IBM and Canonical Bring Netbook Software to Africa
IBM has joined Canonical to market Ubuntu-based netbooks with IBM's Smart Work applications in emerging world markets. Africa is the beginning.
IBM's goal is to outdo competitor Microsoft with more affordable prices in the emerging markets. Target groups for the netbook suite are different than the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) initiative in not being schoolchildren but small enterprises who can't afford a PC for each of their coworkers. The viability of the IBM-Canonical offer remains to be seen, but depends on configuration and support needs. The software bundle should be up to 50% more affordable than an equivalent Microsoft desktop, based on licensing costs, administration and maintenance.
The Smart Work client will include email programs, text and spreadsheet processing and communications software. IBM will includes its Lotus programs, that is to say Lotus Notes or Web-based iNotes as mail client along with the free Lotus Symphony productivity application suite and the Lotus Sametime messaging and collaboration software. The LotusLive hosted services will provide services in a cloud environment. Smart Work can be expanded with diverse Lotus components and virtualization technologies.
IBM has already found service providers in Africa for client distribution and is in contact with universities to bring its software model into academic focus.
Comments
comments powered by DisqusSubscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
System76 Refreshes Meerkat Mini PC
If you're looking for a small form factor PC powered by Linux, System76 has exactly what you need in the Meerkat mini PC.
-
Gnome 48 Alpha Ready for Testing
The latest Gnome desktop alpha is now available with plenty of new features and improvements.
-
Wine 10 Includes Plenty to Excite Users
With its latest release, Wine has the usual crop of bug fixes and improvements, along with some exciting new features.
-
Linux Kernel 6.13 Offers Improvements for AMD/Apple Users
The latest Linux kernel is now available, and it includes plenty of improvements, especially for those who use AMD or Apple-based systems.
-
Gnome 48 Debuts New Audio Player
To date, the audio player found within the Gnome desktop has been meh at best, but with the upcoming release that all changes.
-
Plasma 6.3 Ready for Public Beta Testing
Plasma 6.3 will ship with KDE Gear 24.12.1 and KDE Frameworks 6.10, along with some new and exciting features.
-
Budgie 10.10 Scheduled for Q1 2025 with a Surprising Desktop Update
If Budgie is your desktop environment of choice, 2025 is going to be a great year for you.
-
Firefox 134 Offers Improvements for Linux Version
Fans of Linux and Firefox rejoice, as there's a new version available that includes some handy updates.
-
Serpent OS Arrives with a New Alpha Release
After months of silence, Ikey Doherty has released a new alpha for his Serpent OS.
-
HashiCorp Cofounder Unveils Ghostty, a Linux Terminal App
Ghostty is a new Linux terminal app that's fast, feature-rich, and offers a platform-native GUI while remaining cross-platform.
Netbook Downloads