South Africa ICT Development At A Glance

South Africa has fallen into fourth place in Internet penetration in Africa, which is a shocking position for the continent's biggest economy.

ICT penetration in South Africa lags behind countries with a similar level of development such as the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Turkey.

Without access to affordable ICT, South African youth are faced with unequal access to the opportunities, experience, skills and knowledge that will prepare them for full participation in the economy.

Addressing computer literacy can be achieved in rural communities even where Internet connectivity is not yet available

Bridging The Gap With The Multi-Seat Linux Solution

This turnkey solution eliminates the need to have a stand- alone PC at each workstation. Using standard & readily available hardware, our customized PC supports up to 10 users, all of whom can work independently without any loss in performance.  Add in the benefits of Linux security & cost savings of virtualization, your organization will be able to deploy or expand your ICT systems rapidly and easily. 

Ideal deployments include:

• School ICT Labs

• Community Business Centers

• TeleCenters

• Libraries

• Internet Cafes

• Public Kiosks

• Training or E-Learning Labs 

• Conventions or Trade Shows

Benefits of Virtualization

Virtualization software is enabling organizations to make the most efficient use of their computing resources.  Given that today's users typically utilize approximately 10-20% of the system's capacity, your organization can make substantial reductions on hardware acquisition costs, maintenance & support, licensing & energy cost by deploying a virtualized multi-seat Linux solution powered by Userful's Multiplier software.

• Reduce Hardware Costs by 80% 

• Reduce Support & Maintenance costs by 70% 

• Reduce Power Usage by 90% 

• Reduce Electronic Waste by 80% 

Lower Cost of Ownership

With a typical ICT deployment there are 3 areas of cost involved:

Why Linux & Open Source?

All the built in features of your Linux distribution of choice are available for the user along with a wide range of open source programs which can be custom installed based on your organization's needs.

Security

• Due to the inherently secure structure of Linux, virus attacks are virtually non-existent

Reliability

• Downtime is reduced due to system stability.  (It just works - no Blue Screen)

Local Customization

• Having key applications such as Open Office or FireFox web browser available in local languages removes a significant barrier for new ICT learners. In South Africa, these programs are available in the 11 official languages.  View PDF

Cost

• Open Source removes the licensing restrictions of proprietary software as applications can be obtained with no licensing costs, as well, ongoing maintenance & upgrades are significantly lower in cost.

Scalability

• Linux allows for the re-use of slightly older hardware as the system requirements are not so intensive.  As well, you can expand your deployment with ease, through cost effective measures without further licensing concerns

Flexibility

• You have choice regarding which applications are installed & how they can be custom configured for your organization.  As well Linux provides opportunity for local content to be developed and the freedom to obtain, use & modify the software

What if we already have Microsoft deployed on our PC's?

In the case that your organization currently has Microsoft Windows installed on your machines or has paid for site licenses, there are 2 options available.  

1. You can choose to migrate to a Open Source platform and our staff can work with you to design a migration strategy which allows for staged approach to introducing new software.  

• An independent study by the Dutch government found that migrating to a Open Source desktop productivity platform was 90% less expensive than upgrading to a new version of Microsoft
• Studies also show that 80% of PC users can adapt to a different operating system and become as competent as with their previous system within one week!

2. Windows can still be launched within the Linux desktop as a virtualized operating system, and allows for use of programs such as Adobe to still be used as required.

Call For A Demo Today!!

Contact Jumping Bean, your source for Linux solutions, to book a demonstration of how a Multi-User system can help your organization dramatically reduce costs.  We can be reached at 011 781 8014

We can come onsite to perform a needs assessment as well as do a presentation for your team in order to outline the benefits of a virtualized Linux desktop solution.