[Sosfbay-discuss] Venezuela Launches Sale of "Bolivarian" Computers

[JamBoi]

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=2326
Venezuela Launches Sale of "Bolivarian" Computers
Tuesday, Jun 12, 2007

By: Chris Carlson - Venezuelanalysis.com
The Bolivarian computer, model VIT C2660

Mérida, June 12, 2007 (venezuelanalysis.com)— 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 Tecnológica), 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 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."

Production of the models began in the end of 2006 and
the first 1,619 units were distributed to students of
Integral Medicine in the government program Mission
Sucre. Chavez promised last October to give a computer
to every one of the 11,100 students in the second year
of the new medical education program Integral
Community Medicine (MIC) and began to follow through
with that promise last May.

"I feel excited because the president came through
with his promise, and that makes us be more
responsible with the program, more dedicated, since it
is a big help that motivates us to keep moving
forward," said one student.

Units have also been given to the Urban Transportation
Fund, the Agrarian Bank, the national mail service
Ipostel, and the Experimental University of Simon
Rodriguez.

And although the first units have been donated to the
public sector, the new Bolivarian computers will also
be sold inside Venezuela and exported.

"We are working with cooperatives and small companies
to form our own distribution network," said the
manager of sales Eduardo Hernandez. "It's a slow
process. This month we have already completed the
formation (of a distribution network) in Caracas and
by the end of the year we will have distribution and
technical support throughout the whole country."

The computer factory is located on the Paraguana
Peninsula in the state of Falcon and has an annual
capacity of 150,000 units. For this year the factory
is expected to assemble 80,000 units and 6,000 laptop
computers.

Until now Venezuela has always imported computers both
from well-known brands and generic brands from the
developed world. With this new venture the Venezuelan
government hopes to diversify national production,
integrate national productive chains, and work towards
technological independence for the country.

According to the web page of the new state company,
VIT has the objective of "production, marketing and
sale of technological products, with an emphasis in
manufacturing and assembling computers and
accessories. Our efforts are also focused on national
export, with a future projection to the international
market."

By the end of the year, the intention is to begin to
locally produce some of the technology in order to
substitute some of the imported components used in the
assembly of the machines for components produced in
Venezuela. In order to do this, the government has
built installations for research and development in
order to design the components inside the same
factory.

The company is offering 3 different desktop models and
one laptop with a price range of US$ 405 (Bs. 870,750)
to US$ 1,400 (Bs. 3,010,000). The processors will
range in speed from 1.5 GHz to a 3.0 GHz Intel Pentium
IV and the laptop will use a 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
processor.

With respect to the operating system, Venezuela has
taken a strong position in favor of open-source
software in order to "promote technological
development" and help "reach technological
independence." For this reason the computers will use
the open-source Linux, but the components are also
compatible with the Windows operating system.


___________________

JamBoi: Jammy, The Sacred Cow Slayer
The Green Parties' #1 Blogger
http://dailyJam.blogspot.com

"To the brave belong all things"
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"Live humbly, laugh often and love unconditionally" (anon)


       
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