but I’d love to see the look on the common Venezuelans face when he is staring at a blinking cursor. Sure you can get some freeware GUI’s for linux, but it’s really just easier to use command line.

Linux is for advanced users it sucks for the average person because it requires a lot of knowledge to use it properly and a high tolerance for typing everything.

When was the last time you got hold of a Linux distro? 94? 95?

You evidently never been exposed to Ubuntu or any other modern distribution.

Open source = free speech. LOL!

Where did you see me write that?
[/quote]

Here nimrod:
“For someone who’s accused of trumping freedom of speech, the fact that they use an open OS should be noteworthy.”

[quote]
Open source is not free speech. Open source/free software enables the user to reclaim his/her rights as a free individual. How would you like it if I sold you a drink and kept you from knowing what’s inside it? Would you just swallow it like the rest of the herd simply because it’s sweet and fuzzy? Would you not care what it does to your body?

Wait, I think I can predict your answer: “Meh.”[/quote]

What? What in the flying fuck does open source software have to do with individual freedom? Other than that it was created here, a free society.
Actually don’t answer that, it’s irrelevent and I just don’t care. You should go to Venezuela and snuggle up with Chavez, I heard he gives good head.

9

[quote]pat36 wrote:
Here nimrod:
“For someone who’s accused of trumping freedom of speech, the fact that they use an open OS should be noteworthy.” [/quote]

I choose my words carefully. There’s no way you can pass my statement as “Open source = free speech” as you tried to do.

It puts the power back in the hands of the people (as opposed to some corporation).

It’s transparent (as opposed to obscure and opaque).

It’s fully customizable (as opposed to the classic “which color do you prefer?”).

I’m having a hard time not interpreting the “here” as “US”. Correct me if I’m wrong, before I burst out and start cursing your arrogance.

You’re one to know.

10

[quote]lixy wrote:
pat36 wrote:
Here nimrod:
“For someone who’s accused of trumping freedom of speech, the fact that they use an open OS should be noteworthy.”

I choose my words carefully. There’s no way you can pass my statement as “Open source = free speech” as you tried to do.

What? What in the flying fuck does open source software have to do with individual freedom?

BTW, UNIX was invented at AT&T - Bell Labs in 1969. That’s in america…
It puts the power back in the hands of the people (as opposed to some corporation).

It’s transparent (as opposed to obscure and opaque).

It’s fully customizable (as opposed to the classic “which color do you prefer?”).

Other than that it was created here, a free society.

I’m having a hard time not interpreting the “here” as “US”. Correct me if I’m wrong, before I burst out and start cursing your arrogance.

You should go to Venezuela and snuggle up with Chavez, I heard he gives good head.

You’re one to know.[/quote]

Moron, he is using open source because it’s free, not because it provides freedom. Very few people have the skills and knowledge to manipulate source code. Since a good bit of the knowledge took flight from Venezuela there most certainly very few people left there who can do that.

Besides, most Linux kernels work rather well, fucking with them generally destabilizes them. What flavor of linux do you use to access the finely run American website?

11

[quote]pat36 wrote:
Hey, anyone wanna guess where they stole the technology from? [/quote]

The Japanese?

12

[quote]pat36 wrote:
Moron, he is using open source because it’s free, not because it provides freedom. [/quote]

You may or may not be right. What I do know on the other hand, is that I paid a lot more money to get my Linux loaded laptop than I would have if I got the one with regular Windows.

Debian.