- David L Norris
- Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Semi-topical babble about Radio, Computers, Linux, Life, the Universe, and Everything.
Previous Posts
Archived Posts
Netflix - Movies At Home
Netflix - Next In Queue
2005-06-20
Where does Linux and Free Software matter most?
Linux and Free Software matters most in places which can't afford buy into the notion of secret proprietary systems. Places that have to maintain their own equipment or need completely transparent systems. People who don't have 24/7 access to Indian-based technical support centers (who hang up on you when you ask real questions). Especially if their only means of communications is what's broken. These people are just not very likely to buy into technology they can't fix or improve themselves. Most of these places won't have utility lines or cellular phone service any time this century if they ever do.
But, really, why should they? There's no longer any technical reason to have such antiquated nonsense. Power can be cheaply produced on location these days. Even in the US it isn't uncommon for individual farms to produce their own electricity just because they have animal and plant waste products that can be converted to electricity fairly cheaply. Who needs wires when radio signals can travel very long distances carrying huge amounts of information. You can direct that information into central locations which then feed it out via fiber optic trunk lines to the rest of the world.
So, don't be surprised if your laptop finds 5 wifi networks while lost and wandering through deserts of Africa. On each of those wifi networks you're likely to find Linux servers and dozens of Linux laptops powered by various forms of locally generated electricity. It's quite likely you'll even be able to phone for help using a regional Linux-based VoIP PBX running Asterisk.
In fact, Inveneo has started outfitting remote villages in Uganda with 802.11 wifi and a regional Asterisk PBX. The wifi networks link the villages together and to the Internet. On that wifi network they have an Asterisk PBX and VoIP phones at each village that allow villagers to phone other villages for free as well as dial out to the rest of the world using VoIP. They can also send email and they have Internet access. The system is powered by solar panels, pedal-powered generators and battery.
But, really, why should they? There's no longer any technical reason to have such antiquated nonsense. Power can be cheaply produced on location these days. Even in the US it isn't uncommon for individual farms to produce their own electricity just because they have animal and plant waste products that can be converted to electricity fairly cheaply. Who needs wires when radio signals can travel very long distances carrying huge amounts of information. You can direct that information into central locations which then feed it out via fiber optic trunk lines to the rest of the world.
So, don't be surprised if your laptop finds 5 wifi networks while lost and wandering through deserts of Africa. On each of those wifi networks you're likely to find Linux servers and dozens of Linux laptops powered by various forms of locally generated electricity. It's quite likely you'll even be able to phone for help using a regional Linux-based VoIP PBX running Asterisk.
In fact, Inveneo has started outfitting remote villages in Uganda with 802.11 wifi and a regional Asterisk PBX. The wifi networks link the villages together and to the Internet. On that wifi network they have an Asterisk PBX and VoIP phones at each village that allow villagers to phone other villages for free as well as dial out to the rest of the world using VoIP. They can also send email and they have Internet access. The system is powered by solar panels, pedal-powered generators and battery.
Labels: linux