Intel and ICT made a new PC for Sri Lanka

// "The Community PC is designed to meet the needs of rural communities without reliable power, no reliable internet connections, where there is a rugged environment. It is developed to work in these conditions," Shane D Wall, Vice President, Channel Platforms Group, Intel Corp., said in Colombo on Monday. "The PC can be recharged easily on a car or bicycle battery. This platform was developed in India and I expect will certainly be of great benefit to Sri Lanka in the near future." //
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This is a classic example how government organizations hustle us. This computer cost 41040 Rs at the end of the day. Now I can buy brand new Compaq notebook for 45000 Rs (With original XP). If I want cheaper computer, I can even buy good used computer. But as ICT says 'Demand is very high'. I agree.

Why?

We think our villages are socially and financially challenged. We treat them same way. We tell them "this is what you disserve and this is all you can afford". But they are not! They are not socially and financially challenged. But our government is!

Government fails to provide electricity even when we pay one of the highest electricity bills in the world. I live in very rural area - around 20 miles from capital city - Kadawatha. I experience power breakdown minimum 2 times a day and some times more than 5 times a day. Now we provide computers works with car battery. I can't figure out why rural areas need computers for?

Watch porn? They don't need that. They get sex pretty easily.

Study? Then goverment should provide computers to schools.

Get quick service form government sector? I don't think so. There is no government service we can receive online.

Well.. May be they can use it for talk over IP to their ladies work in middle-east.. Oh! Bloody hell! I forgot! VOIP is illegal in Sri Lanka. So it can't be that.

What I think is (may be I'm wrong) we should provide them a real reason to use computers first of all. Ways to make profit with IT. Then they will buy their own computers. May be provide proper electricity for the bill we pay (Am I asking too much?). Then they will buy regular computers and use them.

Opportunity we don't have. Not Capacity.

Our villages have capacity of paying 500000Rs (to 1000000) to human smugglers for migrate to other countries. If they can make a living with IT, it is not big deal for them to buy a proper computer. But instead of that, they choose the first option. Because that is the only way they can bring bread to the table. Everything else is just bullshit.

Price Comparison. Sri Lanka vs America.

All Price are in RS (1$ = 100Rs). It is possible to have miscalculations here because I'm not very good in mathematics. May be that's why I can't figure out why only cigarette cheaper in Sri Lanka and every thing else is expensive than America.

Item	Price SL	Price US	Note
Rice Basmati 1Kg	95	77	US: 20lbs cost 6.99 $
Milk 1L	80	79	US: 3.78L cost 3 $
Sausages 150g	87	75	US: 198g cost 99c
Butter 500g	140	87	US: 1.43Kg cost 2.5 $
Vegetable oil 1L	250	86	US: 96 oz Vegetable oil 2.44$
Sugar 1Kg	60	50	US: 5lbs cost 2.50$
Cashew Nuts 100g	40	88	US: 1.134 Kg cost 9.99$
1 Egg	7	8	US: 12eggs cost 99c
Soap 1pcs	22	26	US: 3pcs - 79c
Shampoo 100ml	85	22	US: 443ml cost 99c
Petrol 1L	93	70	US: 2.69 per a gallon in New York @ Shell
Beer	75	74	US: 12 pack Budweiser 12.99$
20pack Cigarette	220	700	US: Newport 20 pack
Coca Cola 1.5l	100	75	US: 2lt Coca Cola cost 2.00$
Instant Noodles	25	10	US: 10 packs 1$
Ice Cream 1L	190	151	US: 1.65L 2 for 5$
Phone Connection	19,750	Free	SL: SLT (19,750 to 56,750) US: Optimum
Phone Rental	570	3595	SL: SLT rental + SLT Plus price US: Optimum offer more services
Phone Minute	6	Free	US: Optimum
IDD Minute	46	4	US: Optimum offer 500 minute to any where in the world for 19.95 $ per a month SLT: Price to Saudi Arabia
IDD to neighbor country	34.50	Free	US: Price to Canada on Optimum SL: Price to India on SLT
Dial up Setup	1500	Free	SL: SLT Business Plus US: Netscape
Dialup Rental	4000	995	SL: 350 Hours limit and 2Rs per a min after US: Unlimited Usage
DSL Connection	2000	Free	SL: SLT US: Verizon
DSL Monthly Free	2250	1495	SL: SLT 512/128 connection US: Verizon 768/128 connection
Internet Dedicated	160,000	4499	SL: SLT non commercial package for 512kbps US: Optimum online cable connection 30Mbps
Cable TV	1,500	3990	SL: CometCable 17 Channels (connection 10000Rs) US: Optimum 170 Channels (connection 950Rs)
Car	18,000,00	8,999,00	US: 2005 Hyundai Sonata GL - 2.4L SL: 2002 Hyundai Sonata - 2.0L

Used Conversion values:
1 liter (1000 millilite ) = 34 fluid ounces
1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds
1 kilogram = 35 ounces
1 liter (1000 millilite ) = 0.26 gallon

Over 60 civilians including 15 children killed in a bus bomb. This is all i have to say...

Digitally divide Sri Lanka

When Europe agreed on Magna Carta we had our king slaughter children for parent's burdens ... or just because he wanted to do so.

When Europe adopted democracy we had our king prohibiting us to shave or paint our houses.

When Europe builds the galley and conquers the world, we were fighting our self. We still do so.

When Europe separates the state and the religion, we still have religion controlling our daily life. And we brag about that like idiots.

When Europe enters in to Industrial age we were trying to expand agriculture. We still try to do that without any luck.

After around a century since industrial revolution, first time whole country tasted the industrial age with garment factories. Anyway it was too late. Rest of the word entered to the digital age already. Our big brother - India turn in to the digital University for the Whole World. But we still we don't know how to program a VCR. In India, a bus conductor was sitting on the CPU tower in a bus station, use the computer to print & issue me a bus ticket. That is the digital age.

I pay 250$ (around 27,000Rs) a month for 64kbps shared internet line in Sri Lanka. In average I get around 32kbps true speed. That is not even enough for voice conversation over MSN at day time.

Now in New York I pay 40$ for 35Mbps internet line. 400 times faster than SL internet line.

In Sri Lanka I pay at least 20Rs per a minute for make call to Europe (10000 Rs for 500 minute). In New York I get 500 minutes to any where in the world for 20$ (2000 Rs) per a month.

In Sri Lanka I pay 6Rs per a minute + 450 Rs month for use a phone. In New York I pay 40$ (4000Rs) per a month for unlimited calls to any phone (including mobile) to any where in the North American continent.

India is more liberal when it come to IT, In the small vilage 'Kosamba' in Gujarat - I found 3 cyber cafes operate under very good condition. But in the other hand we have TRC for regulate - I don't know what - and I don't know why.

Now we are behind the digital age too. Government still has no clear idea what the hell digital age is. Private sector is worst. Opening a web site with 'About Us Page' is nothing to brag about. But I give for 'Dialog' because they honestly bring digital taste to the village.

We are digitally divided. IT is not part of our life. Even part of the country still does not have electricity. The rest who think computer is another typewriter that can play VCD. And very little who lean computer - sing like 'Mohideen Baig' - who sings well, but don't know what the hell he singing.

I don't know how we get out of this mess. But if we do not get out of this mess, next generation will be in deep shit.

I don't mind what TRC does with technology. But keep the Negambo lagoon open and build shelter outside embassy line - let our kids dream for better future.

Just Thinking

Well.. I'm still thinking.. :-)