Recent development in FT thing... ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Brett Simpson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Jun 18, 2007 10:09 PM Subject: Re: Freedom Toaster at Nepal To: Prasanna Gautam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Hi Prasanna, > Hey Brett, > Sorry for a late response, I was having problems with my internet. > We are really excited about the prospect of having FTs in universities > here. Although we haven't made an official plan, it must go this way: > 1. Current-- really good prototype machine that can establish itself > as a standard on which other FTs can be modeled/made (hopefully no big > compromises here) Kathmandu University is interested to help for > starting up. No worries about the response time. Its all good. I think your strategy is the best way to start the project. One thing I have learned is that you have to prove the projects worth first before you will get funding. You might have to be a little patient as it will take about three months of good usage to convince decision makers to see the value... > 2. Hopefully 1 can be fulfilled in low cost (getting money for 1 seems > to be a bigger problem) or else we make some compromises to lower cost. Dont lose heart, it does take a little time to get it going but trust me the FT project prove itself with the right marketing which usually ends up very viral and non expensive.... Best to do it within your means at first but try and get sponsorships for the parts needed. > 3. Present papers to places like High Level commission for IT, DANIDA, > UNDP... perhaps extend the concept to giving educational content to > rural places.. on FT like package. All open content... great idea.. the more free information to the end user the better the concept will adopt and spread like wild fire. > 4. Most universities' FTs can be managed by univ themselves.. Since we > have a no-cost NPIX exchange for internet inside Nepal.. taking a > central server and updating will not cost as it probably does > elsewhere.[cost in terms of bandwidth] Thats great.. you guys are lucky. Our market is run by a few big companies so is a little monopalistic. > > For now, topics of collaboration > 5. How much did it cost there...? is there some kind of breakdown? Our first one cost about SAR18 000, i can try and get a breakdown for you but its really a PC with large storage and DVD and CD burning drives..... not too much more than that. > 6. Are there any materials that you guys can sponsor? or help us > contact vendors! We are very tight for funds as we are spending a lot on developing the product but what exactly did you have in mind. We likely have some parts we could help with but the problem is getting them to you..... > > 7. Code Rewrite > a. Since I know that you want to rewrite the code in > python, it will be great if we can contribute directly.. via svn or > just getting interesting ideas. So far, FT can be implemented at a lot > of places, first in univs and then elsewhere all over Nepal more as an > educational tool Thats awesome. We are redoing the software but will keep you up to speed about its evolution... > > It wil be interesting to have such a project for nepal or for that > matter anywhere. > Is it possible to have an irc meeting maybe at #freedomtoaster > sometime discussing some of those things? We would be happy to.. if you figure out a way we can make a plan. This next two weeks i know are crazy so not likely then but afterwards. Keep in touch and we can assist you as much as we can. Chat soon and great to hear your ideas and enthusiasm. Regards and best Brett --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ FOSS Nepal mailing list [email protected] http://groups.google.com/group/foss-nepal Community website: http://www.fossnepal.org/ -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
